Nursing Homes

[tigerlelly]

Does anyone have an aged relative in a Nursing Home in the Poole/Bournemouth area? If so, what can we expect to have to pay for :
a. A shared room
b. A single room

We will have to sell a property to pay for care so it will be full price. I've phoned several NHs already but would like some fees to measure them against.
Also what sort of thing counts as extra?
Thanks v. much

[Rosetta]

Nursing Home fees vary from home to home as well as place to place so you have done the best thing phoning round local homes. Basically they are in business and will charge the market rate, or as much as they can get away with the cynical would say.
They also vary in quality and "value for money" and if you can it really is best to look around some. Its a bit of a mine field if you you haven't been in this position before but look for the quality of care not just the pretty curtains and matching carpets.

I'm sorry that this doesn't answer your question or if I am teaching my grandmother to suck eggs, I just know how difficult it can be to get the right place.

Please also check if your relative has Attendance Allowance, preferably at the higher rate . She should be elligible for Attendance Allowance as she will be self funding. CAB are good if you need any advice

Good luck

[Velvetee]

The one's I've looked at in Buckinghamshire, worked out between �500 and �900 per week. Many care homes have their own websites and include costs.

Please look at the Help The Aged website, they have costs involved for care homes and the criteria for applying for financial help from the Council, as well as having to sell the home.

[LoftyLottie]

Obviously, not in your area, but my mother is in a very good Norfolk care home (we had to remove her from one which was far from good). It costs �20000 per month for her smallish single room with an en-suite bathroom.

The only extras that have to be paid are for hairdressing, chiropody, glasses and her personal things. If she needs escorting anywhere then she would have to pay for that as well - but I do that when necessary.

The home that was not as good was the same price!!!

You talk about a 'Nursing Home' which is different to a Residential or care home - and fees will probably be higher because you are paying for nursing care.

Fees unfortunately will most likely be higher in your area, but I have posted this to warn you that the higher priced homes in your area will not necessarily be better. From experience, I would say look carefully at the homes, speak to the residents and their relatives and find out what their staff turnover rates are. The home my Mum is in has a very low rate of staff turnover and doesn't use agency staff at all.

Hope you find somewhere suitable.

[Velvetee]

Why is it so expensive? Elderly peple shouldn't have to sell their homes to pay for care in old age. It should be available for free or at minimal costs.

[bednobs]

velvetee, that is just the cost of things i'm afraid. If care was available free, someone would be paying for it somewhere (presumably you mean the taxpayer), and therefore taxes would have to increase hugely to meet a bill of �2000 pm (which is what i assume the poster meant rather than 20, 000 which does seem rather steep!) per person who needs to be in a home.

if you wanted to stay in an ensuite hotel, all meals provided, laundry done, electricity, heating etc with 24 hour personal care and people you could call on for anything round the clock, how much would you expect to pay?

[LoftyLottie]

Yes, I did mean �2,000. I am sorry!!!

[PringlesQueen]

We are just looking at placing an elderly relative in the Poole/Bournemouth area, but into a residential home.
Prices vary depending upon CSCI ratings. As a rough guide, those with a zero or one star rating are approx �500pw and two stars �600-700pw. These rates are for single rooms. Some have shared bathrooms, some private bathrooms. This is quite a useful website for finding some homes: http://www.csci.org.uk/registeredservicesdirec tory/rsquicksearch.asp
The nursing homes vary in price depending upon how much nursing the individual requires.
As you would have discovered, the financial side of things is quite a minefield.
My advice to you is to speak to an independant financial advisor who specialises in just this thing. Unfortunately the things that count as 'extras' are very much calculated on an individual persons basis.
Good luck x

[lynbrown]

You cannot be forced to sell the house. Ask about deferred payments which means the sale of the house can be put off till the person dies, then it can be sold to pay the outstanding charges. This means you can hold onto the house while it rises in value - or at least thats what used to happen.