Can he stay in nursing home, if that's what he wants?

[Toddlerteaplease]

An elderly friend was admitted to hospital recently as he just wasn't coping. It's been obvious that it was coming for a couple of years, but he refused all help.

The hospital have discharged him to a nursing home. Which I feel is what he needs. He just will not cope at home and we'll be back to square one. He's really happy there and wants to stay permanently.

The discharge coordinator from the hospital is adamant that he needs to go back to his flat. (Needs completely kitting our again, as everything had to be disposed of by a specialist company) he wants four carer vistas a day.

I'm seriously worried for his safety if this happens. My friend has full capacity and has stated several times that he doesn't want to go back to living in his own. Will his wishes be taken into account?

Is he planning to pay for his own nursing home place?

He's below the threshold for self funding. But I'm sure would happily pay something towards it. It would also mean a really nice (if done up) flat was released back into the council housing stick.

If he's below the threshold and qualifies for SS funding then unfortunately not.
If there is not sufficient evidence he requires residential care (and particularly if he didn't have any care beforehand ) they will want to try home with a package of care before agreeing to fund long term placement.
Unfortunately he probably would not have normally been discharged to a residential/nursing home but hospital discharge procedures have dramatically changed in the short term due to the Corona Virus and emphasis is focused on speed of discharge from hospital.
What does your friend want?

He doesn't want to go back to his flat. He wants to stay in the home. He told me that it's been decided he's staying. Which I thought was odd. But as I suspected the manager said no decision has been made. I really do t think he'll cope at home. He keeps having falls and is incontinent at night and possibly in the day. He's told me that the staff at the home say he needs a wheelchair, full time.
He's needed help for years but refused to seek help.

If he's keen to stay there then you need to make sure to build a detailed case for him having 24 hour care needs that can't be met at home with a package of care. Having night needs hopefully might tip him over to a package of care at home being more expensive than the placement. In the areas I've worked in it is there for local authorities to fund more than a four times a day package of care in the long term.
Also make sure the social worker is aware that he would be at high risk of falling between care visits.

Thanks that's really helpful. The manger of the home said that they were happy to keep him. Which I took to mean that he needed to be there. His flat will also need a lot of adapting for him to go back there. He needs a walk in shower. (Which he had in his previous flat, that was demolished) but said he could manage without in this one.