Nursing Home Fees

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Discussion

MHB

Original Poster:

431 posts

245 months

Wednesday 18th March 2020
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I’m after a bit of feedback from any of those who’ve been through the challenging process of having an elderly parent move into a nursing home. My father is in need of nursing care due to severe CPOD (particularly concerning in the current climate!) - but have no idea of what is reasonable for weekly costs. Obviously you can’t put a price on proper care for a loved one - but the companies make it very difficult to get any visibility of costs before you almost commit, and as this is self funded want to ensure that we’re getting reasonable value to ensure that care can be provided for as long as possible.

Can any of you give any indication of current costs that you’re dealing with?

TR4man

5,320 posts

181 months

Wednesday 18th March 2020
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I think it depends upon where you are in the country.

Here in the north west, my mum (before she died last December) was paying £36k a year. On top of that, there were the “extras” such as hairdos, manicures, toiletries, trips out etc which came to another £150 per month.

She was self funding apart from her Attendance Allowance which was some £80 odd per week. We didn’t begrudge the cost. Mum and dad worked hard which meant she had the last five years of her life in what was effectively a country house hotel for old people. She was very happy there which meant a lot to us.

Edited by TR4man on Wednesday 18th March 21:07

TypeR

1,146 posts

246 months

Wednesday 18th March 2020
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My 90 yo Mum is in a home in Beaconsfield, South Bucks, basic fees are £4,900 month. That's fairly average for this part of the world.

MHB

Original Poster:

431 posts

245 months

Wednesday 18th March 2020
quotequote all
TR4man said:
I think it depends upon where you are in the country.

Here in the north west, my mum (before she died last December) was paying £36k a year. On top of that, there were the “extras” such as hairdos, manicures, toiletries, trips out etc which came to another £150 per month.

She was self funding apart from her Attendance Allowance which was some £80 odd per week. We didn’t begrudge the cost. Mum and dad worked hard which meant she had the last five years of her life in what was effectively a country house hotel for old people. She was very happy there which meant a lot to us.

Edited by TR4man on Wednesday 18th March 21:07
Many thanks for the response - this is in Basingstoke and have been quoted £1,285/wk which includes nursing care, but there will be ‘extras’ on top. I just don’t know if this is reasonable and dad wants to try and pass on as much as he can to his grandchildren, but it’s difficult when you’re looking at care for a relative.

evoivboy

952 posts

153 months

Wednesday 18th March 2020
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My mum was in a care home for 6 months before she passed away, didn't cost us a penny, she owned her house outright, and had £40k in savings, it depends on your local authority

SeeFive

8,280 posts

240 months

Wednesday 18th March 2020
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Brother’s mother in law. £1300 a week plus. Caterham, Surrey - same kind of rate in Horley Surrey. As usual, nails and haircuts were out of an additional prepaid allowance to the home.

Rates are condition dependent in many cases, conditions in this case were dementia and later on dementia and stroke.

Glosphil

4,504 posts

241 months

Wednesday 18th March 2020
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Gloucestershire.
Care home - £3K/month
Nursing home - from £4K/month

steveatesh

5,036 posts

171 months

Thursday 19th March 2020
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North east of England
My mam died September 2018 and her monthly fee was at the time £2800. The only extra was a hair do when she wanted it at £7 a time. The home is really nice and she has a large room overlooking the seaside and pier. It was a nursing home rather than just a care home.

I checked around before signing her up for it, she was self funding too . It was worth every penny.

dabofoppo

686 posts

178 months

Thursday 19th March 2020
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South west scotland here and fees are anything from 700-2000pw although dont go on what fees are look at the staff are they miserable? If they are avoid like the plague because that misery will be passed onto your relatives.

Ruskie

4,055 posts

207 months

Thursday 19th March 2020
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In my experience, having visited hundreds over the years, money doesn’t necessarily relate to quality of care. Word of mouth and/or personal experience are worth looking for to give you peace of mind.

MHB

Original Poster:

431 posts

245 months

Thursday 19th March 2020
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The nursing home in question seems to be at the top end of the cost scale, but has personal recommendation from two people with relatives there - so that seems to be the most important thing.

Many thanks for the replies, it’s greatly appreciated.


Mr Tidy

24,363 posts

134 months

Friday 20th March 2020
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My Mother had to move into a care home last July in Sutton, and it currently costs just under £3,300 a month - but then it is run by a registered charity rather than any sort of profit-seeking organisation.

Other costs are around £100 a month for daily papers, weekly hair-dos, podiatrist visits, etc.

We're very happy with the level of care she receives, which is what really matters.


otherman

2,208 posts

172 months

Friday 20th March 2020
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Lot's of examples here, and all alike - you can get good care but it costs. And if you own a house you spent your life working for, why would you not use it for good care when you need it.

