Dad dementia pneumonia reenablement

In our area the social worker advised I found a care company myself rather than using the social services appointed one. I asked her if she could recommend one and she said no, she wasn’t allowed. As she was leaving though she gave me the name of one ‘I might like to consider’. I also asked some of the council carers who were coming if they knew of any which came recommended/which was should avoid. I also asked a friend who works with older people for a charity role. The same care company kept coming up as one to recommend. I got them out and we went through everything together. I really rate them too. They are much better than either the council provided or hospital provided carers. Unfortunately though it is expensive (Think we pay £17 for each half hour visit)

When we got care, SS put out a contract and invited tenders and chose the company, so from our point of view it felt the same as in the old days when SS employed their own carers. If I remember rightly, we were charged £15 ph - I was surprised how reasonable it was. We also had a period while they were setting this up when the NHS re-enablement team continued, and so we didn't pay anything.

If you go for SS, they will be scrutinising what the carers actually do, and will cut down on visits if they don't think they're needed. Private care won't care whetehr they're actually doing anything, they'll come for the period you've paid them for. You may also be able to select the times better (no ridiculously late rising and early bedtimes), and you can hire someone just to come and give a bit of company, if that's something you think your mother needs.

Re night time carer:

www.communitycare.co.uk/2020/01/17/council-breached-care-act-setting-arbitrary-upper-limit-womans-live-care/

The criticisms of this case show SS can provide night time carers for elderly people, as in a live in carer in this case.

We use home instead for my mil in West Sussex and are pleased with the service from both the carers and the office. Just in case that helps at all.

It’s worth getting social worker involved- they may be able to recommend care companies. Do you know anyone locally who uses care?
Two franchise organisations who have good reputation here and in some other places are home instead and bluebird care.
You may get some free care initially as it can take a while to set up.
Good luck

Excellent advice above.

Long term a lot is going to depend on whether they have savings so they pay for their own care or no savings so qualify for council care. You need to get this clear as soon as possible - do you have financial power of attorney for your dad and/or mum? Is you mum on top of the financial position?

Also definitely get that attendance allowance sorted - Citizens Advice or your local Age UK will help you with that.

she could maybe manage Don't let her say that! That's your absolute fall back position, not your start point for negotiation.

My experience was: the carers documented each day how long they had visited for and how many minutes they had spent actually "caring", and they used this as evidence for reducing the number of visits. Furthermore, they produced a signature from my father saying he didn't need care ... I asked him at the meeting what he thought he'd signed, and he said he had signed to say that a carer had visited, so I made sure that this was documented, and a note to this effect added to his signature. Moral: don't take anything at face value, be prepared to ask questions.

Keep firmly in your mind the phrase "a need that is met is still a need" - in other words, when discussing your father's needs, start form the basis of what he would need if he had no help (not even your mum). Perfectly fine for your mum to fulfil some of those needs if she is willing and able, but they are still needs.

Have a talk with your mum and work out what she can do 24/7 365 days of the year, and what she can do if she's got a cold or had a bad night's sleep or is otherwise under the weather; and what would happen if she had a doctor's appointment and had to be away over lunchtime, for example, or whether the level of caring she is offering will enable her to maintain the support network that she will need if your father pre-deceases her or goes into residential care.

Be there for any meetings if you can. We had this with our DM and quickly realised that without us she would spend her time sitting in a soiled chair waiting for her 4 visits a day which may or may not happen and in no time would have another bad fall.

SS should be doing what is in his best interest but they will do what is cheapest and easiest for them. You have to tell it like every day is a bad day. If they think your mum can cope with the basics most of the time they’ll leave her to it. The level at which they’re deemed ok to be independent is shockingly low.

Do reapply for attendance allowance- ask carers uk or age uk to help complete forms. Order paper forms as then the claim will be from that date. Can help a bit financially

Before the visit at the weekend, make sure your mum understands that she has to talk about the worst days, not the better days! So DF needs assistance every morning and evening for personal care, dm is unable to manage this as she is not strong enough. DF is unable to walk up and down stairs unaided. DF is incontinent in the night and dm is not able to manage this without assistance. DF is a fall risk, dm is unable to prevent this.
Ensure they claim as much financial support as possible. Some support is not dependent on income or savings. Speak to the social worker about this.
If your DF does not have capacity to make decisions for himself, then you or your dm can do this on his behalf. My MIl was discharged from respite care against our wishes as she was deemed to have capacity. She then fell, on her first day back home, got concussion and had to be readmitted to hospital. It was then agreed that she didn't have capacity any more, and in the end didn't ever return home but went back into care.
It's a horrible situation to be in and can seem so frustrating. We had to deal with a change of social worker every time she was readmitted!
I wish you well 🌺

Also bare in mind that weekends and bank holidays when the carers are on a higher rate, the service users will also be charged a higher rate.

Yes that’s right, you r parents should only be charged for 30 mins.

Whether they can extend will depend on how your area does things. They should be able to help with longer term care if it’s needed. If they have less than £23,250 in savings ss can help with funding and he should be allocated a social worker to help sort this out. If they have more than that in saving if they will be classes as self funding, but the reablement team should still be able to advise you on care and how to go about setting it up.

Care will likely cost in the region of £20 per hour, but that’ll vary depending on where you live and the company you use.

It sounds like both your parents are benefiting from the care your dad is receiving. If your dad going to be ss funded make sure you stress the point that your mum cannot manage your dads personal care, if your mum mentions that she could manage at all they may jump on that and rely on her more than she can really cope with. Budgets are tight and if family say they can manage they will often go with that. Of course if he’s self funding he can have what he likes as he’s paying for it.

Good luck.

It’s pretty area dependent, but where I am a reablement package of care would be put I place and his needs would be assessed for and on going needs. If a need was identified he would be passed to social services and his funding status discussed. Whether he would be self funding or ss funded, they could still help with getting the care package set up.

It’s so area dependent though. The hospital I work in covers two counties and the provisions are very different. One has amazing support for leaving hospital and one doesn’t. It’s such a shame that it’s a post code lottery.

@Daddylonglegs1965

Not in Scotland would this be the same as adult social care.
Might be, I'm not sure.

Re-reading your pp, Do you pay for your care package in England? In Scotland you get free personal care.