Can you move care homes from one LA to another?

[Feelinghistoric]

I have been NC with my father for over twenty years, but have recently been informed that he is now in a care home with alcohol-induced dementia. I only found out a week ago. It’s been a horrible horrible shock.
I’m still not quite sure how I feel about this. However, he’s in a care home in London. I live in Somerset. The person who told me is someone I knew vaguely when I was a child. They’ve made it clear that the last few years before my father went into the care home were grim. As a result, he has no friends. Nothing.
I’m feeling pretty devastated.
The one thing I was wondering about - and given the Covid situation nothing can happen for a while - is whether it might at some point be possible to have him moved to a care home in Somerset. He’s burned through any money he had, but the care home he is in in means-tested.
Does anyone know if it might be possible to transfer down here? (after Covid, whenever that may be, please don’t make this about Covid.)
I would visit him (I don’t go to London often) and my brother may visit him (he isn’t committing, and it’s entirely reasonable given our childhoods.)
I obviously haven’t been able to visit him, but I understand the dementia is severe, and he had a long stay in hospital last year. He is over 70.

There should be no reason, post Covid, why you couldn't transfer to another care home. You would need to discuss it with the care home you would want him to move to, as they would have a better idea of what you need to do to get things sorted xx

Thank you so much for responding. Does it matter if he’s in a completely different part of the country at the moment? I have no idea how care home funding works and I can’t afford to pay for his.

Why on earth would you want to do this ?

Yes it is possible, we did this with neighbouring local authorities. I'm not sure with regards to authorities that don't border, but see no reason why not.

We have had people move to our care home from other areas, not very common but it does happen.
You have to talk to local homes to you see if they are willing, followed by his Social worker and others involved in his care where he is.
If he is self funding it's easier, but if he is paid for by Social services and CHC they have to agree to continue to pay in the new area first.

I understand you’re in shock but who would benefit from the move? He’s in familiar surroundings and the stress of moving could be very tough on him.

The person who told you this acted as a flying monkey; he/she was not interested in hearing your side of things so I feel their suggestion should be ignored. That person was not acting in your best interests here and has their own agenda.

You've had no contact with your drunkard father for 20 years; why at all start now?. Honestly I would do nothing and besides which why would you want to move him now and seemingly based on one person's suggestion. Are you that easily influenced?.

Thank you for your responses. That’s very true about who would benefit - I hadn’t thought of that. The family friend says that the only thing he talks about is seeing his children again, and I am now in a place where I would be able to visit (I certainly wasn’t for most of the last twenty years!)
So I suppose I thought that visiting him fairly regularly (as opposed to London where I travel maybe once or twice a year) would benefit him?

I am confident that the person who told me said it for decent-ish reasons. I’ve known them my whole life and I am still in very infrequent contact with their children. (My generation is all now in thirties/forties.)

Moving care home with severe dementia isn't recommended. The brain can't map new environments so every day is like the terrifying first day all over again. Leave him where he is.

Of course your dad talks about seeing his children again . Excuse my scepticism here but why now too?. You yourself have not seen your dad in 20 years and likely for bloody good reason too; people do not generally cease contact with parents on a whim.

Is your mother alive?.

Some family friend this person is, NOT. How much if anything does this person know about your own childhood and adulthood at his hands?. This person is acting as a flying monkey and has their own agenda here.

So please do not do any of this to yourself. Leave your dad where he is; he is being cared for in this facility and apart from anything else many dementia patients can go downhill rapidly after being relocated. Would it benefit you in seeing your dad, in all likelihood no it would not. He could well instill feelings of fear along with obligation and guilt in you again.

Decent-ish reasons is frankly not good enough. This person has their own agenda here; why mention this to you at all?. This person still sees your dad but it does not follow that you should or even worse move them?. Does he/she in telling you all this really expect you now to do something?.

Thanks for your advice. I’m more interested in whether it’s technically possible than whether I should or shouldn’t do it. Absolutely nothing will happen in a rush for the obvious reason, and I wouldn’t rush this anyway.

Technically, as long as there is space in a suitable care home near you to meet his needs - yes.

Why you'd want to do this though is beyond me. If he's got severe dementia he may not even know who you are OP - particularly after 20+ years. I imagine the whole thing would be very bad from his POV and all to have a stranger come and hold his hand? I'd leave well alone. Or at least, I'd go and visit him in the London care home first and see what sort of state he's in, talk to the staff, etc before making any enquiries locally. If he's really far gone I can't see how he'd benefit from a move.

The authorities would likely recommend to you that he is not moved from his current care home due to his dementia. Such specialised facilities too can be hard to come by and there is no guarantee that you could find a home suitable to his care needs in your area.

Think carefully as others have said.
Try to connect with why you went nc in the first place. His drinking? Sadly his memory and cognition will be affected by this now.
If he is not self funding he will need a social care assessment from the local authority where he is based. The home will arrange for this to be done. He will be allocated a social worker (hopefully). Presumably he is settled where he is. It will be unsettling for him to move, and probably better if he remains where he is. If he moves nearer you, under the guidelines of ordinary residence he will probably be funded by the LA in London. Be aware that some homes need a 'top up' as the LA will only pay a certain amount.
I advise that you visit if you can, or contact through Skype or phone to make your peace with him, but leave him where he is.
All the best to you in this process

Moving residents with dementia may not be recommended, but SS or the Home itself have no qualms about moving residents, when they want it.
My DM was in Care Homes for 10 years, and in 4 places altogether, and moved at the Homes request.
They requested it because of her dementia. Fortunately, she was in the last home for 6 years, but even then after a couple of years was moved to their nursing wing.
She was also moved between different authorities. My DM was self funded (ie her house was sold to pay for her care). The question is the amount the LA would pay for her care (should her own funds be used up) because it varies in different LA.

there is a process to go through OP

if as you say he's burned through his money I assume the local authority are now paying for his care? they will have done an assessment and although they can move him to another home, they have to be sure that 1. its meets his assessed needs and 2. it is an amount they are willing to pay

you also cannot assume he lacks capacity to decide where he lives. capacity is assessed on inividual issues and he may well have the capacity to decide where he wants to live and he may not want to move

tbh i would doubt social services would move someone from a care home in which as far as you know they are happy and settled to be closer to a daughter he hasnt seen for 20 years. Their job is to act in his best interests and ill be surprised if they think doing this would be in his best interests.

You obviously stopped seeing him for a good reason so as others have said maybe make your peace with him in another way xx

Thanks for the advice. I’ll see how things are at the end of lockdown. I certainly wouldn’t consider doing anything unless his current care home thinks it would be in his best interests, and that sounds unlikely.