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Elderly parents

Practical/financial tips for MiL in hospital

2 replies

NewspaperChips · 22/11/2024 07:36

MIL has been admitted to hospital with complex/critical conditions. She is disabled and hasn’t been in the best health for a while but significantly deteriorated in the last few weeks resulting in hospitalisation.

She’s stubborn and is refusing some of the help being offered to her in hospital (eg not getting out of bed/engaging with therapists and not eating).

I’m a bit overwhelmed by all the different things we need to consider - both practical things short term, and practical/financial long term (she probably won’t qualify for means tested care - she has shared business assets but no cash in the bank).

I was hoping for help/experiences on the following:

Attendance Allowance Do payments continue when they are discharged simply by us informing DWP, or do we need to go through an application process again?

If their needs are greater when they come out and they’ll likely qualify for the higher rate (eg needing care day and night) how do we apply for this? Is it a new application, or can DWP amend the award if we call them and send the new medical evidence etc?

NHS continuing care it looks like this is rarely awarded. Any positive stories?

Any tips for encouraging her to engage with the rehab, or at least eat? She’s always been stubborn, so this isn’t new. We’ve explained that she won’t be able to come home until she show them she can do these things.

What else should we be thinking about? DP has power of attorney (both) thank goodness.

All suggestions welcome, please.

OP posts:
AnnaMagnani · 22/11/2024 08:00

Is she actually 'stubborn' or is she not engaging in things like getting out of bed or eating enough because of complex medical reasons?

If you have always known her as a stubborn person it can be difficult to set this aside and look at reasons that aren't related to her personality.

There are loads of reasons that an elderly person with complex illnesses might not eat in hospital - just off the top of my head appetite reduced due to nausea, pain, cognitive issues, changes in taste

Equally the commonest reason for not sitting out of bed is just feeling too ill and fatigued. But also pain, depression, fear, disorientation and so on.

countrygirl99 · 22/11/2024 08:53

If the medical issues are complex you might get CHC.what you need is where frequent nursing decisions need to be made. E.g. FIL got it because he was intolerant to all pain medication for cancer causing vomiting and diarrhoea meaning his other meds didn't get absorbed and his diabetes and atrial fibrillation needed constant monitoring. MIL didn't get it despite a stroke meaning she needed 24/7 care because her condition was stable.

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