Nursing home fees

I have thought about it a few times and to be honest have put off going into in more depth but really we should investigate it more,is there not an insurance/indemnity sort of thing that be taken out ? maybe I have the details mixed up with something else,not sure.

I think hmg did suggest something,but I don't think anything came of it. It sounded a bit of a dodgy scheme.

I know someone who sold up and booked in to a hotel long term, She is frail but not ill, her doctor was all in favour of her doing this.

newist that has crossed my mind. If I sold my house I would be able to afford some personal help whereas at present I pay for a cleaner, that dosh could go towards personal care as would the money saved from not driving.

Nursing homes in and around London are near £2000 a week and standards vary a lot. All of the staff appear to be on the minimum wage.

As far as I know, some of the hotel chains will do excellent deals for long term residents, even some washing, sent to their laundry. A doctor can still visit so can a nurse if ever needed, so I am led to believe

I have stayed in hotels in the south that had long stay residents, it was all rather Fawlty towers like.

I'm sure a younger (50ish single lady) live in companion would cost a lot less than some of the care homes charge and you could stay in familar surroundings,trouble would be finding someone who you can be compatable with.

I was on a cruise for several months and the resident doctor said it was cheaper than a nursing home with resident medical care. He gave us an article from the BMJ. I'll see if I can find it. One elderly couple were just dumped on the cruise and were so helpless and dependent on the stewards that the captain contacted the family and said they had to be collected from the ship or a family member had to come and look after them. The husband used to bring his wife to sit next to kindly people and just bugger off to another part of the ship. She couldn't be left on her own but he'd had enough ,eventually a daughter came on board and sat and read to her very loudly . There was enough space to find somewhere where they wouldn't be but it was very intrusive if they arrived after you had settled with your book.

My problem is disability which can only get worse.
Also I'm sure I'm demented, otherwise why am I talking to myself on an iPad ?

Galen - you demented - never! Slightly bonkers - maybe.

I propose we start a nursing home for Gransnetters but, thinking about it, wasn't that suggested before?

Yes, I think so kitty - and some Gransnetters' requests and demands were so OTT it would have cost a fortune!

When I was in a singles group years ago we used to joke about what fun it would be to have a geriatric commune in a few years time.

A home run by Gransnetters, all job applicants interviewed and approved by us. seriously though £1,000 to £2,000 a week would pay for qualified care in your own home.

Only slightly bonkers?
Must try harder

Bit like the 'Marigold Hotel' - I'm getting quite excited now!!

I shall book in for a start

With regard to long stay hotels, we stayed in one of those for our honeymoon. All we could afford. You had to fight your way past the parked zimmers by the front door.

The S.O.'s mum who has had a knee replacement recently and has an ulcerated leg has carers coming in twice a day and it costs about £170 a week. They stay for 3/4 hour each visit and were recommended by Age Concern. With a cleaner as well she's coping very well at home [although lives pretty much downstairs these days]. Maybe just having a big think about adapting your house more could work Galen? I sometimes think that living in a house we really love can be a poisoned chalice eventually; perhaps better to live somewhere horrid and then be happy to move on to somewhere more suitable. My son has the same problem with the little house he renovated; can't bear the thought of not living there although it wouldn't be cost effective to extend it.

I am fortunate to have a modern house with a straight staircase so I have a stairlift. Also recently I have had my front path, luckily a small one, raised so that I no longer need a mountain pole to help me get in the front doorstep.

My bath has gone and I have a walk in shower. When I replaced the loos 2-3 years ago I bought taller ones so no problem getting on and off. Slowly I am replacing bulbs with long life ones so that I do not have to negotiate a mini step ladder to change one.

To afford to pay £1000 a week I would have to sell my house and the money would not last that long so I am trying to sort out my house as a more cost effective option. My eyesight is not 100% which is another major problem but there is a way around most things.

When I get to the stage I cannot see to my own 'personal needs' I'll take a cocktail of whatever meds washed down with a stiff single malt.

I am inclined to agree Aka but I am not there yet. I want to make life as comfortable for me as possible now.

Never thought you were at that stage Charleygirl far from it I'd imagine x

We were talking about our house just this morning from this point of view. Neither of us can imagine a time when we would want to leave here as we have it just the way that suits us for the way we live now and with enough spare bedrooms and bathrooms that our children and their children can come and stay.

But, although we have two staircases, neither are particularly user friendly nor, I imagine, easy to fit a stair lift to, and both landings then have a series of small steps.

When DS1 had a stroke we had his bathroom made suitable for him but that entailed hiving off a chunk of a large double bedroom to make an accessible bathroom and a small double room. We have small gardens front and back and no grass to cut but the front drive is quite steep.

We are both hale and hearty at the moment so at this point we stuck our heads back in the sand and went out for breakfast!

Having seen the treatment of people in this home I stayed in who had dementia I think I'll join Aka