Care costs when DF is still at home

[ElizabethinherGermanGarden]

My mum is likely to be sectioned tomorrow and taken into the dementia ward at one of the not-very-local hospitals. We've been told that her hospital stay will potentially be a couple of months and that they will try to stabilize her meds etc. she has early onset Alzheimer's and primary progressive aphasia so can't make herself understood through language and doesn't understand much of what is said to her. She's in the late middle stage of Alzheimer's but she is only 71 and physically hale and hearty.

Apparently we won't pay for the hospital but once it gets to the stage where they discharge her, will pay when she goes into a care home. I don't know what happens in terms of the house when my dad still lives there and could well live there for another 25 years. All our family on both sides are notoriously long lived.

For as long as your dad continues to reside in their home it won't be taken into account for care costs.

Only her share of any savings and any income in her name will be taken into account.

If she has been detained under the mental health act though she may not have to pay for the care home afterwards wither though. She is probably on a section 2 at the moment but if she is there longer than 28 days and goes onto section 3 instead then she will be eligible for something called s.117 aftercare.

Even if she isn't eligible for s.117 aftercare and is discharged to a care home then she might still be eligible for something called fully funded continuing healthcare (often referred to as CHC) .

Try not to worry about the finance side of the things for now.

I don’t know if the standard rules apply because your mum has been sectioned?

Ordinarily as your Dad is still living in the house this can’t be used towards Mums care- traditionally they do a financial assessment & split any joint savings etc. Then, looking just at mums half, if she has anything over the threshold of £23,500 this will be taken to fund her care. Even when it gets down to that threshold they will continue to take her pension, care allowance etc as a contribution towards the fees.

I am going through something similar it’s such a tough situation x

Thank you both so much. It's been a very rapid and sudden deterioration to get to this point, plus mum absolutely hates a) dad being in another room, and b) dad being in the same room and talking to anyone else, so we haven't had much chance for these conversations yet. Your comments are reassuring and, I guess, we will have time to talk and plan once mum is in hospital.

Sorry to hear about your mum, hope she gets settled soon My dad is in nursing home and is funded, my mother is in the house they own jointly with carers that she is privately funding.

As per the PP look into getting your mum assessed for CHC.

www.beaconchc.co.uk/what-is-nhs-continuing-healthcare/ offer a free helpline.

You have other things on your mind right now but it’s good to get the ball rolling when you feel able, by contacting social services. It can take a couple of months to get CHC in place.

All the best OP.

Thank you for that - really helpful. Mum's in hospital on a section 2 now so we're relieved for now.