The rising financial costs of getting Dementia

hunters

Tipsntreats wrote: »

I have just been able to speak to just one of the relatives. I did't think I had got it wrong!!!!
The council have a cap on how much they will pay towards care. If the fees are above what they are willing to pay, then the relative is given the choices that I related. The law and what actually happens in reality are two different things. His wife has been in the care home for more than five years. He has used up BOTH of their savings. All he has left is their home. I advised him to apply for continuing care funding. His wife did't get it, actually I don't anyone that has ever been awarded it.

Is this a paid position you have? As I would really suggest you point these relatives to expert help such as AgeUK and continue with tea and sympathy for the relatives without giving them wrong information.

suki1964

Yes the council do have a cap on how much they will pay for care, it is tax payers money after all.

Your relatives have chosen a care home they can no longer afford so in this case they have been advised correctly. Find the fees or move to council funded care

Mojisola

Tipsntreats wrote: »

I have just been able to speak to just one of the relatives. I did't think I had got it wrong!!!!

The council have a cap on how much they will pay towards care. If the fees are above what they are willing to pay, then the relative is given the choices that I related.

That's a different situation.

The council will pay for care without taking the value of the house or the spouse's savings into account.

If the spouse chooses a care home for their husband/wife that costs more than the council limit, she/he will have to sign a top-up agreement with the care home and pay the difference themselves.

That is an option they have chosen. The relative could have been fully funded by the council if he/she went into a home of the council's choosing.

tooldle

Surely the preparation you refer to, is to have the savings and assets in the first place. Unless of course you are suggesting disposing of the assets, in a way that means the person in care does not have to pay.
My mum has dementia and lives in a care home. I chose the very best place i could find. The annual bill is a touch over £32000. It is funded from her pension and savings. The house has been sold and added to the savings. The savings are invested and managed by someone far more expert than me.

Tipsntreats

Mojisola that is all true at least we both agree on that ( We are making progress).

Before a loved one is taken into care, the least restrictive options are put in place. An increased care package is regularly reviewed. If the person is still deemed as unable to cope, in spite of extra support (Many other reasons as well). Then a best interest meeting is called. Now, during such a meeting, the relatives husband or wife is assured that they can remain in their property ect. As Mojisola pointed out earlier. What they are NOT told, is that they had better choose a council funded place, or they may have a dilemma in the future. The purpose of this thread.

My Mother in law is in a council funded placement. My relatives are not. There is a vast difference in the homes. There is usually a long list of people wanting council funded placements. Basically you may have to wait until a resident passes away. As there were no beds available in my M in laws area. She was placed far away from her elderly friends, that can no longer visit her.

I have my relatives near to me, and I am very happy with the places that I chosen. I have planned for their future, and they will be able to remain where they are. It is the other relatives that were either NOT fully informed, or didn't think it all through. I can imagine that having to agree to your husband or wife to be taken into care, is stressful enough.
Whoever asked do I get paid? The answer is NO I am volunteer. I was asked by the relatives, as well as the home if I could support new comers apart from always listening to the relatives. I do have a relative at this home.

Mojisola

Tipsntreats wrote: »

Now, during such a meeting, the relatives husband or wife is assured that they can remain in their property ect. As Mojisola pointed out earlier. What they are NOT told, is that they had better choose a council funded place, or they may have a dilemma in the future.

Someone has to sign paperwork promising to pay the top-up fees for as long as the person is living in the home - it's not something that can be slipped in without anyone noticing.

moneyistooshorttomention

I get where you are coming from Tips and Treats. I was very surprised at just how quickly my friend was able to find a place for her mother in what looks like a pretty decent home from what I can make out - as my previous experience had been of another friend having to go through quite a wait and a palaver to find a home for her elderly husband when he got dementia.

You've now got me wondering whether my friend just assumed the Council would cover all the cost once her mothers money goes down to the amount of savings allowed (which certainly won't take that long to do.....). I'm now wondering if this home is a Council-funded one or no. I just assumed the vast difference in waiting time/difficulty in finding a suitable home was down to there being more "provision" in this area than my own area.

Well - I guess there's no point in making this point to my newer friend - as her mother is in this home now - and so might as well stay there and "keep fingers crossed" basically that it is a Council one.

EDIT; just seen Mojisola's point above and am now wondering if my friend didnt quite realise what it was if she "signed a bit of paper" and is going to find herself asked to cover top-up fees herself if (when...!) her mothers savings run out and she would have to do so whilst taking however-long-it-took to find a Council home to transfer her mother to. That would be quite a problem - as I know my friend couldnt afford it.

Mojisola - do you know what happens re payment of top-up fees if the caree's money has run out and the carer cant afford it and there is a gap of some weeks?/some months? until a space is available in a Council home? I've got visions of my friend being ordered to sell her own home to cover any difference whilst the "hunt was on" for a Council home...

Mojisola

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

EDIT; just seen Mojisola's point above and am now wondering if my friend didnt quite realise what it was if she "signed a bit of paper" and is going to find herself asked to cover top-up fees herself if (when...!) her mothers savings run out and she would have to do so whilst taking however-long-it-took to find a Council home to transfer her mother to. That would be quite a problem - as I know my friend couldnt afford it.

Mojisola - do you know what happens re payment of top-up fees if the caree's money has run out and the carer cant afford it and there is a gap of some weeks?/some months? until a space is available in a Council home? I've got visions of my friend being ordered to sell her own home to cover any difference whilst the "hunt was on" for a Council home...

If the mother is self-funding, no-one else have been asked to pay a top-up fee. The care home bill will be paid by the resident.

It could be calculated now approximately when the mother's money will run out and, if moving to another home is the only option, that process needs to start well before the level is reached.

The care home will want someone to pay the bill otherwise they will insist on the resident leaving quickly.

Sometimes, if a resident is well-established in a home before their money runs out, it can be argued that it would be detrimental to move to another home and the council has to come to some arrangement with the home but the councils' funding has been cut so much by the government that they will fight this.

Tipsntreats

Now we are getting there.
How can one calculate how long they can be self funding? It is a daunting task, wanting the very best for a loved one, and not knowing how long. There is a lovely lady where I visit, she will be 100 this month. Luckily she owned a lot of property, and is still self funding.

Mojisola

Tipsntreats wrote: »

Now we are getting there.
How can one calculate how long they can be self funding?

Work out how much money she has and divide it by the price of a week's stay in the home. That will give a rough calculation.

Council care kicks in at £23,5000 after which all a resident's income (apart from about £20 pocket money) is taken towards the care home costs.

Care home residents are not allowed to pay any top-up fee from their remaining money - the contract has to be signed by a third party.