Council want to move aunt to a cheaper care home after 4 years!
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Water8aby
Posts: 2 Newbie
My aunt moved in to a care home following the death of my uncle. She couldn't cope living on her own and went downhill fast. She chose to go in to a very nice home that had cared for other family members previously, including my uncle when he passed away. Aunt had plenty off money so the fees weren't an issue and she was happy there. In all truthfulness she was so ill we didn't expect her to last more than a few months anyway. The home have done a great job and looked after aunt well and she improved a lot under their care, so much so there is not a lot wrong with her now, apart from old age.
My aunt has been there for over 4 years and has now run out of money to fund her care, we have sold her house and she has used all of that, and her savings already. The council have said that they will assist with aunt's fees, but they will only pay up to their normal rate of £400 per week. They won't pay for her to stay at her chosen home which is £1,300 a week unless we agree to make up the shortfall of which would amount to about £700 per week. We do not have this sort of money and we have told the council we cannot even consider this.
So the Council want to move aunt to a cheaper home. I haven't visited it yet, but I have heard that it isn't very nice.
Is there anything we can do to stop the council moving my aunt or is it a case of tough luck now she is out of money to pay for herself, and we cannot afford the top up? I really am pulling my hair out about this now so if anyone can suggest anything that would be great.
My aunt has been there for over 4 years and has now run out of money to fund her care, we have sold her house and she has used all of that, and her savings already. The council have said that they will assist with aunt's fees, but they will only pay up to their normal rate of £400 per week. They won't pay for her to stay at her chosen home which is £1,300 a week unless we agree to make up the shortfall of which would amount to about £700 per week. We do not have this sort of money and we have told the council we cannot even consider this.
So the Council want to move aunt to a cheaper home. I haven't visited it yet, but I have heard that it isn't very nice.
Is there anything we can do to stop the council moving my aunt or is it a case of tough luck now she is out of money to pay for herself, and we cannot afford the top up? I really am pulling my hair out about this now so if anyone can suggest anything that would be great.
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It sounds like she is paying nursing home rates but only needs residential care, so I am afraid that there is no way that the LA are going to continue to pay for that.
Any new accommodation offered is going to be of a lower standard than she is used to so that is something that can!!!8217;t be avoided. My recently deceased mother went into LA funded residential care 2 years ago, and initially I was not to very keen on the place she was offered, as it was rather old fashion with small rooms. I did however speak to some of the residence (including one who has now been there for 15 years) and a couple of the residence families who all spoke highly of the staff, and the care they received.
I never regretted her going there as she was happy there and made some new friends who I still visit as they don!!!8217;t seem to have any other visitors.0 -
my brothers mil is in a very good care home at £700 a week, still being funded out of her house proceeds.
Don`t think that because it looks tatty that it is bad0 -
this is what happened to my husbands grandma aged 101! they moved her when all her money ran out to a less prestigious home. Its inhumane but unfortunately councils do not have unlimited budgets so I cant see an alternative.0
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Sometimes the care home and the LA can come to an agreement and meet in the middle, especially if you can evidence how a move would be detrimental to her, but that's when you're talking a couple of hundred pounds, not the huge discrepancy you are now facing.
I would suggest a nursing needs assessment, but if there's little wrong with her that's probably a non-starter. But it's a question to ask as it would offe a top up on the fees.
https://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/what-is-nhs-funded-nursing-care.aspx
If family can afford and are willing to pay a smaller top up you could look to see what other homes are available.
My uncle moved from a very expensive home to a cheaper one, although still more than the LA going rate. It didn't have all the bells and whistles but my aunt felt the care was as good if not better and he has settled there.
How involved in the decision is your aunt able to be? If there is a choice of alternatives (and that is a question you should definitely be asking) what is important to her in her new home? What can be done to minimise any anxiety? Does she want to visit/have information about the option is?
Look at CQQ reports to back up your arguments. But no LA is going to pay a £900 per week differential.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.0 -
Not nice in what way?My aunt moved in to a care home following the death of my uncle. She couldn't cope living on her own and went downhill fast. She chose to go in to a very nice home that had cared for other family members previously, including my uncle when he passed away. Aunt had plenty off money so the fees weren't an issue and she was happy there. In all truthfulness she was so ill we didn't expect her to last more than a few months anyway. The home have done a great job and looked after aunt well and she improved a lot under their care, so much so there is not a lot wrong with her now, apart from old age.
