Safeguarding savings and home if Care is required

xylophone

No access to an enclosed garden like the rest of the home.

Sadly it can reach the point where the resident (even one who was an enthusiastic RHS member) is indifferent or distressed by any change of routine, even going out to the balcony rather than to her own room.

oliveoil54

badmemory wrote: »

To be brutally blunt, if his dementia is bad enough he will neither know nor care that he is LA funded. You will notice when visiting but if the dementia is bad enough the care will not differ.



The expensive home we visited had a seperate dementia wing, all very plush, all locked doors (although not their individual rooms) & no common room, so no interaction with others at all! No access to an enclosed garden like the rest of the home.


ETA Are you currently claiming carer's allowance & attendance allowance which is not means tested?

No not yet, thought I’d sort it all out once we’ve moved. He’s only been really this bad since February, though we’ve known there has been a decline over last 3 years.

He’s not that bad yet, it’s a decision that has been suggested by Solicitor due to our current move to a house I can cope with on my own. The thought of it all makes me feel physically sick!

xylophone

Re AA

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/globalassets/age-uk/documents/factsheets/fs34_attendance_allowance_fcs.pdf

Your husband has been in need of assistance with everyday personal needs and required supervision for his own safety for the past six months and his condition is not expected to improve?

See above and apply.

A self funder in a Care Home continues to receive AA.

oliveoil54

xylophone wrote: »

Re AA

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/globalassets/age-uk/documents/factsheets/fs34_attendance_allowance_fcs.pdf

Your husband has been in need of assistance with everyday personal needs and required supervision for his own safety for the past six months and his condition is not expected to improve?

See above and apply.

A self funder in a Care Home continues to receive AA.

Thank you for this. I will def look into claiming this.

LHW99

You have a lot to cope with and I hope it works out for you both in the end.
One final thing, if your husband is still capable of understanding, talk to your solicitor about power of attorney - it is much easier if your husband can still understand and agree than if you have to do so later on without.

oliveoil54

LHW99 wrote: »

You have a lot to cope with and I hope it works out for you both in the end.
One final thing, if your husband is still capable of understanding, talk to your solicitor about power of attorney - it is much easier if your husband can still understand and agree than if you have to do so later on without.

Thank you for your kind words. I already have a Scottish Power of Attorney and the Solicitor who advised going for Sole rather than Joint Ownership, is preparing our English ones, as unfortunately the Scottish P of A are not always acceptable with banks etc.

David is capable of understanding but his dementia is such that he has huge problems remembering.

bluenose1

Just wanted to say totally understand your reasons for asking and in your position I would be doing exactly the same.
If your husband is admitted to a care home would you qualify for any means tested benefits?
Found the below from age uk which may be worth reading.

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/globalassets/age-uk/documents/factsheets/fs39_paying_for_care_in_a_care_home_if_you_have_a_partner_fcs.pdf

It states-
If you enter a care home permanently and have a personal or private pension, an occupational pension or a retirement annuity, you can choose to pass 50 per cent to your partner remaining at home. This amount must be excluded or disregarded from your local authority financial assessment.

oliveoil54

bluenose1 wrote: »

Just wanted to say totally understand your reasons for asking and in your position I would be doing exactly the same.
If your husband is admitted to a care home would you qualify for any means tested benefits?
Found the below from age uk which may be worth reading.

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/globalassets/age-uk/documents/factsheets/fs39_paying_for_care_in_a_care_home_if_you_have_a_partner_fcs.pdf

It states-
If you enter a care home permanently and have a personal or private pension, an occupational pension or a retirement annuity, you can choose to pass 50 per cent to your partner remaining at home. This amount must be excluded or disregarded from your local authority financial assessment.

Doubt it to start off as my savings would count against that, depending on if I end up having to pay top up for the home. But it’s good news if he can defer some of his works pension to me especially before state pension kicks in.

We thought after all his previous ill heath we’d have a few years of happy retirement, but I know I’m not alone there lots of people in much worse situations!

kidmugsy

badmemory wrote: »

To be brutally blunt, if his dementia is bad enough he will neither know nor care that he is LA funded. You will notice when visiting but if the dementia is bad enough the care will not differ.

I've told my wife that once I don't know who she is she should stop funding me.

bostonerimus

Paying for care is potentially one of the largest costs in retirement. On average someone will be in residential care for between 2 and 3 years and it'll cost about 30k/year. So it needs to be in the retirement budget and it's good that the OP is thinking about this now. However, I think this is going to be a big surprise and burden for many families as the UK doesn't have the insurance policies or infrastructure to deal with the way costs have been transferred over the last generation from NHS and local authorities to the individual.