Has anyone been successful in obtaining NHS funded 'continuing care' for their elderly parent?

[oliviaaah]

We have just been turned down and are wondering how to proceed.

My dear dad died of dementia several years ago. He was self funded fir the last 6 yrs of his life in a nursing home after my mum could no longer manage him at home. He was always turned down for CHC. We applied last year to appeal this through a no win no fee solicitor. The amount of paperwork was so huge i have no idea how people manage it themselves. We lost then appealed again. We were finally awarded the last month of his life, though i felt the appeal was stacked against us. They actually said he 'wasn't ill enough' when he was wheelchair bound, doubly incontinent, couldn't speak or communicate or do anything. The process felt awful and so unfair

Had the initial home visit with the SW who will be writing DF's report. Multidisciplinary meeting next, I'm dreading it as DM got very belligerent yesterday. So hard to get her to understand (she gets very confused) that her care of DF isn't being judged.

My dad was granted CHC funding, moved in to his nursing home last month - top up fee is £200 per week as we needed him close to us and no where else could accept him near us.

We got CHC for my father-in-law. It was a bloody battle though. Angela's website (Care to be Different) referenced above is excellent. I don't think we'd have got it without it! We were very well informed on the system but I think what really swung it if I'm honest was my husband attending the assessment (he's a barrister) and although he was attending in a private capacity I think he worried them enough.

We found that on the whole, the NHS and particularly Social Services did not understand the law on CHC and tried to introduce all kinds of additional tests that are illegal. My own Dad is currently 3 years into a case regarding CHC for his great-aunt and it has been a shambles by the authorities.

The whole system is a bloody mess.