BUPA carehomes

[playnicely]

My mother is in a residential nursing and care home at the moment. We're just going through the back-payment of all her weekly fees because the house that she lived in with my father is now sold (he died 2 years ago).

For various reasons we have been looking at alternative accommodation - the place she is in at the moment is bog-standard and "meets her needs" but we feel is not the place for her. She has no diagnosis of Alzheimers but believes she has dementia (self-diagnosed but we're not entirely convinced) She is doubly incontinent and has Type 2 diabetes which is controlled by drugs (and sabotaged by the feeding of sugary donuts and biscuits by staff at the carehome!) She is in her mid-80s.

Does anyone know what the score is with BUPA care homes? She has about £100k from the sale of the house so is now self-funding. If she went in a BUPA carehome what would happen with her when her money runs out? Would she be booted out if she couldn't meet the payments or would the state pick up the tab.

Anyone have any experience of this? She is in England BTW but I'm not (which doesn't help) I apologise if this post sounds cold and dispassionate. It's simply my way of coping with the situation and no reflection of my feelings for my mother.

This is never an easy time and having had experience of a parent in a care home I can understand your concerns.
In the first instance I would suggest that you talk to the manager of the home your mother is in. He/she will know how the arrangements work when/if self funding runs out, and I am sure will be very helpful and informative.
Do remember that your mother will also be receiving her state pension which will also go some way to covering costs - not far I know, but every little helps! You also need to think about how to invest the money from the sale of the property so that it gains interest - again, every little helps.

It is also an unfortunate fact of life that your mother is not getting any younger and is clearly not a well lady now so I would suggest that you do not fear for funding, but concern yourself in the first instance with your mothers comfort and happiness. The money she has will go quite a long way before you need worry about her being 'booted out'.
I hope that you find the best residence for your Mum to spend her days.

Hello, my nana lives in a carehome now (dementia) as her illness got too difficult for us all to manage at home. I am also a mental health nurse & learned a fair bit about the care/respite system in my training. There are very few if any state run nursing homes nowadays they are nearly all privately run & earning a fair wack from our parents/grandparents!!!! Your best bet is to speak to your mothers social worker or GP and they will be able to give you a list of all the suitable care homes with places in your locality that will b able to cater for your mothers needs. When my grandad went to look round homes he decided on a more expensive one but not bupa, it's a local independent one. Sometimes they are better, patients aren't just a number , the staff & the owners really care about all the residents. Hope this helps x

Hi my Mum is in a Bupa care home and we are really happy with the care she is receiving. The staff turnover is low so she and the rest of the family get to know who is who and they are great with grandchildren rushing all over the place too.

You can request a Financial Assessment from Social Services now to talk about what would happen as it seems to be slightly different all over the country. I think they would pick up the tab but only the amount that they have set which is lower than most Bupa homes charge so you would end up paying the rest.

Good luck.

My father is in a wonderful Bupa home I have been told that if your money runs out after two - three years they will not ask you to go just reduce the amount paid to what LA will cover. Hope this helps.

We were involved with 2 Bupa homes and they were not good In one they could not even give a hot cup of tea, and medication or follow a diet plan One night we got there to find they were about to overdose my mother on her medicines -if we had not got there in time my God!!
No managers to complain to and it was recommended to us by a Macmillan nurse Imagine!
An independent home would be the best as they take more pride but we found the NHs hospital the best in the end

I don't think you can make assumptions one way or the other about a home just because its Bupa. When we were looking for a place for MIL, the Bupa seemed OK but somehow impersonal, and it always seems to be advertising for staff; there was an independent that looked nice but seemed obsessed with tickboxes; then there was the one we chose where they seem to be well staffed (no agency workers) and treat the residents as individuals.

I think it comes down to the area aswell. Here there are loads of elderly folk but in say a city wth fewer older people it may be better