getting help in the home

[nannieali]

Hi
recently my mother in law has managed to get the lower level carers allowance as she looks after her husband after he had a mild stroke. now she has been taken into hospital with copd and a collapsed lung. luckily she is on the mend, but it is quiet clear that she will be no longer capable of looking after her self properly ley alone her dad. dad also has really bad arthritis in his hands and needs help to dress etc and is unable to lift a kettle etc etc,
can anyone advice me on how we go about getting help in the home for them, my sister in law rang HelpThe Aged and they told her it will cost us 18.50 an hour to have someone to come in and help?
They would need someone to come in everyday help with house work, shopping (as neither of them can walk very far). help with or delivered meals. So this would amount to alot of money a week.
They own their house but have no money or savings.
How do we go about getting help for them HELP PLEASE !!!!!!!!!!!
nannie ali
ps mother in law is still in hospital at the moment. Can we say she cant come home until help has been put in place?

[leclerc]

Re: getting help in the home

Getting help from Social Services

This might be a start albeit it is from Waltham forest council but no doubt your local council social services should have info similar.
------------------------------- merged -------------------------------
Help and support at home : Directgov - Home and community

and from Direct Gov website.

[pompeyfaith]

Re: getting help in the home

Greetings Nannieali,

I to had a stroke and brain operation so will be able tto help you here.

You first need to get in touch with the social services dept of your local council (some it is done via the county council like in my case) they will arrange for an occupational therapist to visit you and assess your needs.

this link will guide you

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Disabled...are/DG_4000436

If you have any other questions shout

Oh and have they both applied for DLA? you can also discuss this with the occupational therapist.

Regards

PF

[enaid]

Re: getting help in the home

Hi nannieali
Firstly Carers Allowance is a taxable benefit the weekly rate is £53.90. This is reduced by the amount of certain other benefits, including State Pension, that you receive. If you receive certain other benefits at £53.90 or more a week, Carer's Allowance cannot be paid to you as well.
I am thinking you maybe mixing this up with Attendance Allowance,
Attendance Allowance is a tax-free benefit for people aged 65 or over who need someone to help look after them because they are physically or mentally disabled. Find out if you are eligible and how to claim.
This is a benefit with a higher and lower rate and I am thinking this is where you are getting confused.
How much do you get?

The amount you get depends on how much your disability affects you. There are two rates of Attendance Allowance.
Attendance AllowanceWeekly rate Higher rate£ 71.40 Lower rate £47.80

[nannieali]

Re: getting help in the home

yes your right they get AA its 47.80. i am daughter in law and hubby and his 2 sisters are trying to get somethingin place for their parents as they will not be able to look after each other without alot of difficulty. they will defo need help in the house and with shopping and maybe meals. every place i have looked it says they will have to pay for all help??? as they have no money does this mean they wont get anything. im thinking they will need daily help.
nannieali

[nannieali]

Re: getting help in the home

Thanks
hope u r feeling better and on the mend my luv.
no they not claiming anything other than the AA mum was claiming for dad before she got ill. we just wondering if we could get help in home for them for when she comes home. it may be for only a few months maybe long term we just dont know.

[pompeyfaith]

Re: getting help in the home

hope u r feeling better and on the mend my luv.

Me, yes Im well and truly on the mend my stroke (SAH) was in 1990 at the age of 27 and have since been back to work for 17 yrs.

Occupational health specialist is what you need to assess the help you need whether direct payments can be made to help with the costs and also to assess the home for adaptations.

They are very good and helped me a great deal.

Have you also been on the stroke website

http://www.stroke.org.uk/

And this one may be useful

http://www.lunguk.org/

Regards

PF

[enaid]

Re: getting help in the home

Well firstly you will need to be assessed for what actual help will be needed now that curcumstances have changed. COPD is a horrible illness in its own right I know that first hand.
You should be able to speak to someone at the hospital from or connected to Social Services to make sure all will be ok for your MIL to go home. This should then get the ball rolling for other things to come into play and they should get a full assessment of their needs.
Here is the info all about the assessment
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Disabled...are/DG_4000436

When they have been assessed and their needs decided then they maybe offered Direct Payments to help pay for for the help they need info about that is here.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Disabled...rt/DG_10016128

I hope this helps and please get in touch with your local Social Services yourself if these things are not being offered by anyone else.
All the info you need and including addresses and such are in those links I hope this helps and please let us know if you need any further help.
Enaid x

[scottishlass]

Re: getting help in the home

not sure if this would help you

Home and care, Help at home, paying for care and support in your own home