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

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  • PINEAPPLE1234
    PINEAPPLE1234 Posts: 22 Forumite
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    Please take elsien advice. The emphasis now is to try and keep people in there own homes with support. You both sound like you need help and help is available but you need to ask.
  • BorisThomson
    BorisThomson Posts: 1,721 Forumite
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    Tinaarena31 wrote: »
    I would love 4 visits a day,that would take the pressure off.
    I think I've just got into my head social services are just going to ship everyone of a certain age into a care home but I guess if there's family willing to help they will help us keep her at home.

    They'll offer whatever is cheapest for them, that's all they can do with such restricted budgets.

    Does she have any assets? Her care will be means assessed. That doesn't need to be a bad thing, it means she will have greater options in what care is available to her.
  • Tinaarena31
    Tinaarena31 Posts: 13 Forumite
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    We took her straight to A&E on Boxing Day and thankfully only scratches and stitches needed.
    She had a nasty cut above her eye brow but is healing nicely now and her black eye has gone.
    I think the not being able to walk is mostly due to fear.
    She has Lewy body dementia and that also affects her balance /posture too.
    She has no assets and lives in a council property.
    That's why I was applying for the social fund budget loan to help as we don't have any savings or anything.
  • Ms_Chocaholic
    Ms_Chocaholic Posts: 12,596 Forumite
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    Have you looked on Ebay for a bed? If you message me with whereabouts you live I can help search Ebay for you if you're not used to doing it.

    You can also get those mechanical beds on Ebay that move the bed into a sitting up position that may be useful too. They also have bed rails.
    Thrifty Till 50 Then Spend Till the End
    You can please some of the people some of the time, all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time but you can never please all of the people all of the time
  • Ms_Chocaholic
    Ms_Chocaholic Posts: 12,596 Forumite
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    I also just saw these on Ebay

    https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Drive-Medical-Side-Bed-Wedges/173017133163?hash=item28489ff06b:m:m2BLlJGuhd9xUXOCgCAW06w
    Thrifty Till 50 Then Spend Till the End
    You can please some of the people some of the time, all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time but you can never please all of the people all of the time
  • Tinaarena31
    Tinaarena31 Posts: 13 Forumite
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    Thankyou so much for that,I didn't even think of eBay.
    We are from the north east of England
    Sunderland /Newcastle/Gateshead area.
    Il have a look through now.
  • elsien
    elsien Posts: 32,761 Forumite
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    edited 6 January 2018 at 9:16PM
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    Ms_Chocaholic wrote: »
    Have you looked on Ebay for a bed? If you message me with whereabouts you live I can help search Ebay for you if you're not used to doing it.

    You can also get those mechanical beds on Ebay that move the bed into a sitting up position that may be useful too. They also have bed rails.

    I'm going to repeat, please don't do anything without proper assessments. It's potentially unsafe and there may be other ways to help gran feel safe at night without restricting her independence and mobility. And which pose less of a risk if she gets confused and tries to climb out - they really aren't suitable for everyone.
    All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.

    Pedant alert - it's could have, not could of.
  • Ms_Chocaholic
    Ms_Chocaholic Posts: 12,596 Forumite
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    elsien wrote: »
    I'm going to repeat, please don't do anything without proper assessments. It's potentially unsafe and there may be other ways to help gran feel safe at night without restricting her independence and mobility. And which pose less of a risk if she gets confused and tries to climb out.


    I understand what you're saying but when my FIL was unwell they just bought a hospital-type bed with sides that clipped up to keep him safe in bed. He was a cantakerous old man though and refused to have the sides clipped up so fell out anyway.

    I know after my FIL died they struggled to get rid of the bed so that's why I suggested Ebay.

    I guess you'll wait weeks for an assessment from Social Care.
    Thrifty Till 50 Then Spend Till the End
    You can please some of the people some of the time, all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time but you can never please all of the people all of the time
  • Caroline_a
    Caroline_a Posts: 4,071 Forumite
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    When my dad got a bit wobbly on his feet the council assessed what he needed. He was on no benefits at all but it was a service that was offered anyway. They provided a rail for the bed that went between the mattress and the base, a chair for the bathroom so that he could sit while he got washed, a stool for the shower and a walker. This cost him nothing.

    Do not spend your own money, contact the council who will help with this sort of thing.
  • elsien
    elsien Posts: 32,761 Forumite
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    edited 6 January 2018 at 9:41PM
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    Ms_Chocaholic wrote: »
    I understand what you're saying but when my FIL was unwell they just bought a hospital-type bed with sides that clipped up to keep him safe in bed. He was a cantakerous old man though and refused to have the sides clipped up so fell out anyway.

    I know after my FIL died they struggled to get rid of the bed so that's why I suggested Ebay.

    I guess you'll wait weeks for an assessment from Social Care.

    From the MHRA guidance:

    Bed rails are used extensively in care environments to prevent bed
    occupants falling out of bed and injuring themselves. However, there have been serious incidents reported to MHRA. The majority of these involved third party bed rails (see section 2.1 below) used on domestic, divan and metal framed beds that have led to injury and death by asphyxiation after entrapment of the head or neck.
    Most incidents occurred in community care environments, particularly in residential and nursing homes. These could have been prevented if adequate risk assessments and appropriate risk been carried out.

    Not a chance I'd be wanting to take with my nearest and dearest. People can also have a worse fall if they try to climb over a bed rail, whether integrated to the bed or not. Which is why it's important to make sure that whatever you get is suitable to the person you're buying it for taking everything into account. Falls risk, dementia, level of confusion, mobility, level of restraint, the works. Not just something that's cheap on ebay.

    And in case anyone wonders why I'm banging on about it, I knew a disabled child who died as a result of incorrectly fitted bed rails. It's not just an academic point.
    All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.

    Pedant alert - it's could have, not could of.
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