Nursing home care

[liverboys]

Good morning folks. I have an elderly relative who is presently in residential care, however we have recently been informed that they now need nursing care, and will as such need to move out. My question is, can they ( the care managers/ social workers etc) insist this person goes to a specific unit, or can we the family, pick somewhere ourselves, and if the place we chose has no beds available, can our relative stay in the residential home until a bed IS available? TIA.

[ethanryan]

hi i believe you can chose if it is a private one that you are paying for but believe that if the government is paying for them then it is up to them. i could be wrong but my mom works in a care home and this is what she said

[liverboys]

Thank you both very much for your help. I spoke to the manager of the residential home today, who has assured us that they will continue to care for our relative until we find a suitable nursing home. They even went as far as giving us a list of homes in the area which my sister and I intend to check out asap. Thanks again!

[taliesin238]

The next of Kin gets to chose the place!! If the person recieving the care is compusmentus enough to decide a little for themselves they will go along for the visit to the home and have their say on what they think

[Dee Sa]

If you dont like their choice of nursing home, state in writing why, they are then duty bound to offer an alternative, but --- they can find a worse one to force your hand into their first choice.If you can get/ask for a list of homes and visit each one, ask if they have vacancies and look around and then go back to the authority and say I have found this place, there is a vacancy and this is where we would like our relative to be placed, once they realise you are not going to be pushed around and you have done your homework they become more co-operative. Usually it boils down to either money they will have to spend or they are so overworked that they havent time to look around themselves and take the easiest/cheapest option.
Dont fall for " lets place them there for now " -- once there the relative will never be moved on.The more the place they are in now wants the bed the more bargaining power you have. Dont be afraid to speak out and visit the home they suggested at odd hours to get the complete picture and help your case.
Good luck, I have been there.