Hi folks, my mother has received daily visits at home from a local care company for the past 5 years. More recently, we became increasingly annoyed at the way in which they handled things including not being there at the correct times to give my mother her medication. I had also recently began to show my annoyance. For example I got a call from the care manager saying my mother had set fire to the kitchen but didn’t know much else. It sounded like the whole kitchen had burnt down, but after a quick call with the police I was assured the only victim was a small burnt pan. Aside with everything else, they and always over dramatised things and that was the last straw and I was furious at the care manager and told her I needed to end the call as I was too angry to talk.
The social worker who has been involved recently spoke to me yesterday saying the care company are withdrawing their services in 3 days time…She informed me that they were to give me 28 days verbal notice but they hadn’t, which I said to the social worker and she said she was frustrated with them too.
The social worker has found another care company but it will mean my mother paying £75 per week to top up what the social work department can’t pay) where as before she was not paying anything.
Is everything right with all this? I just feel it’s been handled terribly and my main concern is that my mother is not being shorthanded.
If you’re looking at arranging help at home, home adaptations or residential care, such as a nursing home or care home, then you may have questions about how to pay for it. We know this is a complex process, so we’ll take you through it step-by-step.
( Full sp plus information on the financial angles. )
What do those documents have to say for themselves ?
Any recent increase in your mother’s assets / income which would have triggered charges ?
Others with experience of paid carer workers supplied through LAs may contradict me here but … any change to either the care plan , or financial contribution .
has to be justified by the LA … a new Needs assessment for instance ?
Hello George
I would like to share my experience with you of working with care companies.
I am sorry to hear about your situation.
In my experience, every time I raise a major issue about the care company either directly with them, or via the social worker, they have threatened to pull out. Two have notice. It seems easier for them not to deal with the direct issues, and so put the suffering back on the service users.
I was accused of upsetting the carers when I raised an issue about Dad’s safety. Essentially, Dad’s equipment weekly safety checks records in his care company file had never been filled in. To the contrary, the carers enjoyed a birthday tea with my father at home around, and we have CCTV evidence that I have never upset carers. Why would I? However, why wouldn’t I raise issues where my fathers safety was being compromised?
With the new company, we are told continual lies. The duty manager advised us by phone that my mother had told the care company not to use manual handling equipment and to get Dad to stand on his own two shaky legs which he has not used for 12 months. This was when I raised an issue in relation to Dad’s safety again.
So, I have drawn my own conclusions - that is, easier to “get rid” than deal with the issues.
Back to you, I do not believe you should be paying more. Has the LA done a needs assessment, and if so, surely those needs should be transferred to the new care agency without the need for an additional payment? How is the package of care changing except for the request to pay more? Not sure where you are based, but in Wales, we have a maximum cap of £90/week for social care. The LA cannot ask for more than this, irrespective of the needs of the cared for.
I would go back to the LA and ask to speak with the Head of Social/Corporate Services, or the Council Member responsible for Social Services. Yes, its easier said than done, and I find I give half my life to fighting the cause for my father.
I hop you have some positive ways forward.
Regards,
Paul
Really helpful and i will take up your suggestons.
There has been no increase or decrease in my mothers income and her needs have not changed at all, the care company have just ducked out with very little warning which I’m shocked at.
The social worker says she’s been trying to find suitable replacements but that the only one that would require extra payment from my mother is the best she can find and we can try again after Christmas. I’m in Edinburgh, not sure how the area differs to elsewhere.
George, the social worker is telling you porkies!!
Mum must have a Needs Assessment and a Financial Assessment before they charge her anything at all.
If the only suitable care company they can find charges more, THEY have to make sure that the Personal Budget they have assessed mum as needing is sufficient to provide the amount of care she needs. Regardless of how much the care costs, mum’s contribution towards that care REMAINS THE SAME!
It’s all in the 2014 Care Act Statutory Guidance. Lots of interesting information in there if you have the time and inclination to read “chapter and verse”.
Can you do a quick summary of mum, age, nature of disability, benefits received?
Does she own or rent her house?
Have savings over £23,000?
Thanks so much everyone for your advice, so much appreciated.
A summary of my mothers circumstances:
Parkinson’s
Age 74
She receives two separate pension payments per month and attendance allowance.
She doesn’t have any savings at all, only what’s left every month after her payments and that fluctuates.
She owns her own house.
The social worker said that this is what the attendance allowance is for, for making extra payments like this towards care if needed.
Is it incorrect? I’m not sure if it’s different living here in Edinburgh?
The social worker said that this is what the attendance allowance is for, for making extra payments like this towards care if needed.
Yes … and no.
AA … to be used for care support.
__
Attendance Allowance is money for people aged pension age or over who have care needs.
You may have care needs if you need help with activities of daily living, such as getting dressed, going to the toilet or having someone to look after you so you do not hurt yourself.
It could include help outside the home.
No … not in this context. All depends on the financial assessment made at the time of a needs assessment ( See earlier reply ).
Could well be that at the end of a new needs assessment , your mother still does NOT have to contribute … despite AA being paid !
For the full sp on financial assessments … who has to pay for what … over to AGE UK ( Again ) :
A snippet : __
What does the means test involve ?
The means test is when the local council looks at your income, savings and property to calculate how much you need to contribute towards the cost of your care and support.
If you need care in order to stay in your own home, the means test won’t include the value of your property.
If you need to move permanently into a care home, the test may include the value of your property.
Just because the costs have increased , your mother’s contribution may remain the same … at present , nothing.
( Also raises an interesting question. What if the AA monies were merely saved by the recipient ? Not intended to be used as such but … nothing to prevent that happening ?
A problem inherent with all " Scatter gun " benefits and allowances ? )
I’m afraid I don’t know anything about the Scottish system. All I can say is that in England there must be a financial assessment before any charges, and that mum must be lest with a minimum amount afterwards, and that is after household deductions. As mum owns her house, then it is likely that there are additional costs above a tenant, and those should be included in the financial assessment.
It should be possible to ask your new MP where to find the rules and regulations which cover this sort of thing. In England it’s the 2014 Care Act Statutory Guidance, so if you use that term it might point the MP in the direction of the Scottish Equivalent.
Thanks you so much everyone I’m overwhelmed by the amount of helpful advice.
Lots to look at. The social worker also said the only care company the she could find that can manage attending at my mums meditation times, have said the minimum they can do if they are to take it on is one hour per visit. There are 5 visits per day. My mother only needs the hour in the morning and a brief lunch call, brief tea call and brief bed time. (Some of the later visits sometimes turn into half hour/hour but quite rarely) so I really don’t think she should be paying extra, especially for time she doesn’t need…
Anyway, thanks again and I will look at all information linked to and see where it leads:)
