Local care/nursing home recommendations

[Mrs R]

Hi, sadly my elderly mum has reached a point where we can no longer care for her at home. Mum has dementia and Parkinsons and needs help with most things now. We live in East Dulwich and would love to know if there are any recommendations? Mums in hospital at the moment and we are waiting for the meeting with a social worker but I?m using this time to investigate homes.

Thanks so much.

[Pugwash]

Depends on whether your mother is assessed as needing a care home or a care home with nursing. The social worker will advise you as to the recommendation and undertake an assessment of need, also you will need to complete a financial assessment of your mother's income and savings and any property owned.

In Southwark you have Anchor Care Homes (4)plus The Elms in Barry Road. You are looking at fees around ?650 - ?850 for residential care but with nursing this could rise upto ?1000. There is a general shortage nationwide of both types of care homes and you may wish, depending on finances, as to whether to employ a live in carer.

[Mrs R]

Many thanks. Yes, we had the assessment meeting today and mum needs a nursing home with specialist dementia care. So, still looking for recommendations and happy to share what I find on our journey too. Thanks

[joskat]

There is Hall Grange which is near Shirley in Croydon. I don't know much about it except its recently been refurbished. It takes about 30mins to drive there from East Dulwich.

[terrig]

I highly recommend the Elms. My mother was there 5 years until she died a year ago. She had dementia and bad mobility. The care and attention was wonderful, great food and a very happy and kind atmosphere. Can?t fault it. Do PM me if you want more detail.

[Mrs R]

Many thanks, all. Very helpful.

[Pugwash]

The Elms is brilliant as I had a relative there many years ago and also have a friend living there. If Mum has been diagnosed as needing a nursing home with specialist nursing care - the Elms is a care/residential home. The nursing side of your mother's care maybe beyond the care that The Elms staff can provide as staff are not qualified nurses. District nurses are usually brought in to deal with injections and other procedures.

I would take a copy of your Mum's assessment of need and look at the Elms, they would be able to advise you as to whether they can care for your mother. They deal with many residents with dementia who either developed this whilst in the home or were placed with dementia.

They are in great demand as one of the best homes in the area - very friendly and helpful staff and fantastic food.

[Pugwash]

Uplands Care Home with Nursing is also very good - a friend has had 3 elderly relations being cared for there. I have visited there in the past and found it clean, staff appeared caring and residents appear to be well supported.

The lady I had to visit had Parkinson's related dementia and needed a pureed diet.

[Pugwash]

I am afraid that it is getting harder to find care/nursing homes in London and the SE in general. If person is eligible for financial assistance from social services - they will not pay for the full weekly cost of the home. It is very complicated to explain but say your mother is financially assessed to contribute ?150 pw (made up of state and occupational pension)If the local authority ceiling for all care homes is ?550 pw which means ?400 from LA and ?150 from mum. However if care home charges ?850 pw the breakdown would be ?400 LA ?150 mother, the remaining ?300 would need to be a Third Party contribution either from family members or a charity.

From experience I have in the past contacted around 40 homes between Kent and Sussex on behalf of a family for their mother - the majority of them taking residents with dementia were full, those who had vacancies were in the ?1000 pw range and other would not take anyone being financially supported by social services. With many care home residents dying from covid, the vacancy situation may be better but costs may have increased due to extra finances being spent on PPE.

Since the original post was earlier in the year - I assume that the situation has been solved.

[niledynodely]

Greenhive in Nunhead is lovely and excellent.

[Pugwash]

Greenhive has been consistently good for many years - one of Anchor's homes

[amlh]

Does anyone know about Evans House on Underhill Road? I'm looking for my dad who is lively but forgetful, mainly mobile and just not quite capable of feeding himself properly, or laundry or his medications etc. I would love any advice anyone has about local options for care homes or assisted living places.

Thanks!

[Cora]

It's listed as 'good' by the Care Quality Commission.

https://www.cqc.org.uk/location/1-4921667830/contact

[Pugwash]

Please see my reply to your post under Businesses etc