Care home/assisted living

eternal_sunshine

Hi guys,please feel free to move this if it's not in the right place or if there is somewhere better for it to go as I really need some help with this.

My mum suffers from schozoaffective disorder and has spent almost 18months in a psychiatric ward.yesterday a nurse pulled my brother to one side and said that they had basically come to the end of the road in terms of what they could do with her as they had exhausted all options(which I think is utter rubbish but that's another conversation).basically they are saying she needs to go into some kind of assisted living facility or care home.we know very little info or details about our options as we haven't had a meeting about it.

However,they did say that because she is on the mortgage with my dad that there would be financial implications.my mum and dad don't live together and haven't for years(as a result of my mums mental health problems). There is no formal separation or anything.my dad seems to think that in terms of funding care that once my mums bank account has been emptied,they will move to his account(which is in joint names even though she hasn't used it or had access for years) and also onto his savings,as well as the work pension he is due to get in five years.he said that only after that would they go onto using the house for funding.

I really don't have a clue about this,does anyone know how these things or funded or if there is anything my dad can do to protect his money?please don't read that as him not wanting to pay for things as he did say if she was placed somewhere that was around 150 per week he is fine with that but if it's a proper care home at about 600 a week then that's a problem.i really feel for my dad as he was the sole breadwinner as my mum is on benefits due to her mental health.i just don't want my dads money all getting wiped out on him :-(

Any advice on this would be great,we had this sprung on us last night so really don't know much about the process.

Sorry this is so long!

Savvy_Sue

How old is Mum?

pendragon_arther

I used to work in a senior position for MACA who have many mental health residential homes. They're now called Together and will offer much needed advice. You may find as she is on benefits Social Services will fund her care http://www.together-uk.org/

Good luck.

Rambosmum

First port of call is social services, depending on where you live it'll either be a generic adults team or specific mental health team. They can assess her and help you choose the most suitable placement for her, based on age and health. They will also complete a financial assessment. If your parents are still married then the 'marital home' will not be taken in to consideration if your dad, or dependent children remain living there, only her personal finances/ assets/ savings will.

euronorris

Was your Mother compulsorily detained for treatment? This has a massive impact on whether or not she will pay a penny towards her care fees.


Here are some links you may find helpful: http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/Pages/mental-health-aftercare.aspx


http://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/legal-rights/aftercare-under-section-117-of-the-mental-health-act/

euronorris

Also, even if your Mum does have to pay towards her care fees then any capital or assets solely in your Dad's name can not be touched.


Rambosmum is correct also that, as your Dad is still living in the home, it will not be taken into consideration should she be subject to a financial assessment. The joint account, however, would form part of this assessment and 50% would be deemed to be hers.

RAS

I suggest that dad starts by opening a new basic bank account in his own name and paying in his salary.

eternal_sunshine

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

How old is Mum?

Hiya,she is 60 years old and we are in northern ireland

eternal_sunshine

pendragon_arther wrote: »

I used to work in a senior position for MACA who have many mental health residential homes. They're now called Together and will offer much needed advice. You may find as she is on benefits Social Services will fund her care http://www.together-uk.org/

Good luck.

Thank you for the reply, I'm not sure if they would be able to help us as we are in Northern Ireland?

eternal_sunshine

Rambosmum wrote: »

First port of call is social services, depending on where you live it'll either be a generic adults team or specific mental health team. They can assess her and help you choose the most suitable placement for her, based on age and health. They will also complete a financial assessment. If your parents are still married then the 'marital home' will not be taken in to consideration if your dad, or dependent children remain living there, only her personal finances/ assets/ savings will.

Thanks for this-I heard a brief mention of assessment so I'm assuming they will look over her and decide what level of care she would need before giving recommendations for a suitable place for her (I hope this will happen anyway!) my dad doesn't live in the home, it was just my mum and 32 year old brother, although that's not to say that he wouldn't live there if my mum was placed elsewhere. My dad had said that when my granny was in a care home for dementia it got funded through her home which she shared with my granda (who is still alive) and he said that once he dies they will take what they are owed before any profit from the home would be split-is that not how it would work in my mums case as well(not that we really care about that side of it of course but I would like to have all the information)

eternal_sunshine

euronorris wrote: »

Was your Mother compulsorily detained for treatment? This has a massive impact on whether or not she will pay a penny towards her care fees.


Here are some links you may find helpful: http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/Pages/mental-health-aftercare.aspx


http://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/legal-rights/aftercare-under-section-117-of-the-mental-health-act/

Thank you very much for the links, I will read through those. As for compulsorily detained, I'm not sure.she was sectioned for a few weeks at one point and anytime she asks to get home she is told no as she is not well enough, but I don't think that classes as detained as such?