How can Family help with Financial Care

Helping hands: How can family help with financial care?

If you have made the difficult decision to move your parent or relative into a care home in order to give them the assistance they need, you may be worrying about the financial burden now resting on your shoulders. The cost of care has raised dramatically in recent years, with some care homes charging residents almost Ł30,000 a year. If your relative does not have viable savings that can be used to cover this cost, you may find yourself footing the bill.

What you can do:
One of the best ways you can ease the financial pressure is to apply for funding from your local authority. NHS Continuing Care is a funding option provided by the government for those that require long-term care, either at home or in a care home.

How does NHS Continuing Care work?
If your relative has a terminal illness or long-term medical condition they will be able to apply for funding, or you can do so on their behalf. The NHS will assess your relative's case and will make a ruling based on their current medical condition.

What happens if my relative is approved for NHS Continuing Care?
If your relative is approved for this service all healthcare costs will be free from then on. This can include payments made to your relative's care home, or payments to cover the cost of a live-in carer at their home. With NHS Continuing Care you don't need to worry about paying for your relative's care at all, as it will all be handled by the NHS.

What happens if my relative is not approved by NHS Continuing Care?
You may find that, based on your relative's current medical condition, they are no eligible for NHS Continuing Care. It may also be the case that your relative does not suffer from any medical issues that will entitle them to this service. If this is the case you should contact your local authority to find out whether they could be eligible for community care. This will provide them with support from local social services, for which a community care assessment will need to be carried out. If they are approved for this, you relative could receive assistance from a carer seven days a week, respite care to give you some free time if you are their sole carer, or funding towards essential items such as a stair lift within their home or a mobility scooter.
If your relative needs long-term care you don't necessarily have to be the one that ends up paying for it, as you could receive funding or assistance from the NHS or your local authority.

This article was provided by Aurora Johnson on behalf of Cheselden, a continuing care review specialist. Visit cheselden.co.uk now to find out more.