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Admission to a Care Home
Admitting an elderly or ageing person into a care home, especially for the first time, is an important step for them to enjoy their retirement. It is essential to ensure that all the important details have been taken care of, including a close examination of the home, the contract, and the arrangement for paying for the elderly person's stay.
> Choosing a Care Home
Elderly people have the right to choose their retirement home, and no one can tell the person where to live. They have the right to move into any home as long as it has the space available, is suitable for their needs, that the home has a contractual relationship with the local authority, and that the costs associated with the home are within local council standards for payment.
There are many questions that an elderly person should ask when choosing their care home, from where the building is located, the types of services it offers, and the different care options available. Most importantly, the financial arrangements must be clear for the elderly person – make sure that the contract is read and agreed to.
> Arranging payment for home care fees
When a Local Council arranges for the stay of an elderly person in a care home, it is responsible for paying the agreed fee to the provider. Payment arrangements must be made between the elderly person and the Local Council, and may mean that the Local Council pays in full the fee and then collects the assessed fee from the elderly person, or that the elderly person and the Local Council each pay their portion to the care home. The choice should be left up to the elderly person.
When the elderly person's home care is covered by the NHS through continuing healthcare, it is important for that person to have the option considered by the Local Council when it establishes their needs.
It is also important that, when being admitted to a care home, all costs that are to be covered by the NHS and Local Councils should not be part of the payment fee. Above all, the elderly person must read the contract, terms and conditions or the detailed description of their stay before agreeing to a payment structure.
