Experience of social care needs assessments?

QueenofKattegat · 2023-05-23T09:56:32+00:00

Hi, Does anyone have experience of a needs assessment undertaken by the council for an adult? My husband had a series of massive strokes in January and has been left with various disabilities and problems. I have been 'off' work since it happened and have been his carer since he came out of hospital in March. I do now need to start thinking about going back to work however, and so have been told to contact the council and arrange for a needs assessment to see if they can partially (or fully!) fund the care he will require. Does anyone have any experience of this and what to expect? We don't own our home and we have no savings. Thanks in advance.

Ohalpro · 23/05/2023 11:01

You need to contact the adult social services team, and they will come round and make an assessment. Unfortunately (in me experience) like all council services they are underfunded, so will be heavily motivated to find ways not to fund you. Really emphasise the fact that you need to go to work and cannot be your husband’s full time carer. You also need to have some time when you are neither working nor caring.

have you looked at Pip and other benefits?
do you currently have a job?

Original poster

QueenofKattegat · 23/05/2023 11:05

Hi Ohalpro, thanks for replying.

We have applied for PIP, we are still waiting. It has been about 7 weeks. Well, he actually already received the lowest rate of mobility PIP (about £29 a week), so since the strokes I have completed a review and we are waiting on the outcome of this review.

I have a job. My work have been amazing with me and have kept me 'on', but they are understandably getting to a point where they need to know if I am going back or not, and I do think I need to both financially and because it is breaking me being stuck at home all day with nothing to do and nowhere to go. Selfish, I agree, but that's where I am at.

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InDubiousBattle · 23/05/2023 11:13

My Dad has recently had an assessment after being discharged to a nursing home from a 7 week hospital stay. He had a social worker visit him for about an hour who assessed him and spoke to the staff at the home. She then wrote it a report which was out of date by the time she'd finished. She referred him to the financial team who did a separate assessment.

AnarchoTyrannosaurus · 23/05/2023 11:16

How are you supporting him at the moment?
Ask for a care needs assessment for him as the council will assess and can arrange care if needed.
Make it clear you won't be at home to support him.
I would also ask for a carers assessment for yourself.
Your husband will also need a financial assessment based on his own savings and income. Your local authority will arrange that. They probably have a financial assessment calculator online which will give you an idea of what his contribution might be.
But the first thing to do is get the ball rolling, ring up, and ask for the care assessment to be done.

Ohalpro · 23/05/2023 11:26

Not selfish at all @QueenofKattegat - you and your husband have been through a lot but you need a sustainable future where you can work and enjoy life so that you can continue to support him.

Original poster

QueenofKattegat · 23/05/2023 11:34

AnarchoTyrannosaurus at the moment I pretty much do everything. He has been left with a visual impairment and although he can see some things, he can't see a lot and has pretty much given up. I dress him, help him into the shower, sort his meds, make all his meals, sometimes help him eat them, sometimes he can manage them himself, I am pretty much his mum right now.

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Original poster

QueenofKattegat · 23/05/2023 11:35

Thanks to everyone who has replied, I appreciate it.

I am going to ring the council shortly.

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NotMyFinestMoment · 23/05/2023 11:37

Yes, had an assessment done in February 2023 for a parent with dementia. The social worker spent an hour here talking to both of us. He came after I called and said I couldn't cope any more (I'm sole carer for parent with advanced dementia and my own child who is disabled, I am also classed as disabled). The earliest he said he could come was three days after my initial call. He made a few notes whilst here. We also arranged for me to have a carer's assessment done as a phone call the following week. During the call the following week, nothing was discussed about me at all. It turned into a continuation of my parent's assessment. During that call, he said he would call me back (after speaking to his manager first) as he was very concerned about my housing situation (amongst other things). I never heard from him again, not about my parent's assessment or my own carer's assessment. He also admitted in the call the week after her assessment, that he thought 'that ship had sailed' in respect of her mental capacity and that she was hard work, etc. Despite me making clear (in intial phone call, at the time of the assessment and on the follow up calls) that I could no longer cope for anything more than a few weeks to months (at a maximum), I never heard from the Social Worker again (no reports/recommendations, no updates, no carer's assessment, no support put in place...literally nothing). I live in a London Borough.

