A few years ago my mother was diagnosed with vascular dementia. She managed at her home even through the pandemic, with help from my sister, who lives nearby. Having said that, my sister was concerned that she was not eating properly, nor keeping herself clean.
A couple of months ago, (February I think), she asked my sister to take her to the local care home as she could no longer bear to be “home alone”.
Rather than arrange for her to go to the home, my sister actually took Mum to her house, where she looked after her.
As time went by, my mothers dementia became noticeably worse, and my sister began to struggle to cope, more with the relationship than the caring, to the point where I kind of stepped in and, between us, we arranged for mum to go into a care home in her village. We have a Power of Attorney for Finance and Wealth, but not Health, and are the two attorneys, although we made sure that Mum was happy to go to the care home, and it was her decision.
In the event, when I called to put Mum on a waiting list for her home of choice, it so happened that a room with an ensuite toilet was available and, as these were rare, we jumped at it, and she moved in last Monday.
Mum has enough money to pay for ten weeks of the care home and, if/when we sell her house, she would have around 3 years of care home fees, so she could self fund for this time.
Our, possibly naïve, assumption was that, at the end of Mums money, (£16,000?), the council would carry on with the payment for the care home.
However, reading this forum yesterday, I came across discussions relating to Deprivation of Assets, and “Assesments by the Council”.
There has been no assessment by the council as to whether my mother “needed” to go into a care home. The room at the home came available so quickly, we took it without thinking, on the basis that an assessment could happen after she moved in.
When the assessment happens, it is entirely possible that the outcome might be that she is able to live at her home with carers visiting several times a day, or maybe at my sisters if she is willing, with carers visiting. I therefore worry that, spending her money on a care home might be seen as deprivation of assets.
Alternatively, given that her money is being spent on her care, maybe it isn’t a deprivation.
I hope this makes sense, that you can see what I’m worrying about, and may be able to give some advice or reassurance. If you need any more info., just ask.
Many Thanks,
Richard