Care home - how do we best look after my dad please?

vpdbac

Hi, we're after some advice on what to do here please. So very confused. 

My 79yo dad has severe dementia and after a fall a month ago has significantly reduced coordination in his left hand and left foot. 

He's been in hospital since and is moving to a retirement home on Monday. It's for at least 6 weeks while we see how much independence he has.

Assets... he has a house that's been recently valued at £250k and a retirement account ('pension') at St James Place that's worth around £70k. He has around £2-3k in savings. 

His state pension is £950ish. He gets no other help. 

We're looking at a drawdown on his retirement account to fund a few months while we sell the house. Estate agent charging 1.5% +VAT. 


Is this our only option? Is there a smarter option? 

thanks in advance

Keep_pedalling

Is his SJP pension already in drawdown? 

One thing you should be doing is applying for attendance allowance. It is not means tested and is available for anyone who is coming to be self funding residential care. 

Bobziz

Also worth noting that they should be no council tax to pay if he is or could be certified by his doctor as having a severe mental impairment or ends up in long term care.

vpdbac

@Keep_pedalling -> SJP Pension not currently in drawdown. 

Attendance Allowance - will investigate. Thanks

Albermarle

Have you got Power of Attorney?

SVaz

Immediate needs care annuity - it’s not taxed as the sum moves direct from the pension to the care provider. £70k won’t go far but should give over a year. 
If you are going to be drawing £5-6k a month for fees, that’s a LOT of tax and the money won’t last a year. 

BUT, if you don’t have financial power of attorney, you may not be able to do it.
Getting POA through the courts is a long, drawn out affair. 

Keep_pedalling

vpdbac said:

@Keep_pedalling -> SJP Pension not currently in drawdown. 

Attendance Allowance - will investigate. Thanks

So, assuming you have POA, you can take 25% of that tax free to cover the short term cost of care. I would also look at getting the rest held in cash rather than funds as you are looking at short term rather than long term needs. This may mean moving away from SPJ which is no bad thing considering their high charges. 

Green_hopeful

Definitely attendance allowance which should make it easier to get the council tax exemption. He might get nursing care funded depending on the type of care home. I don’t know if its relevant and might not be an issue but my father in law fell a lot in his later years. It turned out it was because he was rushing to get to the loo. We got him some pull up incontinence pants and it stopped him rushing. It completely stopped his falls. I think we got them from Age UK so vat free and cheaper. 

Grumpy_chap

vpdbac said:

My 79yo dad has severe dementia and after a fall a month ago has significantly reduced coordination in his left hand and left foot. 

He's been in hospital since and is moving to a retirement home on Monday. It's for at least 6 weeks while we see how much independence he has.

Is this initial period of 6 weeks funded by NHS?
Is any rehabilitation being provided?

ian16527

You will need to self fund until Dad reaches £23,250 when you will need to do a financial assessment with the council, usually a month or so before he gets to the figure above, that's If the NHS will not fund his care. I don't know the criteria for this so someone may expand on this.

My Dad was in same position last year, but as he would not get any better with the dementia they wouldn't fund the care, even for the first 6 weeks. I had to pay the council this, then pay care home fees until next month when the council will part fund. 

You should be backdating the Attendance Allowance claim, I think 3 months allowed. Put down what help he needs with anything and you should be applying for the higher rate as he is in the care home so 24 hour care. 

Regarding the house you can defer payment to the council, so dont be in a rush to sell just at the minute, You should have enough cash for at least 15 months care before you need to do the financial assessment 

Baldytyke88

vpdbac said:

We're looking at a drawdown on his retirement account to fund a few months while we sell the house. Estate agent charging 1.5% +VAT. 

Is this our only option? Is there a smarter option? 

It depends on his overall health. My relative was in a care home and in/out of the hospital.

Charging 1.5%+ that is quite expensive.