The Hunt for a care home has started!

Thursday 24^th June 2010

Spoke to Michael and Daph about the phone calls they received from Social Services on Wednesday 23th (we were away camping for the night)

Sharon Hale had phoned and said that mum had been passed by the board for finances for a Care home and also for Respite at West View for 2 weeks from 19^th July but she cannot go there permanently as they only have 3 places and there are 8 already on the waiting list, she advised us that they had a place coming up soon at Hartley House but a top up payment of £43.79 per week has to be paid by the family, the government only pay £431.00 towards the care home fees.

If mums goes into Hartley House, Sharon doesn't advise mum goes into West View for respite as it would confuse her going into two different places.

If we cannot afford the top up fees there are two care homes that do not have top up fees and they are The Hollies, Southborough and The Priory, Pembury she said that she would look in Sussex for any others.

Phoned and text Michael, he said that he could pay the lions share of the top up fee but not all of it!! he said that we should go and have a look at Hartley House.

Friday 25^th June

Text Michael and asked him if he has spoken to Teresa about the top up fees for care homes and also asked about when we were going to look around Hartley House, he text back to say that he had and we were going on Monday.

Went over to see mum in the afternoon I asked her if she would like a bath as it was so hot, she was really pleased that I had asked her, we brought her back here with us for lunch, (I phoned the carer and cancelled the lunchtime one) she enjoyed sitting in the garden and chatting, she said to me I have so much trouble up here, tapping her head, but she said that she liked sitting here with me..

When we took her home the engineer was there checking her boiler, a day early, good job that D was there!!!

Saturday 26^th June

Town and Country carers phoned to say that the lunch time carer couldn't get into mums house, she had tried both doors, it seemed like there was a key stuck on the other side of the lock, I tried to phoned mum but no reply. I remembered that Michael was taking her out so I phoned and spoke to Linda and she said that mum was with them. I explained to her about the carer not knowing that she would be out and she said that Michael had phoned the carers several times and no one had answered it only had an answer phone with the emergency number, I told her that he should have phone that and told them that mum would be with them.

Linda told me that he had left a note on the table. The trouble was the carer couldn't get in to see the note!!! I told her that in future the carer must be cancelled the day before as they need to know where mum is in case of accidents. I asked her if she could ask Michael if she would be back for the evening carer and she said that mum would be back by then, I asked if Michael could take a look at mums lock and sort out the key.

I phoned the carers and told them where mum was and that she would be back for the evening carer.

Phoned D and explained to her what had happened in case she got a call from the carers.

Michael phoned and apologised about not letting the carers know he said that he hadn't listened to the message on the answer phone properly. I explained that it was important for the carers to know where mum is as there may have been an accident or something else. We decided that it would be best to cancel the Saturday lunchtime carer and he said that he would do that.

I asked him about going to look around Hartley House and he said it would be Monday about 2ish

Monday 28^th June

Went to mums today instead of going tomorrow as I have a hospital appointment (I have arranged for a carer to come in the morning) the carer was there when we go there, mum was very confused and muddly she didn't seem to be able to put two words together that made any sense, I helped her have a bath and did some bits and pieces for her.

John did some weeding in the front garden while mum and I walked up to the supermarket. We got her some shopping. It was very hot and she said that her legs hurt, we got some strawberries which we had with ice cream when we got back.

We left her with her lunch and a glass of watered down wine..

Michael and Teresa picked me up at 2.30pm, we went and had a look around Hartley House. When we got there they told us that there wasn't any spaces at present only a possible, as they had a lady in hospital, but mum was not even on their list . We were led to believe by Social Services that they had got mum a place there!!! They took mums details and confirmed that she was now on their waiting list.

It is quite a nice place, rooms are smaller than the ones at West View but the staff seem nice and were caring, there was lots of space to wander around and a nice little garden, we got an info pack about the home.

Michael and Teresa told me that they would cover and top up fees that are needed at any care home.

Michael was going to phone Sharon Hale at Social Services to ask her advice on when to tell mum about the care home and also when a place come up how long would it be held open for, if we say no at that time would mums name be put at the bottom of the list or be taken of the list altogether.