96 year old gran and benefit advice ...can you advise?

Tinaarena31

My gran is 96 with dementia.
I've been her appointee with DWP for around 9 years now as she has dementia.
On Boxing Day she had a fall and since then she has been scared to go to bed incase she falls out.
She's sleeping on a sofa that is too small for her in living room.
I applied tonight online for a budget loan on her behalf so I can buy her a bed with rails up for living room.
After submitting form I've seen if your the appointee you have to complete paper form not online.
Now I'm worried her budget loan will be declined because of me not reading things properly.
I won't be able to afford the single bed for her without it.
Do you think if I ring Monday and explain and request the paper forms it should be ok?
I'm worried as I couldn't afford her a new bed without it and she only gets pension and no savings etc .
I can't do nothing right lately!

Mojisola

Does she get Attendance Allowance?

Tinaarena31

She gets attendance allowance,pension credit and state pension

Alice_Holt

A) Re benefits:
1) Claim Attendance Allowance for her - https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/money-legal/benefits-entitlements/attendance-allowance/
2) If she isn't getting Pension Credit then check her eligibility for it- https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/money-legal/benefits-entitlements/
https://bromley.mylifeportal.co.uk/uploadedFiles/Bromley/Bromley_Homepage/Document_Library/Cray_Valley/DWPHome%20visits%20Poster.pdf

EDIT: Ah, I see from your follow up post she is getting these - so please now ignore the above

Get a care and support needs assessment from your local council - https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/how-a-local-authority-care-needs-assessment-works
https://www.gov.uk/apply-needs-assessment-social-services
"Services can include:
home care help with things like cleaning and shopping
disability equipment and adaptations to your home
day centres to give you or the person who cares for you a break"
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support/assessment-care-needs/?

Robin9

Contact her doctor who can initiate a Social Services visit who can determine her needs rather than you guessing them.

Tinaarena31

Thankyou for your advice.
I've been worried to contact social services incase they see her now and say she can't live alone anymore.
At the moment she can't stand alone without me holding her hand and she's falling a lot..that's why I want to get a bed with the rails.
I don't think S/S would pay for that.

marliepanda

Tinaarena31 wrote: »

Thankyou for your advice.
I've been worried to contact social services incase they see her now and say she can't live alone anymore.
At the moment she can't stand alone without me holding her hand and she's falling a lot..that's why I want to get a bed with the rails.
I don't think S/S would pay for that.

Surely she needs some sort of walker or mobility device, not you holding her hand all the time.

The bed seems a red herring. I appreciate you wanting to do everything you can for your gran but it may be time for outside involvement.

You seem to be describing a situation where she has a bed with rails, and then has to stay in it unless you’re around to help her walk? This is not good for your gran.

I understand where you are coming from as we tried to keep my grandad out of care for a long time. However, there came a point where it was no longer safe for my grandad to be alone.

Tinaarena31

She has a walker but refuses to use it
I'm in all day every day apart from the weekly shop when my dad sits with her for 2 hours.
She's only needed me to help her walk since the Boxing Day fall.
I'm hoping she will get her strength back in her legs but thought If we got her a bed with rails I might be able to get out a little bit more with no fear of her falling out

Tinaarena31

She wouldn't cope in a nursing home.
If I could afford the bed myself I wouldn't ask for any budget loan etc but I only get carers allowance and that doesn't go far

Rich2808

It sounds harsh but it probably is time she went into a care home where she can get round the clock support. It is too much for you to manage on your own without outside help.

She first needs a social care assessment - and they might provide free aids and adaptations for her home depending on her circumstances. But it doesn't solve the issue - she can't look after herself properly any more.

Tinaarena31

I've been looking into bluebird care,they provide some outside help.
I just don't know where to start
The thought of contacting S/S scares me.
I know eventually I will need support