My mother was recently discharged from a rehab unit after suffering from 2 falls and 2 broken hips, back to her house.
Within a day it became clear she couldn’t cope and was at severe risk of falling again and she had a mental breakdown.
Fortunately a place in the care home that her husband is in became available the next day, and I took the decision to move her without having a needs assessment beforehand.
I’m a little concerned that I have jumped the gun and that social services will not continue to pay for her Care once her money runs out.
Can I now request a needs assessment even though she’s already been moved into a home?
Yes they own their own home and have around 100k in savings between them.
I’m just concerned i haven’t followed the correct process in not getting a care assessment before i moved her into the care home. She was in a really bad way and i had to act quickly, the fact i could get her in the same home as my dad was a bonus but I’m worried I’ve done the wrong thing.
As they have over £46,000 in savings, they will probably be classed as self funding unless they qualify for free care with NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC). Do you live in their house?
@bazellis Hi. I just wanted to share my own experience.
When I moved my dad into a care home in 2019, he was self funding and I sought no professional advice to do so - except of course the manager and doctor at the setting itself. He had Alzheimer’s and passed away before the money ran out and my understanding at the time was that we would only need a Care Needs Assessment once the money ran out and he was no longer self funding.
The same thing happened with my Mother in law - although this time the Mental Health team were involved and we were advised to put her into residential care for her own safety. She was self funding at first and no Care Needs Assessment was done UNTIL the money ran out four years later and we had to change her status from self funding and apply to the local authority for her care needs to be met. (She had now been in the same Care Home for almost nine years!)
I do hope that makes sense. Others on this forum have more formal experience and may be able to offer more precise advice but in my own experience the Needs assessment didn’t happen until they needed to work out how much the care would cost THEM as opposed to Mum. So you have certainly not done the wrong thing.
Obviously all needs are assessed upon admission to ascertain what care is needed to meet them, but not formally and financially. I send my best wishes
Please don’t worry about having done the wrong thing. You took the safe option at the time and you put her safety first which is the right thing to do.
She could easily have had another fall/have had to go to acdifferent home if you had waited for SS.
Speaking without experience of this situation: you haven’t done anything wrong at all. You have really done the best.
It sounds as though you should get an assessment now, however. Certainly don’t sign such a contract.
Is there anything in the documentation relating to your father about what would happen if his money runs out?
Don’t sign a contract as guarantor, whatever you do. Have you any idea how long they would be self-funding?
I’ve now requested a care assessment but the local authority say as she’s now in a care home she doesn’t need one, and are doing a financial assessment instead.
My father has been in the care home some time and he’s about to drop below the 23k threshold, so I’m currently liasing with local authority as to what happens now, given their house now comes into play as equity. It’s all very confusing
With the sale of the house, they’ve probably got enough money to pay for around 18mths care.
I never signed the guarantor clause on my fathers and will speak to the care home tomorrow to say i wont be doing it for my mother either. I just hope they don’t send her back home🙏
I really think you need to speak to a solicitor? When I did vol work at CAB we had a list of Solicitors who would give half an hour free and then another half hour for a relatively low cost. It is so very complicated but totally agree with Greta do NOT sign anything. Also Carers Legal Advice line ?
Google Charging for Care and look at the .gov pages, also the Age UK pages. As a rough summary, based on what happened to my own mum, the council will pay for dad’s care and put a “charge” on the house so it can’t be sold until the charge is paid off. This is no substitute to our advice line, more to give you an idea to start with.
Do they both get highest rateDLA/PIP?
Also ask the council if they are getting Funded Nursing Care?
Is the house important to you?
The first few weeks in the home are treated differently, assessed on income only. Z
If you have a more complex query or would like more detailed guidance, we suggest you contact our email Helplineadvice@carersuk.org , as we’ll be able to provide more information.
