Care Packages

[breadstick]

Hi

I have an elderly relative in hospital recovering from a small stroke does anyone know what help he could get when he returns home in terms of someone doing his cooking cleaning etc

He is only partially sighted and his mobility is obviously affected I try and help as best I can but I'm not in great health myself I am the only relative who gives a toss to be honest

He is adamant he doesn't want a nursing home is there help available also in terms of getting his house cleaned up before he goes home

[bookbinder]

I haven't had any practical experience of care at home, but I thought that these websites might be useful:
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/Pages/home-care.aspx
http://www.which.co.uk/elderly-care/housing-options/home-care-support-services-and-help-at-home
http://www.homecaresupport.co.uk/

[ubasses]

Before he is discharged he should see the hospital occupational therapist for a full assessment. They actually took my mother to her home for a couple of hours to see what it looked like, to get an idea of how easy/hard things would be. Asked her to perform some tasks, saw how she negotiated the property etc. She then went back to the hospital until they had put a care package into place and she could be discharged. Sadly she ended up having to go into a Care Home after 6 months.
Speak to the Charge nurse, he/she should be able to give you some idea of when this will happen.

[EDDIE51]

The hospital CAN NOT discharge him until suitable arrangements are in place for his care. What those arrangements are will vary with different local authorities, but the hospital must be sure the arrangements are in place before they are allowed to discharge him.
This is one of the major causes of 'bed-blocking' where hospital beds are used by people who should be discharged but there are no suitable care arrangements.
You need to talk to the hospital and find out what they are doing to arrange his after-care.

[pixie374]

Eddie, they often provide an emergency care package for 2 weeks when they get home and you have to make arrangements for after that. The hospital will do the assessment and it's worth looking into financial help for it, if he qualifies.

[Dogsbody2]

This weblink may supplement the useful info provided by bookbinder. Whilst bookbinder's link from NHS explains the general care and support options at home, this page explains explicitly what must happen as someone is discharged from hospital
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/pages/hospital-discharge-care.aspx

It aligns to what Eddie is referring to, so perhaps may be more helpful right now.

I do not agree with pixie's version of what happens - the care package is provided as a prerequisite of discharge and is ongoing. It is also free (in that it is funded by NHS or the local authority) for the first six weeks. During that time a financial assessment is made and the individual may have to fund the care package after this time. It is not an emergency package that gets withdrawn unilaterally.

[pixie374]

It's free here for 2 weeks, dogsbody. I'm not sure if it varies with area.

[Dogsbody2]

You could be right; I've seen it applied on three separate occasions at the figure I quoted but it's all in the same county. I searched and it seems that it falls in the area where LAs have discretion.

The document I've been looking at was this one - Age UK fact Sheet 46. This has to be the current reference bible on the subject of what support you can get and how its paid for, but it's complex.

http://www.ageuk.org.uk/Documents/EN-GB/Factsheets/FS46_Paying_for_care_and_support_at_home_fcs.pdf

[Buenchico]

This might help:
https://www.stroke.org.uk/finding-support