Caring for an Elderly Relative

Looking after an older relative can be a fun, interesting and rewarding experience. However, it can also create emotional, practical and financial challenges. If you have chosen to care for an elderly relative, then it is important to know what support and assistance is available to you. This can help you to provide the best care for that person.

Getting a Support Needs Assessment

An elderly or vulnerable adult may request a care and support needs assessment from their local authority. This is carried out by the adult social services department. The assessment will help to identify the needs of the individual and consider how these needs can be met. If the person is eligible, the local authority may be able to help to provide some of the support that is required. Following a care and support needs assessment, the authority must provide the subject with a copy of the final assessment.

Although the suggestions which are provided may help people to care for their elderly relative at home, it is possible that the assessment may recommend care be provided in a care home. Unless there is a severe risk to life, the local authority will not force you to put your relative into a home without their consent.

  • More in-depth information on a care and support needs assessment can be found on this page of the NHS website.

Getting a Carer’s Assessment

According to the Care Act of 2014, any carer who wants or needs additional support to provide care may request a carer’s assessment from their local authority. During the assessment, the carer will have the opportunity to have a detailed discussion with a trained professional from the authority. The assessment will cover the support that may be available to help with care and how the caring role may affect the carer’s work and family life. It is important to be honest during the assessment, or else you may end up receiving inadequate support.

As part of the assessment, the professionals who are involved may help you to draw up a support plan. This plan will help you to manage the support that you provide and will help to reduce the impact of becoming a carer. The support which is provided by the authority can be as varied as help with your housework or tools to make it easier for you to keep in touch with your friends. You should also be given advice on support that is available from third parties.

  • Further information on a carer’s assessment can be read on the NHS website.

The benefits of caring in your own home

Caring for a relative in your own home can be beneficial to both parties. Many people who need care are still able to provide useful skills to you. An older relative may still be able to help you with childcare or some household chores. Having an extra pair of eyes around the home can be particularly valuable if you spend all day out at work. Older people will also enjoy the opportunity to bond with all members of the household. They may also help to contribute towards the household bills. This can be useful for people who need a little bit more financial support to help them to run their home.

How caring can affect Social Benefits

Moving in with an older person or having that person move in with you may have an effect on any financial benefits that you receive. If you have been given a single person deduction, the presence of another adult can take your council tax fees back up to the full value. The presence of another adult may also affect any housing benefit that your receive. Always speak to your local authority about the change of circumstances, so that they can recalculate your benefits accordingly. Failing to notify the authority of a change of circumstances may be classified as benefits fraud. On the other hand, you may also be entitled to a carer’s allowance for the work that you are doing for your relative. It is important to consider these implications, even though you will have plenty of other things on your mind.

Local support groups and carer’s breaks

There are thousands of local groups around the country which aim to provide friendship networks and advice for local carers. These resources are invaluable, because they are run and populated by people who are in a similar position. They often run social events and outings which can help to reduce the sense of isolation which is felt by some home carers.

There are also a number of national charities which work to provide carers with short breaks. As well as providing some funds for the holiday, these charities also work to provide suitable respite care for the elderly person. It is recommended that carer’s take advantage of these offers, because part time and full time care can be emotionally and physically draining. A small break away from caring can help to improve the mental health of the carer.

Negligence in Care Homes and Nursing Homes

Older people go into care homes or nursing homes so that they can feel safer as they age. It may not be possible for them to continue living independently as their medical needs change, or if they require additional care. Moving an elderly relative into a care home can be a difficult decision for many families, but it is normally the right choice.

Care home and nursing home providers have a duty of care towards their residents to ensure that they are made to feel safe and comfortable in their surroundings. Sadly, some care homes fail in their duty of care and residents may suffer from neglect. This can result in serious injuries or even deaths. In these cases, residents or their families may be able to make a claim for compensation. Raising a compensation claim against a care home or nursing home can also help to improve care home standards to help to protect other residents in the future.

Examples of Care Home negligence cases

Care home negligence can actually take on many different forms. Each individual in a care home has unique needs, and failing to meet these needs can have serious consequences for patients. If staff members lack adequate training or resources, then they may fail to provide an appropriate level of care to individual residents. This can leave them at risk of harm to their physical and mental health. They may also be deprived of their dignity.

Previous incidents which have led to care home negligence cases in the UK have included examples such as;

  • dispensing the wrong medication to patients,
  • allowing patients to become dehydrated,
  • patients developing pressure sores (bed sores)
  • lack of safety facilities to reduce accident risk,
  • lack of supervision causing serious accidents.

Cases of physical and emotional abuse may also be brought in care homes. Whilst these are usually raised as criminal cases against individuals, it may also be possible to raise a civil negligence case against the company too. In these cases, the company must bear some responsibility for the conduct of the staff which they are employing.

Possible signs of Care Home negligence

If you are worried about the standard of care that an elderly relative is receiving in a care home, then you should remain vigilant for certain signs which could point towards negligence. In isolation, many of these signs can have innocent explanations and they do not always point towards neglect or negligence. You may notice such signs as;

  • Residents becoming withdrawn or showing a significant change in personality.
  • Personal hygiene Issues, such as a strong smell of urine or dirty clothes.
  • Signs of accidental injury; such as cuts, grazes, bruises or burns.
  • Failures with the call bell or lifeline system.
  • Access issues. (These may involve issues of gaining access to visit family members in care homes, or issues where security is too lax.
  • Failures in security can put residents at risk.If a relative seems to be particular scared or anxious around specific staff members.

Making a claim for compensation

If you have been mistreated or neglected whilst in a care home or nursing home, you may want to consider making a claim for compensation. It is also possible for family members to make a claim on behalf of a loved one. Many claims management services and compensation solicitors are happy to arrange a free consultation session for those who are considering making a case. If the specialist believes that there is a valid case, they will advise you about how much compensation you may be eligible for and how they expect the case to progress. In most cases, they will start to gather evidence to help you to prove your claim. Evidence can include medical records, financial records, eyewitness reports from other residents and staff, social service documents, and other records relating to your stay (or your loved one’s stay) in the care facility.

The defendant will be notified that a claim is being made against them. A resident can continue to live in a care facility that they are making a claim against. The facility must not treat a resident negatively because of a claim which is being made or which has been made. However, private facilities can refuse to house people if they believe that they are a vexatious litigant.

In some cases, the care facility will agree with the claim and they may agree to offer the full compensation amount straight away. On the other hand, they may agree to pay some compensation but counteroffer with a reduced amount. Your solicitor should be able to advise and negotiate on your behalf. Some cases may go to court if a final fee cannot be agreed on. It is possible to lose court cases and you may be held responsible for the fees of the defendant.