Care home costs? Selling house?

[spankhurst]

Just a quick question if anyone can help.
DM had a huge stroke in early December. She's incontinent and completely paralysed on the left side. It seems unlikely she'll make any improvement. She's at home after 4 months in hospital having 4 care visits a day but it's not working out. My dad is on his knees (he's 86), losing weight and depressed, as is DM.

My question is: if DM needs to go into a care/nursing home, will they have to sell the house? And if so, where will my dad live?! He is fit and well normally, and doesn't need any care support.

Their house is prob worth about £200k and they both have a modest pension. Surely they wouldn't be expected to make DF effectively homeless to fund care for DM?

Thanks for any advice.

No- house would never be sold while spouse lives there. Not taken into account at all in any of the financial calculations. This is a common fear but you and your dad can rest easy. Sorry about your mum.

Phew, Babylon, thanks.

Ageuk have a series of very good factsheets on the rules of funding. So as long as your dad lives in the house, it is disregarded from your mums financial assessment

Thanks, CMOTD.

Also, there is a chance that your mum would get continuing care funding for a nursing home, which is NHS funded and so free at the point of use.

Second pp, Google CHC checklist and ask for this to be done when she is medically stable. If her care needs are deemed to be complex nursing, the NHS fund ongoing care

Second pp, Google CHC checklist and ask for this to be done when she is medically stable. If her care needs are deemed to be complex nursing, the NHS fund ongoing care

As others have said the home is quite safe while your dad lives there. You will be asked to show your mother's savings so that a financial assement can be carried out.

To pay for the home they will take your mums state pension and part of her private pension. I am not sure if it still the same, but my stepfather a was allowed to keep half my mums private pension for house hold expenses. There is also an allowance made for your mums personal spending. My mum had about £12000 in savings so did not have to contribute for her care other than the pensions.

Remember also that your father will qualify for reduced Community Charge once your mum is admitted to the care home.

So sorry that this is happening to you, it is so hard for them to be separated. I hope things turn out for you, as they did for me. My mum had wonderful care and by stepdad's health improved. He could see that she was in the best place when he visited.

Thanks, everyone. The thought of dad having to leave their home for the last 50 years was heartbreaking.