My aunt has been there for over 4 years and has now run out of money to fund her care, we have sold her house and she has used all of that, and her savings already. The council have said that they will assist with aunt's fees, but they will only pay up to their normal rate of £400 per week. They won't pay for her to stay at her chosen home which is £1,300 a week unless we agree to make up the shortfall of which would amount to about £700 per week. We do not have this sort of money and we have told the council we cannot even consider this.
So the Council want to move aunt to a cheaper home. I haven't visited it yet, but I have heard that it isn't very nice.
Is there anything we can do to stop the council moving my aunt or is it a case of tough luck now she is out of money to pay for herself, and we cannot afford the top up? I really am pulling my hair out about this now so if anyone can suggest anything that would be great.
Visit it before deciding whether it's nice or not nice based on a 3rd party source.
Have you looked at any reviews of the home that the council are proposing for your Aunt?
When we were looking for a care home for my Dad - self funding - someone recommended a place (her Mum was a resident) and said 'look past what it looks like and see if you think the people in there are happy'.
My sister and I visited and it was clear that the residents seemed content, enjoyed the food, liked the staff.0 -
Social care should have a list of care homes that don't require a top up, ask for this list and go and have a look round them all, talk to other residents while you are there etc. She should have some choice in where she goes so make sure she visits first.
Alot of places have waiting lists too so it may take a few weeks to get her placed, social care may agree to pay the top up until she is placed.Entering a few comps here and there 2020 seems my best year for wins so far:- iphone xs, limited edition whiskey, Masha and the Bear toys, newborn baby stuff, 3 x books, 12 months membership to diet app, bottle of syrup, Baby Shark singing puppet, children’s book, Nasty vegan shake x 2 packs.0 -
I just wanted to say thank you to everyone for your advice.
I think we are going to have to move my aunt, but we haven't quite finished the arguing yet.0 -
Aunt had plenty off money so the fees weren't an issue and she was happy there.
She sounds like one of the lucky ones.. so many elderly can't afford to pay for care. Shame her money wasn't put to use on your eduction "plenty of", not "plenty off".In all truthfulness she was so ill we didn't expect her to last more than a few months anyway.
Charming... there is not a lot wrong with her now, apart from old age. My aunt has been there for over 4 years and has now run out of money to fund her care, we have sold her house and she has used all of that, and her savings already. The council have said that they will assist with aunt's fees, but they will only pay up to their normal rate of £400 per week.
It's a great system isn't it? We pay tax when we earn money, pay tax when we spend it, and pay a third lot of tax when we inherit anything (which has already been taxed twice)- and if you earn above £60k or a certain amount (which is barely enough for a family to live on in some areas), you can pay over 50% tax including student loan repayments- all this tax is meant to fund things like healthcare, yet when we get old and actually need to use this healthcare, the government makes us sell our homes to fund it & then puts us in a rubbish place. Welcome to the U of K.I really am pulling my hair out about this now so if anyone can suggest anything that would be great.
Here's a novel idea, why don't you do what almost all civilised countries & cultures around the world do and look after her yourselves? She's your family, right? Wouldn't you want to be looked after by people you love when you get old? What about your parents? They looked after you when you were a child- wouldn't you want to look after them when they need it? Aren't you ashamed for letting her go to a care home & selling her home to pay for it? I know this is Great British cold culture but why not stop and actually think about it for a minute.0 -
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Frankly no! The very last thing I would want is to have my son have to wipe my backside for me. I may have done it for him but at least he didn't have to think about it before it happened.
No, nor would I.
I am a lot closer to that possibility (in my 9th decade now) than are many people - | would guess - who post here.
Actually there are few who would, or could even if they would. Most of our near relatives are at the other end of the country. Maybe a couple of generations ago people lived round the corner from each other, as in Catherine Cookson's 'The Fifteen Streets'. That lifestyle has gone.
The 'civilised cultures' around the world may still have granny and grandad living in the same village, or in the next street, from auntie and uncle, or married sons and daughters-in-law. I think that, if that still happens, it is now a rarity. Correct me if I'm wrong.[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Æ[/FONT]r ic wisdom funde, [FONT=Times New Roman, serif]æ[/FONT]r wear[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]ð[/FONT] ic eald.
Before I found wisdom, I became old.0
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