Care Home Housing Advice

bambam789

Yes that's another thing with my dad - he doesn't like socialising or talking much. He's much more content in his living room in front of the tv. So from that perspective it's another reason he wouldn't like a care home.

Cyclamen

BamBam

if self funding and living at home with live-in care the home lived in is not used to assess finances. The problem would come if the council decided that he was better of in Care home (usually financially motivated) than at home with live-in care once they took over funding as savings were used and he was below threshold.

As mentioned above they do have some arbitrary rules where the 'care home' pigeon hole is considered the best option. It is possible to fight, there should eb choice an dthe support package should be what is genuinely best for individual. (it often isnt its a compromise at best or weighted towards council as limited funds).

So you could start off with live-in.. and double up if necessary for getting up (but that increases value) as he stays at home. Or could go for care home option earlier.

What does your Dad want?

I absolutely want to remain at home as long as possible and I am aware of where I am and who the people around me are and its safe, that will require hoemcare support and potentially live-in at some point. Others however are really happy in care homes, there are some great ones out there with activity co-ordinators who plan for residents interests but also some over stretched underfunded where its bingo and a film on a bed sheet type thing… self funding will allow choice initially

its so blooming hard..

Is your Dad'd home adapted? If Its a larger home could he downsize so he can keep independence longer and fund live-in support or more frequent shifts?

As i said our home is in everyones eyes 'the savings for care for last one of us standing' what is left if anything then gets passed on.. its grim as i'd dearly love to give my house to younger family but thats not the way it works and we need to be cared for in best way for our needs first.

EnPointe

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82086254#Comment_82086254

that is deprivation of Assets , especially as I assume he's not paying a market rent to the trust

teddysmum

On reading discussions over the fairness or not of people who have used their finances for pleasure, getting the same care as those of us who have to pay and pay at a higher price to counter balance the lower fees paid by councils, someone always mentions that self funding gives choice.

However, looking at some local care homes, especially as being in one will be my fate should my husband pre-decease me, I found one which looked quite nice and less institutionalised than some I've seen and the prices weren't as bad as in other parts of the country. However, I was quite shocked to find that they will not accept residents who must self fund, but do not have enough to cover full fees for (I think it was) 3 years. This suggests that those of us who have means, but not huge ones, do not have choice so have to resort to paying to share with those who have no means, so pay nothing or very little.

teddysmum

Some years ago, there was a lot of media publicity about cases where solicitors were selling trust products to cover homes, telling clients that the family home would be protected from the greedy care home companies. They proved not to work and people were angry at wasting fees charged by solicitors , who surely knew how the law worked, so were conning them.

elsien

It's not just choice about where you live though. It is the extras when you get there. The homes at the cheaper end of the range don't support people to go out as a matter of course, even if it's just a shopping trip or to the local corner shop. One care home I visit has started charging £60 for staff to accompany people out for 4 hours and over £100 for the day. That can include if you want/need someone to go with you for hospital appointments rather than being dumped on hospital transport and going on your own.

For those who don't have family willing/able to help, all the extras and nice to haves come with a charge. Otherwise you just don't leave the building. Which would be enough to drive me completely up the wall.

teddysmum

The is one near us, some twenty years ago, which we were looking at for my dad who had Parkinsons and the start of dementia. It was lovely, being made up of a new part added to a Victorian building with stables and yard. The owners' daughter used the stables for her dress design business and helped in the home, at busy times. The food smelled gorgeous and all rooms were furnished in shades of one colour, most being en-suite and having tvs, though there were two communal tv rooms and a new/old building alcove where the old men played cards and had their daytime meals delivered there.

The furniture especially that in the dining room (where the dining suite was mahogany )was proper wood with proper arm chairs and no institutional plastic chairs in the common rooms. There was a large conservatory for bad days and a maintained bowling lawn surrounded by walkways with seats. They had a walk in bath, for those preferring this to a shower and we were told that toiletries were Johnsons and included in the reasonable fees, together with minibus trips, basic hairdressing, newspapers, which were charged for in more expensive homes.

Sadly, the couple must have sold up, when they retired and ,under the next owners, the place was put on special measures. I don't know the situation, now, but should I need care, thought I wouldn't mind living there.

Perhaps the extras have become luxuries, to be paid for on top of care nowadays, probably due to corporate greed, as in the vet industry, where investors force up prices, by buying up and leaving few independent businesses.

KxMx

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82126043#Comment_82126043

Being self funding you would still have choice about when you went into a care home, choice isn't just about where and the when can be just as important.

I have a friend whose relative was kept at home 4 years past when it was really safe to do so, that situation placed huge pressure on their family and it wasn't just them who thought a care home was more appropriate, every other professional who was involved (GP, care agency, alarm service, Police plus others) kept saying the same but social services wouldn't pay until a hospital admission forced their hand.

teddysmum

KxMx, my late father's experience was different. He had Parkinson's Disease and the beginnings of dementia. He had home carers ( He had savings but I don't recall whether he had to pay some 30 years ago), but was not admitted to hospital.

He occasionally left his gas cooker on (lit) and was admitted to care, with family (my sister and I) told after the action. Though he would be self funding, he was put in a home of the council's choice. He always said that he would never go into care, as he wasn't going to waste his money on that…..and he got this choice, as he dies a few days before paying started.