Nursing Home Fees.

[gness]

I know there never seems to be a simple answer to this but.....

My mother was in a Care Home.....alzheimer's...and unable to care for herself. This was being funded from the sale of her house and savings until her money reduced to £14.000 which it hasn't yet done.
Last year she had to be moved to a Nursing Home as the Care Home couldn't cope....she is very aggressive and doubly incontinent.
We had another care assessment last month....these are fairly frequent... but I now have had an invitation to attend an NHS assessment to see whether her fees should be funded by them.
I was under the impression we just kept paying til her money reached the limit of what she is allowed to keep.
Does anyone know if the rules about funding change when care becomes nursing?

Thanks..G.

[pauln90]

Read up about continuing healthcare funded by NHS. See if your mother qualifies

http://www.nhs.uk/CarersDirect/guide/practicalsupport/Pages/NHSContinuingCare.aspx

[gness]

Thank you for that, Pauln......when she first went into a home I had so many different bits of information from the professionals my head was spinning... I need to be on the ball for this meeting.....thanks...x

[ubasses]

When my MIL went into a nursing home she automatically qualified for an NHS payment of £108 per week ( 3 years ago). The Home completed the forms and applied for it on our behalf, This is on top of the attendance allowance.
There is a tougher assessment for NHS continuing care where she may get her fees paid, have a look at the NHS site.

[Old_Geezer]

Best of luck with it.

I think it very wrong one pays into a government health insurance scheme claiming to be free at the point of delivery and which, when you are at an age and need health care, it tells you to go pay for yourself. Really what is the point of being prudent and careful and accumulating a little wealth when your insurance penalises you for it by refusing to do it's part when called upon ?

[black_cat51]

hello Gness, i have a lot of experience in this area. the £108 mentioned is called funded nursing care, and you may find that she already gets this - it's usually paid directly to the nursing home from the NHS, and they reduce your fees as appropriate. As care is so expensive, people often don't notice the £108 discount! Only people in nursing homes get this payment - residential care homes with no nursing do not get it because the NHS already pays for the nursing care they receive via the district nurses (who don't go into nursing homes)
continuing healthcare is when the person has a primary nursing need (ie their condition is so serious, or unpredictable or complex that they formerly would have been in hospital) it is not means tested, and the NHS pays the whole amount of the care fees (so no charge at all to the patient) people who need routine nursing care (washing, dressing, ordinary medications, keeping safe and occupied and so on) do not qualify examples of things that might make the pt qualify include things like fits, intractable pressure sores, no mobility in any limbs and difficult to manage behaviour (for example sexual disinhibition, aggression and so on)

[gness]

Hi,OG...my mother became very careful with her money for the last few years. I think that often happens and she wanted to leave as much as possible for my brother....I was out of the will for some time but heyho..☺
Nothing we did could make her spend money on herself so now she has a fair bit to put towards her care......plus the house of course....she'd be miffed if she knew.

Black-cat...that is very helpful...thank you. Mum was visited by district nurses at the Care Home but not now......She can't walk...has bed sores frequently, some quite bad and she is extremely difficult and dangerous to manage now so maybe that is why we are having this assessment.
I do find it quite a minefield....but then some of the professionals I have spoken to know less than I do which doesn't help.....thank you...x

[Jeza]

Thans for this post gness.

Many thanks to paul90, I am going to investigate your link, though I don't suppose it will be fruitful for us as we get nothing for free. Worth a go though.

[gness]

Jeza...I have been surprised at what one is entitled to but is never told. MrG and I supported ourselves throughout his illness. It's only since we have been dealing with Mother's affairs and hearing what other people apply for and get that I realise what we missed out on.
It's almost like having to beg for information at times....and that can feel belittling.

[Mojo-Jo-Jo]

The internet is your friend Gness :)
There are bound to be forums and discussion boards out there talking about this very thing. Be pro-active and look for what help is out there. My friend got real support and financial help for his mum from scouriung t'internet regularly.
Don't just constrict your search for information to here on AB, as helpful and informative as it is of course.

[black_cat51]

i would just like to point out to jeza and Gness only a very small percentage of people who are referred for continuing healthcare funding get it (perhaps around 5%?) so don't get any hopes up. For example re mobility, if you are bed bound and need turning and hoisting, that wouldn't normally qualify if, for example you can co-operate with the turns (and by co-operate i mean it only needs to be minimal co-operation). You have to think about whether the types of things that need doing for your loved one need to be done by a qualified nurse. If they can be mainly done by a carer, they are unlikely to qualify (as that's social care rather than nursing care)

[Jeza]

I agree gness, no-one is forthcoming with information. Mic was in hospital for 17 weeks I paid £6.70 a day for parking to go and see him. No one informed me that you could get a weekly pass for £6.70. I only found this out when he came home.

[gness]

Thanks, Mo and BC......mum had to move because she needed nursing rather than care...or so we were told...we had no idea about any changes in fees and if she has to continue paying so be it.....just seems we are always at meetings and assessments.....mind you none as hilarious at the poo panel meetings...☺
Jeza...was some time before I found out about the parking pass too....it isn't something you think to ask about...and ask who?

[black_cat51]

i suppose you have to think about who does most of her care, are the actual things she needs doing done by a qualified nurse?

[Mojo-Jo-Jo]

When I had to go a lot, I asked at the department reception when I booked in. I told them I was struggling to afford it.

[gness]

Well I'll do some research and see what they come up with.....we haven't asked for any change in the way we pay. We were just surprised that this meeting was called...we shall see.....and I never get my hopes up...I seem to have inherited a plaster statue of the Virgin Mary....knew I'd get that....so I'm content......although if the NHS would consider that in lieu of....nah don't think so........☺

[anneasquith]

well, it may be good news. or why would they arrange the meeting,?

[gness]

I don't know, Anne....but I'm not expecting much...how many poo panel meetings did we have and I still bought the incontinence pads!

[anneasquith]

true,,she does sound very poorly.

[gness]

She is, Anne....but in truth she should have died two or three years ago. No person should live....if you can call it living...in such a state.

[anneasquith]

isn't it just as well we don't know what our own future holds.?