The starting points for thinking about the need for additional assistance at home or in care can be different. For some people the decision is as a result of a medical condition or hospital admission but for others more fortunate, they can plan things themselves. Being part of the decision making process is ideal as by giving advance thought to whether you wish to remain in your own home or not you can assess if any modifications are going to be needed and plan to do these at your own pace. You can also choose and make relationships with people coming to your home and can build up any additional support incrementally.
Alternatively, you can shop around for an alternative home whether that is a private bungalow, sheltered accommodation or care facility. If you are not fortunate enough to be able to plan things then the decision may have to be made in different circumstances. Perhaps it has been put off a little too long, or an illness or accident advances the need to make a decision. In those circumstances you will rely on getting information quickly from a variety of sources.
Care at home
There is a huge amount available to support an independent life at home ranging from dog walking and shopping to 24 hour nursing care.
There is also help available through various charitable organisations. We do not promote any particular organisation but we do have experience of a number of different providers and are happy to talk matters through with you. At the top end of support you should be aware, however, that costs can be high.
Care in a residential or nursing home
Your Local Authority Social Work Department will need to carry out an assessment which may conclude that you are fit to stay in your own home, with in-house support. Alternatively, it may be that you need to look for a residential facility.
You are free to choose your own privately and there are a lot to choose from. All care homes are subject to the national care standards and you should try to visit and get as much information as you possibly can on the homes which you are considering.
Some homes will have an admission policy which requires you to be able to “self-fund” for a particular period. At the end of that period what happens will depend on what sort of agreement is in place with the home, the individual and the Local Authority.
The Local Authorities position
The Scottish Government continues to fund free personal care for those aged 65 and over who have been assessed as needing same by the Social Work Department of their Local Authority. To take advantage of this, the allowance has to be paid through a Local Authority approved agency and the same applies to a residential or nursing home.
There are effectively three elements to care home costs namely:
- accommodation costs;
- personal care costs, and;
- nursing care costs.
Arranging the assessment is a crucial first step. If funding is to be sought (and there is no obligation to do so) a financial assessment will be carried out by the Local Authority. This assesses all your assets including your home but protection is available to spouses who still live there. You should be aware that any transfers of your own assets which appear to have been made deliberately to avoid being caught by that assessment may be still taken into account. This is a difficult area not least because some of the issues need to be addressed at a time when other problems are also being tackled. It can be daunting for the individual concerned and for the family.
Please speak to us if you would like some help in any of these areas.