Residential care

You are lucky that she has funding - many don't. i had to fight for it for years despite the fact my mother was basically a vegetable the UK has to wake up to the fact that the demand for funding is greater than the amount of money. Hence the fact that many local authorities are going bust. The criteria that is set for determining funding is so out of date and so strict it is ridiculous.

If you pay for it you chose, if not , you go to the one that social services deem as fit for purpose for their needs . I could be wrong but you can offer to pay the difference.
I'm probably going to get flamed here but it does jar a little with me at the thought that in some cases , people that had a mortgage and scrimped to afford to live could be paying thousands a month , sat next to others who lived for the moment and spent every pound they had and getting it all for nothing.
I realise every case is different , but not always fair.

This treatment of our wonderful older people is becoming more regular nowadays. It’s because care homes are so expensive to run and they can’t get staff; Brexit, zero hour contracts and low pay all contributing factors. Just remember Boris Johnson stood out No. 10 and vowed to sort out the care system. The Government have know about this for years and have not helped in any way. The General Election might be a time to vote a new Government who care.

dragonfly46

This is shocking. The cheapest homes are not always the best.

The most expensive ones are not necessarily the best, either! We looked at so many for both FiL and my mother, and often felt that ‘smart’ decor was there largely to impress relatives who were choosing. In some you could honestly almost hear the cash registers ringing.
Whereas cosy and homely was IMO much more important.

The very worst I encountered was the ostensibly very plush, expensive one, where an aunt of dh put herself for a month while her general helper was away.

Seafront, very plush, expensive looking decor, but the staff were all surly and miserable, and as a visitor I was always made to feel like a very unwelcome nuisance.
The aunt hated it and couldn’t wait to get home.

The difference between that and the medium priced CH where my mother ended up could not have been more vast. That was a dementia only CH, so not quite the same, but even so….

This has worried me Tansy600 as I live in Dorset too.

I hope your mum is allowed to stay where she is

I manage a social work team (not in Dorset). It is standard practice to do an initial best value search but we do not repeat them; once a home is identified that is it unless serious concerns arise with the home forcing its closure or termination of contract with the LA
I would also say that - in the case of the LA I work for at least - best value doesn't just equal cheapest. We also take into account the person and their needs, eg proximity to family, whether the home can meet their cultural needs, behaviour needs (as an example we recently rejected a home which offered the cheapest placement on the basis of a recent CQC report which rated it as requiring improvement for staffing levels. This person needed a high degree of supervision and it was my view - and senior managers agreed with me - that the home would not be able to offer the levels of supervision needed to keep the person safe).
Glad things worked out for your Mum in the end but you should never have had to go through that

This sort of thing might have happened to my father who had vascular dementia. The council kept trying to palm us off with totally unsuitable placements, no dementia care, poor dementia care, too far away for regular visits etc. We got input from his GP, his medical social worker and any one we could who might help. Eventually he was confirmed a permanent place in a top quality care home with the specialist provision he needed, where he stayed until he passed away. We inspected each home offered and kept turning them down. Hard work but worth it. You don’t have to meekly give in to the powers that be as they are only thinking of the financial aspect whereas your mother deserves a caring and STABLE environment for her to have a decent quality of life.

That is awful. Moving a person from home to home for no reason other than cost. I am sure care legislation decrees a person has a choice of where they want to go for care. What seems to be going on is that "bed blockers" are moved out of hospital to a care setting that may not be their choice, pending a vacancy in the Home that is their choice. Of course a vacancy never occurs as others keep being discharged taking up any vacancy available. I would suggest you contact any organisation you feel will know the legislation, suggestions of CAB, Age UK, are worthwhile following up. People should not be passed from pillar to post, your DM has a choice of where she lives.

Great news.

Phew. So glad to hear this.

Tansy600

UPDATE
Email from head of locality services to basically to say mum will be staying where she is and they will be reviewing the process of Best Value searches where one has already been done.
RESULT 😊

Brilliant news for both you and your mum. Hope you can begin to relax now.

That's good news Tansy. Congratulations. I don't think these reviews are standard practice. My late mother was not subject to one but her Council was Labour controlled.

