Elderly friend going into a care home - help needed

no.1swimmum

We have an elderly family friend (whom we all call Auntie Pat - all though no blood relative) who currently lives in a privately owned independent living flat.

She is registered blind ( has macular degeneration with no vision in one eye and only peripheral vision in the other), and has several other serious health concerns and has struggled for some time to cope on her own, we all rally around as much as we can as she has no living relatives, her husband died over 50 years ago, but she currently lives 20 miles away. My parents (both in their 80's) have been doing her weekly shopping and usually I take them there one evening with it and we cook her a meal etc.

Just over 2 weeks ago her dr. put her in an emergency placement in a care home as she wasn't able to get herself to the bathroom etc. and she has now conceded that she shouldn't have bought her flat so far away from us and now needs to go into a care/nursing home - this she will need to fund herself as has too much savings etc. We have found a lovely home which she goes to visit tomorrow and all being well will move next week - this is a couple of miles from us so will mean we can all get there easier etc.

She does not receive a full pension - claims of her husbands stamp , is how Mum describes it - but has never claimed any other benefits. My question is are there any that she could claim that will help a little with the costs of over £1000 a week - for example would she be able to claim carers benefit (not sure if this is right as we have never really had any dealings with benefits).

Myself and my sister have power of atterny over her accounts which we evoked at her solicitors suggestion just under 12 months ago.

Thank you to anyone who can give us some advice it would be greatly appreciated.

ThemeOne

Age UK can be a great source of information for these types of question.


All I can tell you for sure is that in time, if her health continues to deteriorate, she may be assessed for NHS Continuing Care, and her care costs would become fully funded if she meets the criteria.


It's probably not something that's on the horizon at present, but worth bearing in mind.

no.1swimmum

Thank you so much ThemeOne, I will take a look at their website and see if I can talk to someone who maybe able to help us.

xylophone

Her flat is to be sold? Presumably the proceeds will be used to fund her care?

Is she entitled to Attendance Allowance?

Torry_Quine

It sounds like Attendance Allowance may be appropriate. It's not means tested

ThemeOne

Torry_Quine wrote: »

It sounds like Attendance Allowance may be appropriate. It's not means tested

Sounds like it might be - again I would advise contacting Age UK - with my father they sent someone round to complete the forms with him, and he got the higher rate.

It's worth getting their expertise, as the application form is long and they know the best way to put things to get the most benefit.

TELLIT01

I very much doubt she will be entitled to anything other than AA if she already has savings and will be selling her current property.

SVFM

Attendance Allowance is payable to persons who are self funding a care home. You can get the forms off the DWP for your friend and fill them in on her behalf. This benefit stops if she were to get continue healthcare funding, which can be difficult to obtain.