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News & politics

funding of Care for the elderly

(172 Posts)
TriciaF Thu 15-Dec-16 20:59:53

I'm surprised someone hasn't started a discussion on this already. Although there have been similar topics in the past.
I have several thoughts about it, including the fact that it has become ridiculously expensive in the last 10-15 years - costs need to be reduced.
Also I think that families should help to pay more for the cost of the care of their relative than they do now, if they can afford it.
My experience is from arranging the care of my Mum in the early 2000s, (we had to sell her house),and anticipating that I might need it soon.

Firecracker123 Mon 19-Dec-16 16:00:15

Petra ridiculous isn't it the overseas aid budget should be diverted to helping our own who are in need. Of course the bleeding hearts won't agree.

daphnedill Mon 19-Dec-16 16:05:11

Nope! You're right about one thing at least! grin

Anya Mon 19-Dec-16 16:15:51

Perish the thought that we should dig into our own pockets...No let's take it from the third world budget. Let them starve, especially those third world grannies who are, single-handedly bringing up their orphaned grandchildren.

daphnedill Mon 19-Dec-16 16:21:04

Peter Bone knows all about having to fund care home fees...or, to be honest, he doesn't, because the council paid for his MiL's fees.

www.northantstelegraph.co.uk/news/wellingborough-mp-peter-bone-s-wife-settles-care-home-fees-dispute-with-county-council-1-6340466

Firecracker123 Mon 19-Dec-16 16:25:15

Over the top. More like top salaries for the charity chiefs, corruption.

Ana Mon 19-Dec-16 16:30:22

Not sure how that's relevant, daphnedill. The CPS decided there was no case to answer, the Bones had declared the sale of Mrs Bone's house to the Council and it all seems to have been a storm in a teacup started by an anonymous complaint.

Anya Mon 19-Dec-16 16:32:25

Diversion tactics - slam the charities rather than admit you don't give a fuck about people in third world countries.

daphnedill Mon 19-Dec-16 16:44:56

I didn't claim there was a case to answer. Just pointing out that Peter Bone knows funding is a problem. To be fair to them, they did settle anyway for an undisclosed amount.

Anyway, I have an idea. From 1 Aug 2015 - 31 July 2016, MPs claimed a total of £22,007,346.18 in expenses. Maybe they could forego some of their expenses and 'adopt' a few grannies.

daphnedill Mon 19-Dec-16 16:47:42

Go, Anya! Don't mince your words! I agree with you btw.

In any case, foreign aid is spent on currying favour, in the hope that third world countries might continue to have some respect for the UK by exporting 'British values'.

Anya Mon 19-Dec-16 17:22:41

I don't give a tinker's fart about exporting value, I just remember that I had the happy chance to be born in a country where my children had a fair chance of growing to adulthood.

daphnedill Mon 19-Dec-16 19:08:50

Me too. We certainly drew a winning ticket in the lottery of life. I certainly feel we can afford a few crumbs.

Firecracker123 Tue 20-Dec-16 10:22:03

That's the trouble with some posters on here can't stand other posters having a different view to them. In real life majority of people would agree with me. Also NHS 30million treatment given to people not entitled to free treatment. Only a drop in the ocean, but still not right. No need to swear to get your point over, but perhaps that how some of you talk in real life. I am sure more people with different views would post on the political threads if they were not ganged up on and talked down to all the time by a few posters who think their views and only their views are the right ones.

Jane10 Tue 20-Dec-16 10:59:44

You really can't assume that most people would agree with you firecracker. All you can really say is people that you know might agree with you to your face!!

Anya Tue 20-Dec-16 14:34:27

On GN I reserve my reasoned arguements for those who can follow them DD , people like yourself. I know we disagree on quite a few issues but as we're both articulate women we can discuss rationally.

In RL the only time I swear is on the very rare occasion I come into contact with racists when in find it's the only language they understand.

In particular those who are too stupid to realise just how stupid they are.

paddyann Tue 20-Dec-16 15:11:08

well I dont swear EVER and it snot allowed in my home ..most folk are fine with that by the way.BUT.Ican understant how frustrated you feel ,I dont know how anyone would stand by while people suffer in much worse poverty ,in war zones ,with little or no food ,no clean water ,and struggle to get educated ...Poverty in this country ,as distessing as it is and it IS getting worse id caused in the main by bad government ,,austerity is not a necessity its a political ideology to keep the herd down while the rich get richer .There ALWAYS money for bombs ,massive amounts of money and for Trident and for the latest round of pay rises for those in Parliament WHY cant some of you see where the problem really lies .Its not the foreign aid or the supposed health tourism!

Anya Tue 20-Dec-16 15:34:53

I wouldn't swear at you Paddyann and in fact my family would be astounded to hear me swear.

What's this with 'snot' though?? tchconfused

Jalima Tue 20-Dec-16 15:43:20

Lyndie brought up a good point about profits to be made out of caring for the elderly.

I know that nursing care is very expensive and special training is needed for dementia care but why do some retirement homes (not nursing homes) cost so much? How can good hotels provide better food, better accommodation and still make a profit at a much lower cost than many care homes?
I realise that more staff are needed but they are often on basic pay and run off their feet.

I know that private patients often subsidise LA funded residents; however, the care home staff are not well paid yet some care home owners manage to become quite wealthy.

It is a question which I think needs investigation.

Anya Tue 20-Dec-16 15:48:06

Indeed.

Jalima Tue 20-Dec-16 15:54:11

www.carehomeprofessional.com/care-home-millionaires-worth-almost-half-a-billion-pounds-on-sunday-times-rich-list/

Duncan Bannatyne in 2007:
I eventually sold my remaining shares in Quality Care Homes for around £30m, treated myself to a £3m villa in the South of France, and reinvested much of it into my new venture, Bannatyne Fitness Ltd.

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/11410003/Care-home-evacuated-in-the-night-had-mould-growing-on-the-walls.html
The commission laid the blame for the failure at Merok Park at the door of its multi-millionaire owners, Soondressen and Maleenee Cooppen.

www.bristolpost.co.uk/care-village-run-bristol-businessman-shrien/story-25455371-detail/story.html
Owned by the 'wealthy' Dewani family

I am not saying that owners should not make reasonable profits - but there seems to be an absolute fortune to be made out of 'caring for the elderly'.

Jalima Tue 20-Dec-16 15:56:31

You can see that I have already started grin

One of my young relatives, a very caring person, is deputy matron in a care home and the owner was trying to introduce dementia patients without giving the staff the proper training until the few qualified nursing staff objected.

chrispalmer Mon 31-Jul-17 07:24:33

Care and support services in England have never been free. Most people have to pay something towards their own care and some will have to pay for all of the costs.

Your local authority (council) may cover some or all of the cost of care in some circumstances, but its help is "means-tested". This means that who pays depends on what your needs are, how much money you have, and what level and type of care and support you require.

For most people needing social care services, the first place to start is by asking your local authority for an assessment of your social care (care and support) needs. Read More: - www.nhs.uk/Conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/Pages/funding-care.aspx