How fast can you get into a care home?

[chronictonic]

Long story short, both MIL & FIL have gone from independent to dependent in a short space of time and now it's looking like we to get FIL at least into a care home asap.
There is a possibility to go private.

How quickly could this happen realistically?
What are your experinces in this process?

He wont want to go, but there is no choice now.

My DF was in within the week as we self funded. It depends on where there are vacancies of course.

We did it for FIL within a week when his care broke down completely and he suddenly needed 24 hour care. He was totally self funded. I think it takes a lot longer if you’re not totally self funding though.

This depends on so many things. If he's privately funding this care then he can choose where he goes but will need to find a care home which has a vacancy - depending on which part of the country you're in there might not be a lot of vacancies going round. Care homes will likely want to assess the person to ensure they can meet their care needs. I'd be wary of somewhere that says they can support your loved one without any assessment taking place.
Does you FIL have anything affecting his ability to make a decision about moving into care? You can't really just put someone in a care home now if they aren't able to make that decision for themselves. Look into mental capacity act and deprivation of liberty safeguards. If he doesn't want to go then you may need to back off the idea of him moving into care (even if it seems like the only option to you)

If you are self funding very quickly a matter of days

If you are able to self fund & a home you like have an empty room then it can move very quickly. There would need to be some sort of assessment by (usually) the care home manager just to check that FIL will be suitable for the home & vice versa.

If FILs needs are especially complex or he needs social services to get involved with funding then things can drag on rather.

DF had to have a nursing care home as hospital said he was too ill to go home. We found somewhere (after a long search) that took him within a week.

For DM we found the ideal place which said they might not have space for several months but we put her name down as it was definitely the right environment for her. Then they called and said they had an unexpected vacancy a few days later, so within a week or two.

Does someone have lasting power of attorney for health and care matters?

Where are they living at the moment, whats happened to them both that he suddenly needs a carehome. Does he have mental capacity to refuse to move and pay for a carehome, if so he cannot be forced. If he is able to agree to move then either look at private home , the manager should come out and assess his needs and ability to pay. If he lacks capacity and is now at risk you can call his g.p or adult social services who can assess them and arrange emergency placement which I have seen done within hours if necessary.

If he has capacity and refuses to move would they consider private carers at home

Contact adult social services, you may need their help as he doesn’t want to go.

I did it in 4 days! My mother was self funding though.
Beware of “Top up fees” read the small print.

For us somewhere dire was available immediately via social services and we then waited 6 months for a place at the ideal home.

If he’s got capacity and doesn’t want to go you won’t be able to make him and you may well need to get his capacity assessed which will slow you down .

It totally depends on your choice of care home and if they have availability.

MIL had to wait a few months for FIL's care home but she had v carefully selected it and was happy to wait.

If it's an emergency you just have to go with where they have a vacancy.

FIL didn't want to go, but also didn't have capacity to make decisions due to dementia. MIL dropped him off 'for the day' and then didn't collect him. It sounded v harsh when the home explained it to us, but it was the right strategy as it stopped him getting wound up both about going in, and about good-byes.

Social services were able to get my mum in the same day when there was no alternative. Some places may be able to offer a very quick respite placement which buys you some time as well

Have they been seen by a doctor if they rhey have both had such a sudden deterioration in their health

He doesn't have the capacity to make a decision but he'll need assessment on that to make it official.

We have power of attorney.

There is home care in place at the moment but it's not sustainable and not enough.

MIL is in hospital at the moment.

Thanks for the advice all, very very helpful x

It's a question of space.....and, dreadful as this seems, it's a case of "one out, next one in".

When my mother needed nursing home care, we found a couple of nice homes but both of them were full up and it was a case of going on the waiting list.
However, the next day we heard through a friend of a friend that someone had died in one of the homes, we phoned up immediately and shamelessly asked if we could have the vacant place for our mother. They said yes, it took about 3 days, just long enough to shift everything out from the last person.

It's a really awful situation but care places are under pressure, it shouldn't be that way but in many areas it just is.

3 days for FIL. Got it all sorted while he was in hospital and the care home collected him and took him to his 'new home'

Who is providing the home care at the moment, it might be a good idea for their manager to reassess his needs and if they dont think its enough and he is at risk they can also put in a safeguarding concern with social services. Does his doctor know why he has become so much more dependent.

How quickly could this happen realistically? Four hours in our case. OT suggested it to Dad at lunchtime, and to everyone’s astonishment he agreed, an hour later manager and head nurse from one of the two places with a vacancy came round to assess him, and we delivered him for teatime.

So it can be done quickly if needed

On the case, social services assessment happening soon. Will see how quickly placement takes place following this.

If you’re self funded, it’s just a case of finding a care home you like the look of, that will have a room available.
We looked at a lot before finding one that felt right.
Have done it twice, FiL and my DM, both with dementia.

My DM would never have left the house if she’d known where we were taking her - we had to do it by stealth. (Which was a massive worry beforehand, but turned out better than I could have hoped.) But by then it had become urgent - she was no longer safe to be left alone at all.

We had never involved social services - had never felt the need - but the care home we chose for DM did require an official SW visit to ascertain (presumably) that DM did need residential care. (FiL had visited with us so they’d already met him.). The CH arranged the visit for us. It was really a tick-box procedure, though - it would have been pretty obvious to anyone what sort of state poor old Dm was in by then.

When looking at care homes, it’s often advised to forget any that ask you to make an appt. just for an initial look around. Any good CH should be happy for you to visit - except at mealtimes, when staff are nearly always particularly busy.
Good luck! It’s such a worrying time, I know.