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Original poster

Social services want to move relative out of residential care home into independent living

62 replies

Nomorechipsforme · 14/09/2025 18:34

Any help advice appreciated. In a nutshell relative wasn't looking after themselves. Not eating, sleeping, not getting up and dressed, drinking alcohol in abundance, not taking there medication, house untidy and dirty, generally depressed, disoriented and not aware of what time or where they were. Family decision due to age early 80's put them in residential care as they had the money to self fund (I think it was the fourth call to the fire brigade and the found wandering at night by neighbors that was the deciding factor). Now the money is at a level where funding can be taken over by the Government. Social service apprentice has been to visit twice and has advised that they can be moved back to independent living, because their care plan with the residential home show they are independent. They are as they are being looked after and they can wash and dress themselves. The family don't agree with the social services opinion.This has been referred to the housing department who have advised they have no independent living vacancies. After their visit and seeing how frail they are and listening to the history and the family concerns they are quite understanding and agree with the family. Does anybody know where we stand? There are two family members that are POA but ultimately who has the over riding authority as the care services are telling us it's the Social worker apprentice. Thank you for any advice or knowledge.

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Nomorechipsforme · 14/09/2025 21:15

@Ineffable23 Thank you for your advise appreciated. In my opinion social services are trying to offload the "issue" to the housing service, but after the initial meeting with the housing service, they do not agree with SS that the relative is suitable for independent living as HS determined on their initial meeting that they are a vulnerable adult. SS have made a decision and are trying to pass it back to the family to discuss with the Housing Service. We are all aware that most of the independent living areas now where we reside don't have wardens like the old days.The local councillor has been contacted twice with no communication back but that is another issue. So I am not sure if anyone that has read my post knows the answer, but who makes the over riding decision is it a sole report of an apprentice social worker, the housing service, the care home, the relative or the family? Are unregistered apprentice social workers qualified enough to make such decisions. I had read that they are not and can't override POAs unless it is detrimental to the duty of care to the the individual but the social care team are saying they can?

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Nomorechipsforme · 14/09/2025 20:38

@SallySuperTrooper the relative was asking different neighbours to get shopping and online shopping is quite easy and over 18 😳

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Nomorechipsforme · 14/09/2025 20:31

Thank you all for your help it is really appreciated apologies for not answering individually. I completely get what everyone is saying and I do understand it is taxpayers money. The said relative has been in the residential home for 2 and a half years self funding. The SS are looking into the reports for call outs to the fire services however we are based on the border of two districts so do they do cross border checks as I know generally that service as the ambulance can be despatched from two if not three districts. The doctors assigned to her are not very good and don't even keep up with the standard entitled checks for the patient list and have not visited and assessed as was required. As I said the said relative is an alcoholic and has been diagnosed, so the residential home monitor alcohol intake. One of the medication that has to be taken is an opioid which wasn't been taken as it should of been due to a historical cancer condition. So due to being in residential care as @PermanentTemporary has said she has regained mental capacity as she has been looked after. I understand about independent living but there are no warden monitored places available and the other available place is in a town opposite an off license where as she would be vulnerable especially in the area it is cited. As we are rural we kind of get on with things so that is why the family decided it was the best option for and as services of any kind are limited where we live social services weren't really involved from the start. SS were contacted last year when funds were depleted and then contacted again and again and again. So all this situation is having to be back dated by 8 months. Had they told the family all this 8 months ago the place could still be said self funded whilst the background information and assessments could of been done.

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Ineffable23 · 14/09/2025 20:07

I'd very much avoid facilitating finding them an independent living place. The site would have to agree they are suitable, so point out all the reasons why they aren't to the independent living place.

Make the point you won't be able to support with organizing their medicine, medical appointments, food or care.

Point out the risks associated with self neglect etc and insist that everything is written down, actively making the point to the council that you want you want there to be evidence if anything goes wrong because you believe the decision is unsafe and not in the best interests of the person.

And then ultimately if all that fails make a complaint and involve your local councillor.

SallySuperTrooper · 14/09/2025 20:06

relative wasn't looking after themselves. Not eating, sleeping, not getting up and dressed, drinking alcohol in abundance,
How were they getting the alcohol?

Choux · 14/09/2025 20:03

Do you have GP notes covering how they were while living independently? Also statements from the neighbour re the wandering and fire brigade calls? Depression and drinking alcohol are not reasons to be in a care home in themselves.

I have to say that when my parents couldn’t wash and dress themselves they still lived at home with carers coming in each morning to help them do that plus do breakfast and meds. They also had a lunch and tea visit and a bedtime visit for more meds. I used to clean and then I eventually got them a cleaner.

Are they still mobile or have there been any falls in the care home? That’s a good indicator of underlying frailty.

SallySuperTrooper · 14/09/2025 20:01

Ss aren't stopping the relative from living in a care home, they're only saying they won't fund. If privately funded of course they can stay.

EmotionalBlackmail · 14/09/2025 20:01

I had this, but years ago now. Distant relative had gone in with husband from council housing and been in residential care for years. They’d originally moved when it was a lot easier to get a place in a care home. Virtually no savings and tiny pensions.
Husband eventually died.
On paper/computer categories she appeared to be capable of living independently, and each new social worker raised it and started the process. Then they’d meet her and realise just how frail she was. Plus presumably a very limited amount of supported living accommodation available.
She eventually died there.

Choux · 14/09/2025 19:58

How long have they been in the care home? Was the GP or social services involved prior to the admission? Did you try carer visits in own home before deciding on residential care?

My mum is self funding but at the time she went in I involved social services. They visited her to check if she had capacity and also asked me how long her money would last before the council would need to start funding. I guess they get more involved in the decision of whether a care home is needed rather than at home care visits and also the choice and cost of the care home if they are going to be asked to take over the funding within a few months.

Social services have limited funds so want to try independent living with care visits. I think they can refuse to fund as they deem it not necessary. The longer they have been in the care home the more you are likely to be able to make a case for them staying.

Viviennemary · 14/09/2025 19:51

If the Council is funding it they will go for the cheapest option. You could get in touch with Age UK and see what they advise as a way forward.

mamagogo1 · 14/09/2025 19:49

If they cannot self fund then the council will not fund a nursing home if they are assessed as capable of independent living. Remember council equals you and I funding it. Ask for a reconsideration and re assessment but they will not change it their current setting says they don’t need full residential care

PermanentTemporary · 14/09/2025 19:45

First person to decide is the person themselves. If they don’t have mental capacity to make the decision about where they live, the next decision maker is the person or persons who hold PoA.

Thr difficulty here is that a person who is being cared for properly is more likely to regain mental capacity. I’m assuming if the family were pushing the decision to go into care, that the person lost mental capacity at that time. Ask the social worker when they regained capacity for this decision and how the assessment was done.