Jaxjacky

You need to get her GP involved to say it’s detrimental to her health.

I second this. GPs have (and should have!) quite a lot of clout when it comes to referrals regarding care packages. Neither of you need this unnecessary stress.

Wonderful news Tansy! What a relief, thanks for letting us know.

UPDATE
Email from head of locality services to basically to say mum will be staying where she is and they will be reviewing the process of Best Value searches where one has already been done.
RESULT 😊

It's very hard. A rotten situation all round. What are care homes to do if commercial rates can't be paid? Reduce staffing? Reduce food quality? Cutback on heating? Or just close down as being unviable.
I know this is harsh. I sincerely wish it was otherwise but I can see both sides of this difficult issue.

Tansy It sounds as if you haven’t had much help from the SW Ours was the opposite loads of meetings e mails and form filling to do but we do live up north in a big city, I suppose that’s the difference apart from there still isn’t any money available.
Moving your mum really isn’t fair bless her it’s such a big thing at their age. Also the home should have explained the fees to you, that was the first thing ours did. We said we didn’t want to pay top up fees so we’re only shown rooms that didn’t have them. Some useful info above for you. Let us know how you get on.

I am just remembering past conversations I’ve had. I seem to recall that if the person concerned (ie your Mum) considers it her home after being there some time then it would be considered unfair to turf her out.

I also believe they are not allowed to ask you to top up her fees. Although they often try.
Definitely speak to Age UK.

T\ansy600 This is where Citizen's Advice or Age UK will be really helpful and they will be able to let you know exactlywhat the correct procedure is and where yours fell down.

Because local authorities are so cash strapped, their social workers (these are the satff I have had dealings with) will try and skate round exactly what they are meant to do, what you are entitled to and what proper process should be.

Katyj

My mum went into a care home as a temporary resident in December it was evident she needed to be there 92 with poor eyesight, mobility and angina.
The social worker asked me to a meeting where she said the LA couldn’t afford the care home, it is one of the cheaper ones, and said she could probably manage in an extra living apartment. I didn’t agree she struggles to stand for longer than five minutes due to dizzy spells.
We had to wait two weeks before we heard anything. She has now been made permanent thank goodness. I hope that is the end of it. Have you got a social worker ? They seem to have the final say along with a report from the home and her GP. Good luck.

Glad your mum is ok now. Tbh the Social Worker is not up to much. She didn’t tell us bout this process when mum went in or at review.We have no agreement to say it was short term,no copy of care plan or assessment. So I think they are probably on dodgy ground.

M0nica

Speak to Age Uk and Citizen's Advice.

Yout choice of who to write to to has been well chosen.

You could also consider talking to local media: newspapers, radio, tv.

Yes I think this needs to known more widely it’s a very inhumane and cruel practice. I will sound out those you suggest if they don’t come back with a satisfactory response. And legal advice.

pinkquartz

I ma sorry I cannot answer your query but have to say
some parts of Dorset Council are the meanest and most uncaring place.

I have experienced other counties while needing help and none were so mercenery.

I think they prioritise their pensions and early retirements.

I would try to move poor mum to another county if you can.

That’s interesting what you say about Dorset so it sounds as if this practice is not country wide. I think any move would be very detrimental to her she has become quite frail.

Speak to Age Uk and Citizen's Advice.

Yout choice of who to write to to has been well chosen.

You could also consider talking to local media: newspapers, radio, tv.

My mum went into a care home as a temporary resident in December it was evident she needed to be there 92 with poor eyesight, mobility and angina.
The social worker asked me to a meeting where she said the LA couldn’t afford the care home, it is one of the cheaper ones, and said she could probably manage in an extra living apartment. I didn’t agree she struggles to stand for longer than five minutes due to dizzy spells.
We had to wait two weeks before we heard anything. She has now been made permanent thank goodness. I hope that is the end of it. Have you got a social worker ? They seem to have the final say along with a report from the home and her GP. Good luck.

I ma sorry I cannot answer your query but have to say
some parts of Dorset Council are the meanest and most uncaring place.

I have experienced other counties while needing help and none were so mercenery.

I think they prioritise their pensions and early retirements.

I would try to move poor mum to another county if you can.