What help can I get

[janx]

My 89 yr old mum is in hospital with fractured femur. She has no downstairs toilet .. bedroom upstairs. Up until now she has been fairly independent. My brother has been living at her house but works full time. I think she has onset of dementia but refuses to go to doctors.
Any idea what I can access. I've arranged for an assessment to get a stair lift.

Speak to her GP who will link you up with Social Services and Occupational Health. She should be claiming Attendance Allowance which will help cover the costs of carers (but won’t pay it all). Would she go to a Day Centre? So many of us are in this difficult situation. My thoughts go out to you.

Talk to the general pediatrician. They should get in contact with the local social services team and occupational health too. A care home that is funded by the government may be a option. Or you could research a few different local community care providers on the care quality site and then choose one that is good.

She needs a care needs assessment while she is in hospital, and a home assessment, a stair lift may not be best if she is recovering from a broken leg or hip. She may need a few weeks in a rehab unit which the doctor, nurses and therapists at the hospital need to arrange . The ward staff can also do a dementia screen and capacity assessment, a lot of elderly care wards do this on admission now once she is fully recovered from the op and anaesthetic. Longterm she may need to think about moving into a sheltered flat, stay where she is with adaptations, shoeterm if she goes home the therapists may suggest the bed downstairs, a commode, various bits of free equipment that helps her around the house. She may also need a financial assessment to see if she needs to pay. The Gov.uk site has info on home adaptations which are free to about £1k I think and what Grant's are available for larger renovations.

Thanks everyone.. She's been seen by OT who have arranged a package of care with local authority she lives in.. no mention of us footing bill. Will look into allowance. She is being difficult about support. Her GP is useless .. they won't do any sort of dementia assessment in hospital as she's in a bed in A&E. i can't believe they want to discharge her tomorrow

When did she fracture her femur, she cannot go home until the care and equipment is in place

@janx

Thanks everyone.. She's been seen by OT who have arranged a package of care with local authority she lives in.. no mention of us footing bill. Will look into allowance. She is being difficult about support. Her GP is useless .. they won't do any sort of dementia assessment in hospital as she's in a bed in A&E. i can't believe they want to discharge her tomorrow

The financial assessment will come later. Depending on her income and savings she may have to contribute to the care costs.

My mum had a fractured femur. Had a metal rod put in. She was sent home with a frame and a commode.

Yes, it horrified me to find Social Services regard living in a room downstairs with a commode in it as being an acceptable solution for the elderly

Can she claim Attendance Allowance? There should be carers' visits included in her discharge package, don't allow her to say your dbro or you will be available to meet all her needs.

Assessment to get a stair lift is a long process but it's good you started it

Was she discharged home with bed downstairs and commode and carers bringing her hot water bowl to help wash and dress each morning ?

I can see PP said that's terrible, but what is the alternative when someone wants to go home , is being discharged within days and as it takes best part of 6 months plus to get assessment for any any DFG adaptations fitted . There can be great shelters housing out there - flats- with more accessible bathrooms abs toilets- including extra care schemes - look those up in her LA area or ask local housing dept- She can choose to move if she wants. If you do decide to put her on waiting list to move, bear in mind that DFG/ stairlift option may be closed as that's for long term adaptations so if someone is planning to move, they won't fund changes to current property even though there may be a wait

I can see PP said that's terrible, but what is the alternative when someone wants to go home , is being discharged within days and as it takes best part of 6 months plus to get assessment for any any DFG adaptations fitted It’s one thing as a temporary makeshift while waiting for something more permanent to be arranged. What I was commenting on was the idea that this is an acceptable solution, suitable for many years to come.