Local care home for the elderly??

[Marmattee]

Hello...I was wondering if anyone can recommend a good care home for my elderly mother in law. She has lived with us for 5 years but her needs are now so great that we feel she requires more specialist and 24 hour care. We would like somewhere as close to us in East Dulwich as possible so that all the family can visit daily. Needless to say the quality of care is paramount. I really would welcome thoughts from those of you who may have personal and professional experience of the local care homes.

Many thanks

[beansprout]

I can recommend The Elms in Barry Road - the staff are fantastic - caring, respectful, inter grate with the residents. You can book an appointment to view - best to start now on your search since I know that the majority of them have a waiting list.

[Marmattee]

Thanks beansprout! Will include this one on our list for a formal visit. I happened to pop in there yesterday to pick up a brochure and staff were lovely.

[Pugwash]

I assume that either your mother or your family will be paying the fees for a care home?. If Mum is a 'self funder' she is still entitled to her Attendance Allowance (which I am thinking she may already receive) I am not sure whether the Abbeyfield Care Home is still up Sydenham Hill, otherwise there is Castlebar which is predominantly a nursing home.

There is a care home shortage in SE England and most homes have long waiting lists. Could you mother's needs be met in an Extra Care Sheltered Housing where she has her own flat but carers are on site?

The Elms has always been a very good home, an aunt of mine was there for 2/3 year until her death and I have recommended many people to consider.

[Marmattee]

Thanks Pugwash...we haven't got to grips with the finance side but she will certainly be paying part of it but we need to speak to social care to get more detail about how it works.

Will check out Abbeyfield and Castlebar.

Think this process might take some time but rather do it slowly and get somewhere that suits her.

[JulieP]

Agree with the others that the Elms is the only residential care home in ED and seems to be very well liked by residents and their families.

Hill House (the Abbeyfield home in Sydenham) has now closed. Castlebar is still open and has nursing and residential places.

There is also Greenhive in Peckham/Nunhead which is a residential care home (and another home from the same company on Sumner road in Peckham).

As Pugwash says, there is a shortage of care home places in SE London so if nursing care is also required, this reduces the options available. There are three nursing homes in Southwark borough (Burgess Park in Camberwell, Tower Bridge (on Tower Bridge Road) and Queens Oak in Peckham).

Lew Evans house (SE22) provides extra sheltered accommodation but this is not 24 hour care in the sense of a residential home.

If you get in touch with social service, they should be able to help determine the level of care required.

[Pugwash]

If your mother is not going to be a self funder, you will need to request an assessment of need from social services. If that assessment shows that your mother is eligible to be placed in a care home/nursing home they will run through the financial situation with you. Your mother will need to be financially assessed re her income, savings and any property ownership.

It may be that the assessment shows that your mother can remain at home with you with the provision of carers - this option will be considered first and unless very exceptional circumstances (i.e.CVA/stroke which leaves person with significant needs) local authorities will always trial care at home in the first instance - usually going as much as 4 times daily carers/day centres etc.

Most care homes/nursing homes are very expensive and local authorities will only pay up to a certain level of fees and a third party top up will be required by family.

Queens Oak, although in Peckham, is block purchased by Lambeth Social Services and Southwark residents cannot apply for placement there.

Lew Evans and Lime Tree House in Nunhead are both extra sheltered housing with a dedicated team of carers based on the premises 24 hours a day although residents are in their own flats - the carers deal with all personal care including toileting, meal preparation, medications and domestic care. A new Extra Sheltered Housing is opening up in Cator Street Peckham in the next few weeks.

With the national shortage of all forms of care and nursing homes- fees are rising - but local authorities income from government is reducing each year and all LAs now have a strict ceiling of placement fees.

From recent experience - care home fees stem from around ?700 plus a week upwards, with nursing home fees starting around ?800 pw and reaching around ?1800 pw. From experience - 37 homes were contacted between Southwark and Hastings

(family living in London, kent and Sussex) for an elderly lady with dementia recently, those who had vacancies wanted in excess of ?1200 pw and others refused to take any that required funding from local authorities.

Age UK have very good leaflets relating to care homes and care at home and explain how the finances work - you can read them on line or download them. I am afraid that placements now in care homes are usually the last resort when all other care options have been exhausted.

The Elms, being a Baptist home, when my aunt went there. required that the proposed resident had a church connection and required a 'reference' from the minister or someone senior in the Church. My aunt attended Christ Church so was acceptable in terms of her 'religious connections' not sure if The Elms still require this

[terrig]

I would wholeheartedly recommend the Elms. My mum has been there since November 2013 and has been wonderfully cared for in all aspects. She is self funded. For me, having her around the corner so that we can pop in, and if she's asleep, pop back later or the next day is a huge benefit. Think of yourself as well. The environment there enables you to be as involved as you want to be or have time to be, personal and warm. Do PM me if you would like a chat about the Elms. Good luck! Teresa

[Cora]

Probably too late for what you are looking for but may help with interim support, I have just had a leaflet through my door about myhometouch.com which looks a great way to get a local, vetted carer.

I don't need these services yet but found it reassuring to see a website/company like this developing. It looks very professional and makes it easier to match carers with a families needs.