Original poster

QueenofKattegat · 23/05/2023 11:39

Oh that's awful NotMyFinestMoment, you poor thing. How dare they just abandon you. Have you been able to chase things up?

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Antisocialsocial · 23/05/2023 11:40

They will have a chat with you about his condition, what he can do independently and what he needs support with. You should also be offered an assessment in your own right as a carer to meet your needs which will support access to respite. It may be you will speak to both an social worker and an OT one will meet the equipment requirements and the other will meet the care needs, they will ask you about your finances and later down the line if care is needed a financial assessment will take place.

If you're in rented accommodation this may affect your ability to have major adaptations put in but if it's a council/HA property this should be ok. These aren't quick fixes and can take a couple of years to be built/grants given.

Good luck

Antisocialsocial · 23/05/2023 11:41

NotMyFinestMoment · 23/05/2023 11:37

Yes, had an assessment done in February 2023 for a parent with dementia. The social worker spent an hour here talking to both of us. He came after I called and said I couldn't cope any more (I'm sole carer for parent with advanced dementia and my own child who is disabled, I am also classed as disabled). The earliest he said he could come was three days after my initial call. He made a few notes whilst here. We also arranged for me to have a carer's assessment done as a phone call the following week. During the call the following week, nothing was discussed about me at all. It turned into a continuation of my parent's assessment. During that call, he said he would call me back (after speaking to his manager first) as he was very concerned about my housing situation (amongst other things). I never heard from him again, not about my parent's assessment or my own carer's assessment. He also admitted in the call the week after her assessment, that he thought 'that ship had sailed' in respect of her mental capacity and that she was hard work, etc. Despite me making clear (in intial phone call, at the time of the assessment and on the follow up calls) that I could no longer cope for anything more than a few weeks to months (at a maximum), I never heard from the Social Worker again (no reports/recommendations, no updates, no carer's assessment, no support put in place...literally nothing). I live in a London Borough.

Have you chased it up? You need to be a squeaky wheel if you're in crisis

Antisocialsocial · 23/05/2023 11:42

Sorry I've just seen he has a sight impairment too, ask about speaking to a sensory specialist. There is a wide range of equipment and training (long cane etc) to regain independence, it's all worth exploring.

restie · 23/05/2023 11:53

It's an assessment undertaken to look at eligibility to be supported under the care act. There are 8 areas they assess - the ability to manage nutrition, personal care, toileting, getting dressed, keeping a habitable home, ability to use the home, contact with family and friends, accessing the community. They will also consider other aspects such as medication. If the person requires any assistance of 2 or more of the 8 areas they will be deemed as eligible for care and support .

If the person has savings and assets under the threshold amount of £23,250 they will not have to contribute to their care. They will ask for a financial assessment...which are forms that get sent out to you to fill on and provide evidence for.

As someone else mentioned you are entitled to a carers conversation so that a greater understanding of your needs, concerns, breaking point etc is understood

The process takes about an hour ...Will look at health concerns and how these impact, what a normal or general week looks like, how the person is generally coping and what additional support they would need. Referrals for OT etc can also be triggered if required.
The report needs to be completed within 29 days from the visit taking place.

AnarchoTyrannosaurus · 23/05/2023 12:39

If the person has savings and assets under the threshold amount of £23,250 they will not have to contribute to their care. They will ask for a financial assessment...which are forms that get sent out to you to fill on and provide evidence for.

If you have savings or capital over £23,250, you can declare yourself a self-funder, which prevents the need for a Financial Assessment. If you have savings between £14,250 and £23,250, you will be asked to make a contribution towards the cost of your support from your income and capital. If you have savings or capital below £14,250, you will be asked to contribute from your income only. If you have savings and capital over £23,250, you will be asked to contribute the full amount of the cost of your support.

(From Nottingham.gov. But they'll obviously all be the same)

Original poster

QueenofKattegat · 25/05/2023 13:04

Thanks everyone.

I called the local council yesterday and have asked for an assessment. We now have to wait for a 'phone call to arrange a date for someone to come out.

I don't hold out much hope, but would rather know where we stand.

Thanks for all the advice :-)

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