To move my brother to a cheaper care home?

[Rollwithitperhaps]

My brother has vascular dementia and has been in a care home for over 2 years. He is self funding. I have had a few concerns - clothes going missing - no access to his daily regime now (used to have a folder in his room but have now gone digital and cannot get access). They must now be on their well into double digits as far managers are concerned since he’s been there. Just been notified today that his monthly fees will rise by £700 per month to £7300 pm. I’ve been told that if I move him he will deteriorate - he is settled there but largely unaware of very much - he knows my face but not my name or who I am. He only eats and sleeps really. Should I try to find somewhere cheaper that looks after his needs and risk him dipping or leave him where he is?

I would not want that sort of money spent on my care if I had vascular dementia. I'd look for somewhere else.

You should make a decision in HIS best interests, not in your interests or anyone else’s.

It doesn’t sound like you are getting good care for the money you are spending. I would look at other homes.

£7300 per month??
omg! It’s £9000 per week or £11,000 per week for specialist care where I work

The price is kind of irrelevant. At the end of the day, his current place is dropping the ball.

Things going missing is unfortunately extremely common. My grandma was in a very expensive place and regularly had items stolen.

If you find a cheaper place with amazing staff and a great manager then YANBU.

Is he largely compliant and calm? If so they will tell you almost anything to keep him, as they know full well the person taking his spot could be aggressive and very agitated all the time.

Is there a current financial need for his care to be cheaper? If not, and you aren’t happy with his care, then you should be looking for better rather than cheaper - although unfortunately, the sort of problems you describe are endemic to the care industry: staff morale is poor and turnover high in many places and belongings like clothes can go walkabout when mixed in with other residents’ laundry.

Regardless of whether you plan to move him, you absolutely need to push on seeing his daily regime, support planning, medical visits records etc. If they’re digital then somebody needs to show you how you can access these - make an appointment with the manager and make it clear it isn’t negotiable.

Do you have LPA for him? The cost should not be the reason why he is moved. If you have issues with the care home then you need to take it up with them. But it’s fairly safe to say moving him would likely to be very detrimental to his wellbeing. You do come across as grabby tbh.

Where do you work???

from £700 to £7300 pm? is that a typo?

Increased by £700 to £7,300.

That’s what I’m trying to do

Yes very compliant and calm - he sleeps a lot but is mobile and able to feed and dress himself although normally has his trousers on inside out

I have pushed and pushed to see his all regime - I’ve been told I’cant access them myself but need to sit with a member of staff - I’ve had appointments with the past 3 managers - meeting goes ok but then they leave and nothing happens - they have a new one now after 2 interims

Okay, so in that case I would take what they say with a grain of salt. They may be truthful, but I would trust your instincts.

Dementia care can be really hard on staff and getting a patient who is calm and compliant is a dream come true.
The fact that he can also feed himself is HUGE.

They will be desperate to keep him, and I don't blame them. Being screamed at and physically attacked is pretty common and these people are not paid nearly enough to handle it.

That’s good. I think your title suggested that it was a cost-saving exercise rather than focusing on what’s best for him.
It wouldn’t really make sense to move him given that the concerns are fairly minor - the risk to his wellbeing would seem to outweigh the concerns, given that he’s generally settled and his immediate needs are being met.
Can you focus more on trying to resolve the issues? Requesting a meeting with the manager might help.

In care industry

£9-11k per week? Is that a typo? Nobody would pay that surely. Per month maybe.

I think in this type of instance, unless he is at risk, keeping familiar surroundings is important. We were told by a solicitor that there is a link between life expectancy and care home move when deliberating the in-laws care needs

Take the money side out of the equation for the moment. If you are unhappy with the care he is receiving at that care home then yes move him. He probably will deteriorate from a move as that is very common for people with dementia, but he might not, or it might not be that much of a decline.

We had to move my DGM from one care home she was in when her dementia advanced and the lovely care home she was in could no longer meet her needs. She did decline after the move, but she was declining anyway, but there was a big jump (she never walked again), but it didn't seem to bother her emotionally and she lived another 4 years after moving her.

I do understand that when you are paying those sums of money you expect care to be amazing, or at least good enough to keep track of belongings etc but unfortunately all care homes do struggle with keeping track of residents things and the majority of the time that is not intentional, it is just because of the sheer volume of things they deal with. I made sure everything of my DGM's was very clearly labelled, but still some things went astray (never anything of any value though), although both her care home would search for things when asked, and 95% of the time things did turn up.

If you do not feel the care he is receiving is good enough then yes move him. If that is to a cheaper care home then great, but base your decision on the care component.

Also just in case you don't know about this does he already recieve a nursing care benefit? My DGM's care home sorted it out for us but back in the mid 2010's she was entitled to about £700 a month which the nursing home claimed and then knocked off our bill. Also if you haven't already read up about NHS Continuing Health Care as at some point his funding may be able to come under that. Again my DGM's care home applied for that on her behalf when she met the criteria. Also once his savings are below a certain amount (it used to be 27 and a half thousand) then you can apply for social care funding which is done on a sliding scale.

Who can afford 11k a week????

I'd definitely be looking at moving him.
Tell them you are looking at alternatives because of the things you aren't happy with and list them.

My dad had vascular dementia. The home he was in closed and he was moved to another (far better) home. The staff were wonderful, his room was much nicer, the food was better, they paid far more attention to him and raised any concerns with us immediately. Unfortunately the move took him away from his familiar environment and upset him dreadfully. He went rapidly downhill, and passed on within 3 months.

You will have to decide if he will be affected by such a move, if he would then I would strongly recommend not to move him unless you have serious safeguarding concerns.

I have both LPA’s - I have repeatedly taken it up with them - not sure where the grabby remark comes from - I am not a beneficiary of his - we have never been close - as his Attorney I dread to think how much time it has taken me to sort out his stuff - his paranoia had been going on for years resulting in a very muddled situation so grabby I’m not!

I totally agree with you - couldn’t do their job no matter what the pay - most are fantastic

I’ve had several with multiple managers