General Chat

Joan - We pay much about the same but I have to say that Mum's care home is very nice and she gets younger every time we see her. She is well cared for and for someone that weighs 7st dripping wet, she doesn't half give them what for if she thinks she's not getting her money's worth! LOL BUT - like you say, hair do's and chiropody is extra. It GRATES doesn't it - when there might be someone in the next room that is getting the same care 'for free'. Something has to be done. I agree that there are those who should have to pay for private care - they're probably the ones with more than one home to sell! and we will never find a way round the problem of those that squander money without a thought for providing for their old age but there has to be a solution and I think raising the level of savings to something less harsh could be the answer or perhaps taking half of the house's worth. I think I'll sell this house and buy a caravan. We've already lost best part of what my husband should have been expecting in the way of pension when he retires - so much for providing for yourself that way too - so they ain't getting our buddy house! LOL Mags xx

Elderly people who could not look after themselves and were not being looked after by family used to be looked after in hospitals.....the NHS was cradle to grave... I think it was the Tories but I could be wrong...changed all this with care in the community and the closure of hospitals. ..There was talk some weeks back that no law has been changed and that forcing people to sell there homes to pay for this care could be illegal... It has been made free in Scotland but I understand that it is more expensive yhan they expected......but with no hospitals or alternative the owners of these homes can charge whatever they like and the government will pick up the tab

Teresa, many people in this world work unbelieveably hard for their money, and NEVER have a penny to save. The 'poor' aged pensioner is not necessarily the one who spent all their money on Fags Booze and Bingo. Some people just do not earn much in their lives. Taxes should be used to help the needy. That is the only criterion. Deanna X PS. If we had a home to sell, we would be only too happy to sell it to pay for our care. My children all have their own houses, they don't need ours.

Hi Mags !! Thanks !! My Dad fought for this country, he put his life on the line so we can all come on here & freely moan about serious stuff like this & some real pettiness that quite frankly makes me wonder how anyone can whinge about, it's so meaningless !! He still pays tax, like I said, he pays for his medical care as far as I'm concerned as all his pensions plus a big chunk of what's left from the sale of his little house goes to line the pockets of some bloke driving a big car & having 6 holidays a year. Why can't he have subsidised care even ? What does he get that's better than the free peeps in his Home ?? Nothing. His room is just as shoddy, he gets the same care, a bog standard room, bog standard meals, he has to pay on top (Of £700 a week remember!) for his haircuts, chiropody & all his toiletries !!!! Should he not get a better room, redecorated regularly; treats etc included ?? I think he should. I wish we could put him in a 4 star Hotel, I'm sure it would be cheaper, but they may not like him hitting them !!! :0(( Joan

Thats a good example Mags. My parents scrimped and saved during the war in particular. i was determined that I would do it differently. Was I right - who knows/ Happy days

My mother in law has been in a care home for four years now. At the time when she went into residential care, she needed constant care and was very frail. She had been in hospital and there was no way that she could cope at the home her and Dad bought when they were first married. She has come on leaps and bounds and in that respect, it was probably the best thing we could have done. However, it COSTS! We don’t begrudge her it, of course we don’t but it upsets HER! During the war, when Dad was in the army she struggled to pay the mortgage, determined that she would ‘owe no-one’ by opting for the mortgage break available for servicemen at the time. They were never very well off. No exotic holidays or flash cars for them. When Dad retired, he had his old age pension. No works pension to fall back on financially. We had the devil’s own game to get them to apply for Income Support; which they did in the end and they received a very small sum in benefit but at least it meant that they could claim relief on other things. When the decision was made that Mum should go into residential care, she had no savings to speak of, nothing to sell to offset against the fees, her house was ALL she had! Throughout their years of paying tax and National Insurance, they never claimed a bean until that princely sum in Income Support after Dad retired. It upsets her so much now realising that the house that they scrimped and scraped to afford has had to be sold to pay for her care. That money, according to her, was for ‘her boys’. Yes, they could have rented a council house instead of buying but such was their income that the taxpayer would have ended up subsidising their rent for thirty years! (Mum is now 93). I think Joan has made a very fair point. I would like to see the level of ‘savings’ they can keep higher too and not, before anyone says anything, for my husband’s future benefit but because she damned well deserves for her money not to be taken away! As Margaret and others have already said, why should they be penalised for making sacrifices and not squandering what precious little they did have? Mags x

Many thanks for your replies. To quote examples from either end of the scale. There is the person who has saved and who has to pay £500 a week and perhaps sell their house. I was a policeman and am quite cynical. Many ,many people never did a days work in their lives, (often from choice) but know how to exploit the system. There are of course, many who lie between those two examples, but I do not see how it is fair that both would occupy adjoining beds in a care home. Would still be interested to know if it is all free in Scotland. Happy days

I personally would rather my taxes go towards paying for the care of the elderly, many of whom fought for this country and lived through much hardship and grafted without the benefit of a welfare state in their youth, than paying for johnny Numpty and his 10 kids who he no intention of supporting.

