Housing advice/experience?

Hi all, just wondered if anyone has had a similar situations and could share any advice.

I am a carer for a 92 yr old but we don’t live together, she is in an ‘extra care’ flat and I am in a studio flat on my own. Her dementia has got much worse recently and I feel she needs to either be in a home or be with me full time. I currently spend about 7 hours with her during the day 7 days a week and sometimes go up for a few hours in the evening until she is ready for bed if she calls up in distress. She does have carers going in for 20 mins in the morning and evening but this is to get her dressed, give meds etc, just the basics, but she needs someone there the rest of the time too, she really can’t cope on her own, there used to be a couple of activities going on during the afternoons but since Covid these have all stopped and now I think she’s got so bad that she wouldn’t be capable of joining in anyway. I feel like I want to take her in and if I had a spare room I think I would’ve had her living with me as soon as the pandemic took hold, the problem is that neither of us has a spare room as we are both in studios where only one person is allowed to live so in order for us to live together we would have to find a new property to rent. I am sure we could register for a property with the local housing associations to become one household and maybe look at getting a 2 bed property but I am concerned (perhaps I am being selfish) that should anything happen to her, which given her age would not be a shock, I would then be told to move out as I wouldn’t need 2 bedrooms, but I have a really good deal with the studio that I am in where I pay less than £400 a month, if I gave it up there is no chance of me being able to afford to move back to a flat of my own and I would be forced to move into a house share which I would really hate. I’ve never really known much about how housing associations work but friends have told me that they wouldn’t let a single person keep a 2 bed to themselves. The other option I consider is a home but I have no experience of these either, I spoke to a professional carer who said to keep her in her flat as long as possible rather than putting her in a home, and I really would feel terrible if she went into one but actually I think she may like the idea of living with other people more than living with just me even though I feel I would look after her better than anyone else, but I worry that she will still feel confused and distressed when she is in her bedroom alone, she would never think of pulling a cord or pendant to get help she would just sit there upset and confused. The only local home I know of where I know someone who has lived there is a very nice new one but I think it’s rather high end and costs £1200 a week, the same carer I spoke to said the council might only pay about £600 a week towards the care so that would be a non starter as I wouldn’t be able to top it up. I’d love to know if anyone had experience of someone going into a home and roughly what the council do actually pay towards it for someone with dementia. I’m getting upset just thinking about her going into care because I want to look after her myself but I feel we are at a point where something needs to change but I just don’t know which way to go. Any replies very welcome :slight_smile:

Nothing will stop her dementia worsening, she NEEDS residential care with a TEAM of carers. I know how hard this is. You can be a real friend though, making sure she is comfortable and has what she needs, visiting etc. The council will pay for her care if she can’t afford it, but it must be a home that meets her needs, won’t be the most expensive flashiest home though.

Hi,

By all means, put an application in for a 2 bedroomed property. There is nothing to stop you doing that but it doesn’t mean you will get anything. Do they have many 2 bedroomed properties in your area? Is the “extra care” flat your Mum is in adapted?

I don’t know if you are working or on any benefits so can’t really advise you much but if you were in a 2 bedroomed property and Mum passed, you would either have to pay the rent in full if you are working, or if you are on benefits you would have to pay the bedroom tax. The housing association can’t automatically move you out. This only applies if the tenancy is in joint names. If it was just in Mum’s name and she passed, you would have about 3 months to move out.

As an example, my Mum and brother put in an application for a 2 bedroomed bungalow. 2 years down the line and not a single one has come up. Our council has very limited stock so that was sort of expected I guess.

Good luck though and stay strong.

Hi Skybluepink,
I think it would be unwise to give up your studio flat and getting a property through social housing isn’t a quick process as it involves waiting lists and homeless people etc are housed first.

Your relative/ friend is currently only getting half the visits she could have - so you could apply for to have an updated needs assessment and then she would probably qualify for three or four care visits a day.
There is info about Needs Assessments here Needs assessment | Carers UK

Does the ‘extra-care’ include her current care visits?

Folk don’t usually move into residential care until they need more than four care visits a day.

There is info here on residential care Residential care | Carers UK

Melly1