I've told my kids, whatever is left, you'll get it. How much I'm going to spend, I can't tell you yet.

Pantechnicon

1,248 posts

213 months

Friday 20th March 2020
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Up until Recently when mum passed away for the past 4 years it was costing £3600 pcm + extras
A lot of money to self fund but she was 95 and she and my late father had earned it, I feel for you as during those last 4 years the home had been locked down on a couple of occasions due to norovirus and it was hell not be able to see her. In a way it’s a blessing she’s gone as I’d be worried sick now I wish you all the best.
The care home is in Romford and has many outstanding care awards.

Edited by Pantechnicon on Friday 20th March 00:47


Edited by Pantechnicon on Friday 20th March 00:48

oldaudi

1,409 posts

165 months

Thursday 26th March 2020
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Just been through this with two grandparents, my late Dads parents. £1050 a week each in South Gloucestershire. Spending over £8k a month which made their savings vanish pretty quickly.... both died last year and didn’t leave a great deal in their bank accounts afterwards. Due to their savings and owning their own home we had to pay for everything. Still trying to sell the house. We managed to get them into the same home but on different floors. My gran had no idea who my grandad was due to dementia and this made my grandad upset. So they spent over a year in there separated by a ceiling not seeing each other. Grandad passed first which was for the best because my Gran had no idea. He was cremated in the suit he put to one side for his wife’s funeral. My gran was first alone in another home but they really didn’t look after her. We would visit and they had mot got her dressed for the day or she was just slumped over in a chair with no one looking after her. That was £700 a week. The one we moved her to looked after her so well. Washed her hair, combed it, clean clothes every day and wonderful staff. It’s expensive but it’s their money and I wanted the best for them. I would read reviews and you should be able to organise a visit to some once this virus has gone.

I wish your family well in the years ahead.



Edited by oldaudi on Thursday 26th March 21:35

geeman237

1,282 posts

192 months

Friday 27th March 2020
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My mum went into a dementia care home late 2018 in Cornwall. Its costing about 1090 GBP per week plus sundries like hair care etc. As others have said, location plays a factor in cost, but also the level of care needed.

We had to sell mum's house last year as she was deemed self funding with assets over around 25,000 GBP, and that accounted for the value of her home. I think the 25k figure is a government agreed figure. When her funds/assets get to the 25k threshold, then the local authority start paying and they might transfer her to a cheaper care home.

I think in Wales that threshold is higher and 40-45k.


Steve H

5,786 posts

202 months

Friday 27th March 2020
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£12-1300 pw here in Staffordshire.

Mr Tidy

24,363 posts

134 months

Saturday 28th March 2020
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geeman237 said:
My mum went into a dementia care home late 2018 in Cornwall. Its costing about 1090 GBP per week plus sundries like hair care etc. As others have said, location plays a factor in cost, but also the level of care needed.

We had to sell mum's house last year as she was deemed self funding with assets over around 25,000 GBP, and that accounted for the value of her home. I think the 25k figure is a government agreed figure. When her funds/assets get to the 25k threshold, then the local authority start paying and they might transfer her to a cheaper care home.

I think in Wales that threshold is higher and 40-45k.
I think in England the figure is £23,750, but we're a bit stuffed just now as her savings have all gone so she can no longer fund the full care home fees.

They gave us a partial deferment for 3 months and we have a committed buyer for her flat, but given Covid-19 the sale may take a while and the deferment only runs until the end of May.

We couldn't do anything for Mother's Day, my sister's birthday is April 1st, Mum's is the 2nd and her great grand-daughter will be 4 on the 7th.

I'm totally in favour of the lockdown measures, but it does seem sad that Mum is probably wondering why I haven't visited for over 2 weeks because she won't understand what is going on, and at 98 she may not have another birthday.

Sad times. frown





oldaudi

1,409 posts

165 months

Saturday 28th March 2020
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Is there anything you can do with technology? My grandparents care home often had lock downs for a few weeks due to a sickness bug. They had an Old tablet with Skype and we could call the Skype address and they’d put you on a table so my grandad could see my face and hear me. At the age he was he thought it was some sort of witchcraft but a familiar face might help you through this lockdown.

Mexican cuties

729 posts

129 months

Tuesday 31st March 2020
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we had the same, home locked down, so care home sent a couple of pictures over for us, feel the same, mil in her mid eighties, with dementia, - another auntie in eastbourne similar age, terrified we may not see them again, but care home and the aunties neighbours have been brilliant and we know its for the best. still hard though. for dementia home in bucks ours has just gone to £4600 a month. we would say definitely visit some,if atall possible BUT of course now i would imagine that would be very hard to do if not impossible. we changed our mind very quickly when we walked into a couple, shes in a smaller run one more intimate and staff are very good especially with whats going on at the moment. good luck