Shortage of States-rate long-term care leaving the elderly in limbo

My parent, through no fault of their own, has LBD, which is a horrible illness; if you want to know more, it is the illness the late Robin Williams had. My parent has had to leave an extra care facility, as their need is greater, and has been in the assessment unit now for a few months (the care there is outstanding), but it is not home.

My parent does not own property and does not have any savings to speak of; a pension, yes. The social benefits system is helpful and try their best, however, now the majority of care homes have an extra top-up to pay on top of benefits and pension, some over £200 a week to be found; this is so impossible. This is because they are private rooms and all States rooms are taken. Social say they can offer no extra, so we are stuck with my parent now in limbo.

Every time I visit, my parent asks, ‘Have you good news today?’ It’s so, so sad to say, ‘Not yet, soon, I hope.’

It is not a situation where my parent can live with me; we did this for over 13 years and it came a time where it was impossible because of access and care needs.

My parent is local, worked all their life, never asked for anything, and now this is how it is because of a rubbish illness.

Do we just leave our elderly in assessment facilities? (Not knocking the facility, all the staff are exceptional, but it is not a home).

What do other people do?

Any information gratefully received.

NAME AND ADDRESS WITHHELD.

Editor’s footnote: an Employment & Social Security spokesperson replies:

We have a great deal of sympathy with the difficult situation that your correspondent and their parent is in. The availability of States-rate beds is one of several difficult issues that the States are trying to address through the review of long-term care funding.

We are fortunate to have a number of care homes who are able to provide high quality care to residents who have additional needs due to dementia.

The Long-Term Care Insurance Fund can pay £599.83 per week for someone in a residential home needing specialised dementia care. The resident is expected to contribute a minimum of £205.45 per week in addition. The so called ‘States-rate’ bed is the combination of those two amounts. Not all of our care homes are able to provide this specialist dementia care and precisely which care homes will be suitable will depend on the extent and nature of the resident’s additional care needs. Consequently, there is often a need to wait while a suitable bed becomes available, and more so for a States-rate bed to become available. Employment & Social Security are intending to report back on the review of long-term care funding to the States early next year.

For anyone with questions about care home provisions in Guernsey, information can be found at gov.gg/longtermcarebenefit or call 01481 756545.