Advice for my elderly dad

Robin9

My MIL had the opposite approach to your Dad. Every £500 spent on her home was a week less in a Care Home ! So it was stairlifts, electric beds, bathroom refit .................

But that all came from her ...... anything that the family said would be disregarded.

Time to get that POA completed.

GlasweJen

The disabled facilities grant will help to upgrade a bathroom into a wet room but it won't pay for things that should be there already like a working toilet.

It's also means tested, varies by area but £26K would rule you out in my area.

If you fixed the issues with the bathroom and heating (is there no heating installed or is is gubbed and needs fixed?) that might push him into the bracket where the council would come out to assess him for a DFG.

The waiting can be long (again, varies by area) and the list can be skipped by priority groups (bed blockers in hospital usually). It is means tested so you should keep evidence that the work you've had done was essential and you weren't spending to qualify for a grant.

Also try reapplying for attendance allowance but getting a professional to fill in the form, age U.K. do it in some areas.

TELLIT01

Assuming you can find a trustworthy builder would it be possible for you and your sister to pay to get the toilet fixed before he decides he's moving back in. That should be a fairly small job.
You Dad has much the same mindset my mother had. She wanted to make sure she had something to leave us and started to neglect her own needs. Fortunately we lived close enough to see her regularly and ensure she was OK. I know that isn't possible for everybody and it's not intended as a criticism of you.

Nual

Check if there is a care and repair agency in your area. They are public funded charities specifically to sort out builders, grants and etc for older and vulnerable people.

kazwookie

You and your sister need to take owner ship of this, as clearly your father does not seem to have the ability to get things sorted.

If you cannot find a local plumber via FB or similar, then go into the local travis perkins / wicks or similar and ask them who the local decent plumber is, they must know as they supply them..............

KatrinaWaves

With 26k of savings it is unlikely your father will qualify for any grants to help. These are usually reserved for those who cannot afford it. 26k could get all this work done and still leave plenty left over for any care costs over and above what he will qualify for through state funding.

LadyDee

KatrinaWaves wrote: »

With 26k of savings it is unlikely your father will qualify for any grants to help. These are usually reserved for those who cannot afford it. 26k could get all this work done and still leave plenty left over for any care costs over and above what he will qualify for through state funding.

I agree, why does he need these savings? Surely he saved his money to add comfort to his old age? Or perhaps not spend it because he wants to "leave something" for the children? There are thousands upon thousands of old people who don't have anything in the bank, and these are the people who really need help.

KatrinaWaves

LadyDee wrote: »

I agree, why does he need these savings? Surely he saved his money to add comfort to his old age? Or perhaps not spend it because he wants to "leave something" for the children? There are thousands upon thousands of old people who don't have anything in the bank, and these are the people who really need help.

Exactly. I never post absolutes cos someone always comes along with 'My dad owned a house worth a million pounds and had £500k in the bank and still got a grant for X' but yeah. Not gonna happen. The grants are from limited funding and they do run out!

TELLIT01

LadyDee wrote: »

I agree, why does he need these savings? Surely he saved his money to add comfort to his old age? Or perhaps not spend it because he wants to "leave something" for the children? There are thousands upon thousands of old people who don't have anything in the bank, and these are the people who really need help.

The OP has already explained her father's reasons for not wanting to spend the money, even if the reasons don't make sense to the rest of us. She is clearly trying to get things sorted so a bit of compassion for the situation she finds herself in wouldn't go amiss. She can't force him to have the work done if she doesn't have POA.

xylophone

he was recently admitted to hospital and he is now with me due to the state of the house.

In view of his age and health problems, was no care assessment done before he was allowed to leave hospital?

Are you saying that you really cannot find a plumber to refit the bathroom?

Have you enlisted the local social services to assist? They might at least be able to suggest a plumber.