DF (aged 53) was placed in a dementia care home after being homeless a few years ago. A bit of background - he suffers with severe mental health issues and substance abuse; however, he generally has capacity and can look after himself to some extent, albeit he is very self-destructive. He hates living there, though the local authority claim there’s nowhere else for him to go.
Around a year ago, DF’s bank card was stolen by another resident (it was drug related) and as a result, the resident had full access to his bank card for months (I was not aware, although this has been a recurring problem with DF when drugs are involved). Said resident was later kicked out but DF still had no access to his money due to having no ID to renew the card.
Siblings and I have very recently been to visit (we’re not nearby) and cancelled the card/contacted the bank re the ID. We then raised this with the care home, to be told by the manager that he has been managing the bank card for months (since the resident was kicked out). DF had no idea this was happening (nor did we), although confirmed that the manager had on occasion been giving him some cash (he thought said manager was just being nice). DF claims he never consented to this, although given his mental state/substance abuse, we can’t be sure. The managers reasoning for doing so is drug related, DF would withdraw hundreds at a time for drugs and end up in a bad state. DF claims he is now allowed £10 a day (in cash) which they withdraw but is often told no if he ‘hasn’t been good’. He is entitled to ESA and PIP so I have a rough idea of what he should be receiving.
I am really concerned with this whole arrangement because 1. why were we (or DF) not informed of this arrangement as next of kin 2. If this has been going on for months, and he is restricted to £10 a day (all in cash) where is the rest of his money going, they could be withdrawing any amount of money for themselves and claim they’ve been giving it to DF. It’s their word against his, and DF is not in a fit state to remember how much/when he has been given money.
Along with this, I have just found out that he has been moved to a shared room with a dementia patient on the agreement that the manager gives him 2 free cigarettes a day. DF agreed (as any severe addict probably would) but they are playing on his addiction/vulnerability here. They then provide him additional cigarettes again, if ‘he has been good’.
I am planning to call the manager directly tomorrow (he was not there when we visited) and question him on all the above, then contact the safeguarding team at the local authority to raise my concerns. I am also trying to find a contact to do a mental health assessment as he was not in a good way at all when we visited. Aside from this, if anyone has any advice on steps to take/who to contact, I would really appreciate it.