The programme that was on about this a while ago and the thread that was on here then I think it all boils down to Health Care is free to all but social care is means tested. i.e if you have some sort of wealth you have to pay for it. BUT and it is a big BUT where do you draw the line between Health care and Social care???? Perhaps its time to intraduce a new paye system along side income tax and National Insurance that would then become Social Care.

Suzy, Theresa That loophole has been closed! It used to be that parents could hand their home over to their children and live in it as their children's tenants to avoid having to sell the house to pay for residential care. These days, (and in my area), if the parents need residential care within 7 years after handing their house over to their kids, the house will still be sold if the children cannot pay the residential costs. I have a feeling that in some areas it might be even longer, or else the time scale is about to increase. Totally appalling in my opinion! Bev x

no Suzy, life isn't fair, I agree. It just seems indecent to provide free health care up to a certain age and then start charging. Elderly people in care homes are usually not there by choice, they would rather be in their own homes.

Theresa You tell me what is fair in life? Is private medical care and private education fair? Like I said before, there are plenty of well-off people who don't hesitate to pay out for these things. How many elderly people nowadays were left property by their own parents? Not many I would guess. Suzy

suzy, why should you have to employ a clever accountant if the system is fair. It seems mad that you have to sign over your assetts to avoid inheritance tax. The government have just realised people are using thse loopholes and are starting to close them.

Some friends of ours have elderly parents, who are still able to look after themselves. They have signed certain things over to their grandchildren, I believe, so if the time comes that they go into residential care, the Government can't touch it. Why can't others do this? Also, my parents have just taken out one of these equity release schemes, so they can enjoy the fruits of their labours themselves (holidays, new car etc). I don't want their money. Suzy

must have one more say before I have to go. We,ve hit our fifties now, with four grown up children. We've worked, saved and brought our children up to be resposible adults, causing no trouble to anyone. I consider us an average family. We have no criminal convictions, have never used up police time or upset our neighbours. Why shouldn't we be allowed to enjoy any financial success we have and leave the rest to our children. it seems the more responsible you are the more the system is loaded against you.

I have a friend who has spent all his money on having a good time all his life he has never saved anything and says that what is the point the state will keep him, as we have got older and i have been the one that has been carefull with my money i am starting to think he is right as he gets everything handed to him on a plate where as i have to pay for everything or go without. we who work have to pay taxes, I for one dont think that making us sell our homes and spend our savings is sending the right message to our younger generation as it takes away the insentive to save for their future. Roy

If I don't reply for a while its cos I've got a contract to prepare and might be some time. I'm not ignoring anyone. Julie xxx

people seem to think it is there personal taxes that are paying for care homes what about the taxes these old people have paid all there life too.

I am actually far more likely to have left this country for good before I reach that stage but if not and if I had no hope of returning to my house and nobody else was living there I would be happy for it to be sold to provide me with a higher standard of care. Julie xxx

Oh dear Harry, you may wish you never mentioned this, although I know you & I feel the same about this !! Firstly, Claire , no it will NOT be free after April & there was nothing in the budget about free care, sadly with this Government everything they say is a pack of lies (Where is the free school milk for infants & free school lap tops for all secondary age children ?) Secondly, fine, on principal I can see people's views as to why should their taxes pay for the elderly in care homes ? Yes, I agree if at 70, they decide they want a Hotel service (Paid for) for the rest of their days. NO I don't agree if they are elderly & have Alzheimers/Dementia or any other terminal illness like Motor Neurone disease, Parkinsons, etc. Unless you see someone you love die from one of these ILLNESSES it is had to imagine how awful it is, & to have to pay for their drugs & treatment, which effectively they do, why should they ?? Believe me, the really rich people have solicitors who will ensure that not a penny goes to the Government, & they keep the inheritance in the family, whereas Joe Bloggs like you & me will have to sign those cheques for over £700 a week (Yes, a week!!!!) to keep a roof over their parents' heads. I think that the limit should be raised from £12,000 savings left to £100,000 then at least most people could pass some down, bearing in mind the value of houses these days, & that is where most people's life savings lie !!! P.S. My Dad is still paying tax on his pension so he still contributes to the same system that is ripping him off ; & paying towards kids' education, people on benefits etc !!! Sorry folks, that's how I feel ! Joan