Comments on: NHS continuing care funding for the elderly

By: admin

admin — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 12:04:07 +0000

Denise – If Aunt has no savings and house is the only asset, she will need to pay for care somehow.

The local authority (LA) may give an interest-free loan for the cost of the care, by taking a charge on the property – however many LA’s do not have the funds to enable this facility – you need to ask about a “Deferred Loan” from your Aunt’s social worker. For many people the only option is to sell their property.

Your aunt should have been Section 47 assessed before leaving hospital, to assess her care needs and to ensure she could either manage going back home or needed to go into a care home. Her social worker and/or GP may be able to help with this. Do you have Power of Attorney? If not it really is only your Aunt that can request this information. The need for nursing care does not necessarily mean she would be eligible for continuing care (ie fully funded by the NHS), as this is only granted in extreme cases where medical conditions are severe and/or unstable. You can request an assessment from NHS via the care home, if you feel your Aunt may be eligible – the care home may be able to give you guidance whether they feel this would be the case.

If you Aunt still has capacity and there is no Lasting Power of Attorney in place, I would recommend setting this up, so that selected individuals can act on her behalf in the future – this can be for finances and health, as there are separate powers of appointment. Speak to her solicitor (or Solicitors for the Elderly members, is she does not have one). If she no longer has capacity, unfortunately the only redress is to apply to the Court of Protection, who will appoint a Deputy to act in your Aunt’s best interests.

By: lyn

lyn — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 20:44:23 +0000

my father had a stroke about 6 weeks ago he then had a eart attack about 2 weeks after.he is stillin hospital at present but hoing to go home to his wife soon.he is only able to walk a few steps with aid of 2 people.he is registered blind,has a catheter.he is 94 years.When he goes home he will require carers 3 times a day..Will he qualify for chc funding or do my parents have to pay for all/

By: Care Home Funding

Care Home Funding — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:10:07 +0000

Denise – many people have been advised that they must sell property etc to fund care for themselves or relatives.

There is growing reportage in the press however of people who have previously had to take such drastic action to fund their care, now reclaiming the cost incurred as they should’ve recieved funding due to their long-term health condition (of which Alzheimer’s is one).

If any costs have been incurred thus far in this particular case, you may be able to reclaim these using a reputable specialist in Healthcare funding.

By: Helen

Helen — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:47:02 +0000

Can I charge my mother weekly for being her sole carer, thereby reducing her savings to the amount allowed in order to avoid my local authority taking her savings should I be unable, any longer to care for her?
I have been sole carer (her needs have been assessed as requiring nursing care (but apparently not the type the N.H.S. pay for) for nine months without a break and feel abandoned and ignored by the N.H.S., I come up against a brick wall whenever I ask for respite and am told to ask the local authority social services. My social services are happy to provide a weeks respite but only for £500 plus per week and I don’t want my mother to have to pay this. I am told of other people in similar situations to me having a week every eight weeks where their relative is taken into respite free of charge by the N.H.S., I am after all saving them thousands of pounds by providing my services free of charge. My mother has vascular dementia, is doubly incontinent, on a special mattress in a hospital bed here at her apartment. She has C.O.P.D., heart problems, osteoporosis and is only six stone with major constipation issues that require regular intervention by a district nurse.
Anyone in a similar situation? Can anyone help me?

By: Denise

Denise — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 21:43:08 +0000

My uncle had recently died which means that my aunt who suffers from alzheimer’s has had to be moved into a nursing home. The social worker has straight away said that she has to sell her home. A few months ago she was kept in hospital for weeks because the car that she was travelling in was involved in an accident, even though she was unhurt she they kept her in because they felt that my uncle could not cope with her and because of her mental and physical problems. Would she have been assessed for continuing care before she was discharged. if so how do I see the assessment that the hospital done . When my uncle went into the hospice before he died, my aunt was sent to a nursing home by social services because she needs nursing care.

By: winney

winney — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 21:22:04 +0000

My Mother has been granted continual care, does this mean her state pension will go towards paying for the care home.

By: admin

admin — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 09:21:49 +0000

I would suggest arranging full assessment regarding the continuing care (which may have already been done) – this is given only in very extreme cases, or where the health situation is unstable, so it may not be granted in this case, but it is definately worth asking for an initial assessment and then re-assessment if his needs change. If continuing care is granted then NHS pays for all costs (attendance allowance would then cease and State Pension would go towards these costs, with the exception of personal expenses allowance – new rate of £22.30 per week)

I assume that he is widowed with no-one currently living in his home – in which case this would be included as an asset and therefore as assets will be in excess of £23250, he will be due to pay for his own care, assuming continuing care is not granted.
He should get higher rate Attendance Allowance (the sum you have quoted is lower rate) so re-apply to DWP (Department of Work and Pensions). New rate for new tax year is £71.40 per week higher rate and £47.80 per week lower rate.

If nursing care is required – and is sounds like it from what you have said, then there is a contribution towards nursing care from NHS – new rate is £108.70 per week.

By: Susan

Susan — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 10:51:47 +0000

My father has vascular dementia, is double incontinent and cannot walk due to a fall in the hospital. He requires 2 to 3 carers to assist him for all personal care. He is partially deaf and his cognitive respones are worsening, difficult to understand his speech at times. He has been hospitalited for over a year and they now wish to move him to a nursing home. Should he not be entitled to Continuing Care? If not, He has around £5000 in savings and owns his own home. He s in receipt of £47.10 attendance allowance and his Government pension and a very small private pension. Is there any further assistance he would be entitled to?

By: admin

admin — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 20:17:33 +0000

I have moved this discussion to our forum, as this seems a better medium for a discussion, not realising that this would be so popular as a post – this is here – http://www.careathome.org/homecareforum/showthread.php?tid=10

By: Helen

Helen — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 22:18:01 +0000

My mother was discharged from the E.M.I. ward of a local hospital two and a half months ago. after a three month stay following a stroke. She has vascular dementia, is doubly incontinent, cannot walk and only stands to be washed when two carers assist. The Senior Nurse Manager on the ward told me that she would need 24hr nursing care, however I have moved to her home as her 24hr carer with homecare coming in twice daily to toilet, wash, dress her etc. Mum is being charged weekly for this, having been assessed by the local authority. I get no respite unless I am prepared to pay what I consider to be far too much – I am a pensioner on pension credit and have a still semi-dependent young son . My mothers condition is deteriorating but the hospital has said that there is nothing more that can be done and that she is on the appropriate medication for her condition. My mothers behaviour can be unpredictable, I find her in various states of undress, her incontinence creates massive problems when she removes her pads and needs to be watched virtually all the time. Her sleep patterns vary so that sometimes she is awake in the middle of the night and I find it difficult to balance her laxatives in order balance her constipation problem, with various doctors and district nurses having differing opinions and suggestions. Is my mother eligible for N.H.S. funded continuing healthcare, and if so how does this apply when the patient is at home?
Is it worth going to a specialist solicitor for advice and do you think they would take on my case? If Mum is eligible for N.H.S. funded continuing care would I be able to have a live-in nurse with me attending on the persons days off?
I really hope you can help me with answers to these questions….Thankyou.