Mother Has A Broken Hip

[Ric.ror]

My 91 year old mother was in her monthly respite care two weeks ago when she fell and broke her hip. She was operated on and had a hip replacement the next day. She is still in hospital and recovering nicely- so much so that the nurse has indicated the next step will be to release her to a community hospital for more rehabilitation. Now I am anticipating after this is where the problems will start. I think it would not be in her best interests for her to return to her flat - she has had a number of falls all mostly minor and - because I live next door - I am able to pick her up - but as her Alzheimer’s is also increasing - surely they will now consider it imperative that she is moved to a home? It’s not as though they would have to fund her at first as she owns her own flat - it’s whether they will take up payments after her funds reach below £23k
Has anyone any experience they could share please

[gness]

Ric, I found this a confusing minefield when my mother had to go into care.
Because she "only has Alzheimer's" and isn't considered to be ill (that needs sorting out) she had to pay for her care until her savings and funds from her house sale fell to £23,000.
Part of her care was then paid for and she contributes some until her savings fall to £14,000 when her care will be paid for. She can keep her £14,000.
Now that is the situation in the home my brother and I chose and we confirmed before taking the place that she will not have to move when the £14,000 is reached.

I think that it may be different in different places so perhaps someone with more knowledge will see this..... good luck....it's hard work.....x

[woofgang]

Speaking professionally, someone has to be quite far gone down the lack of capacity path before they can be "put in a home" without any reference to their own wishes, even if relatives wish it, even if the person who holds a health POA if there is one, wishes it. Are you in the UK? There is a thing called the 12 week disregard which might be helpful. I think that all SS will say about picking up funding once the person reaches that point is that they will reassess.....its the "piece of string" issue. Does she receive any help apart from yourself?

[campbellking]

Would echo Wolfgang's thoughts. Has your mother expressed any wishes as to what she wants to do next? Can be extremely frustrating to all relatives involved if you do not think it is safe for her to go home but she wants to, but unless she has been assessed to lack capacity then her wishes take priority. If this is the case, ask for a formal capacity assessment.

[Ric.ror]

Firstly I am in UK
I have both POA’s for her
This is quite ongoing I first asked when she started wondering out of her flat and I had to arrange for her to be locked to stop her going walkabout. We had arranged for her to only be alone in the morning for an hour before she goes to the day centre and has a carer with her until staff come to put her to bed - but if she can fall in respite (and I also have a falls call list as long as my arm) then she clearly is at risk to herself in an environment without 24 hour observation
I can’t believe they won’t recognise that
I am supposed to be meeting with the hospital social worker at some point to discuss this but - past experience with social workers leads me to think they won’t acknowledge that the status quo just is not sufficient now

[bednobs]

even people in a nursing home don't have 24hr supervision, and pend long periods of time alone in their rooms

[woofgang]

Ric.ror, you must get the capacity aspect sorted. Its not about what you think is best, its about what your mother wants and how this acan be ascertained and arranged.

[woofgang]

PS even if she is adjudged to lack the capacity to make her own choices completely independently, then what her experessed wishes are or would be if she could expresss them MUST govern the decisions that are made for her. There is info here but one part is missing from the flu vac example which is looking to see if there is any evidence of what the person's decision would have been if they had the capacity to make a decision.....so if it was known that the lady on question had stated many times that hell would freeze over before she would accept a flu vac, asthma or no asthma then the nurse would have been wrong to give her a vaccination. https://www.scie.org.uk/mca/introduction/mental-capacity-act-2005-at-a-glance

[tinkerbell23]

Ric I just want to say that you seem to be taking really good care of your Mum & should be proud.

Hope you get things sorted out. Xx