Home Adaptations For Elderly Mother

[geek84]

Hi Folks

My elderly mother, who lives with us, can no longer climb stairs. We have a very small bathroom downstairs which only consists of a toilet and wash basin.

We are thinking of extending this small bathroom in order to fit a shower for my mother and have enough room to place the bed nearby.

Does anyone know if there is any financial help available to cover these costs?

Thank You

[peterperkins]

Stairlift?

Equity release?

Remortgage?

Citizens Advice, Age Concern or similar?

[DrDeAtH]

You may be able to get the works done via a grant. Your mother would need to be assessed by an occupational therapist. Also, if she has over a certain amount saved in the bank, that would determine how much, if any grant funds she would be entitled to claim.

Hope this helps

[edthefed]

Just been through this

Doubtful you will get much help if your mum has much in the way of savings / income. She will be expected to fund it herself

We paid for stair lift and bathroom conversion

Council contributed - 2 x grab handles at the external door and 2 x grab handles in the bathroom and 2 z zimmer frames, oh and after a fight a blue badge !

[505diff]

Extensions take time (if you can find a builder this year) stair lift and refit of existing bathroom will be quicker and less cost, and still give access to upstairs for your mother.

[dhutch]

505diff said:

Extensions take time...

Yes. Doesnt mean it isnt viable, depending on condition.

However I viewed a house with an unused wetroom, that the sellers mother never got to use, cost thousands and devalued the house.

So just be aware of time scales etc.

[Nickbrapp]

Care home?

[Riley Blue]

Nickbrapp said:

Care home?

Because someone can't climb stairs?

[SonicHedgeHog]

Nickbrapp said:

Care home?

Do you have any idea how much that costs?

I’m fully aware of the challenges you face and what you will face in the future. Whatever you choose, think about how you’ll manage when your mum declines further. It’s amazing how a perfectly good plan for today doesn’t work in a year’s time. Think about reduced mobility and the need for people to assist bathing, dressing and going to the loo. You need space for carers to work properly. It’s not what you want to hear but money invested wisely today will pay back many times over in the future. Good luck

[Countdown]

geek84 said:

Hi Folks

My elderly mother, who lives with us, can no longer climb stairs. We have a very small bathroom downstairs which only consists of a toilet and wash basin.

We are thinking of extending this small bathroom in order to fit a shower for my mother and have enough room to place the bed nearby.

Does anyone know if there is any financial help available to cover these costs?

Thank You

Have you had a look at Disabled facilities Grants?

https://www.gov.uk/disabled-facilities-grants/elig...

[oblio]

Occupational therapist visit and assessment would be a good start. As mentioned the council will do certain things and I think they will also means test for larger works.

We have something similar going on with my FiL at the mo as his knees are shot and he only has an upstairs bathroom and toilet in his museum of a house. We have got him to use a Zimmer; and a stroller; and also have an alarm fall system installed but the next challenge is getting him to agree to a stair lift. He's an intransigent sod (lovely bloke but very blinkered) and his default position on anything new is "No".!

[PositronicRay]

oblio said:

Occupational therapist visit and assessment would be a good start. As mentioned the council will do certain things and I think they will also means test for larger works.

We have something similar going on with my FiL at the mo as his knees are shot and he only has an upstairs bathroom and toilet in his museum of a house. We have got him to use a Zimmer; and a stroller; and also have an alarm fall system installed but the next challenge is getting him to agree to a stair lift. He's an intransigent sod (lovely bloke but very blinkered) and his default position on anything new is "No".!

My FIL wouldn't have an electric riser recliner, apparently they go haywire and eject you out of the window.

MIL wouldn't wear her alarm button. Apparently if you press, it's straight to hospital do not pass go. And anyway she doesn't want to bother the nice lady by accidentally pushing it.

Getting old is a bh.

[oblio]

PositronicRay said:

oblio said:

Occupational therapist visit and assessment would be a good start. As mentioned the council will do certain things and I think they will also means test for larger works.

We have something similar going on with my FiL at the mo as his knees are shot and he only has an upstairs bathroom and toilet in his museum of a house. We have got him to use a Zimmer; and a stroller; and also have an alarm fall system installed but the next challenge is getting him to agree to a stair lift. He's an intransigent sod (lovely bloke but very blinkered) and his default position on anything new is "No".!

My FIL wouldn't have an electric riser recliner, apparently they go haywire and eject you out of the window.

MIL wouldn't wear her alarm button. Apparently if you press, it's straight to hospital do not pass go. And anyway she doesn't want to bother the nice lady by accidentally pushing it.

Getting old is a bh.

It is hard work Ray, it really is.

[MrJuice]

Your mum would benefit from an OT (occupational therapy) assessment if she's not had one.

I doubt she will get a bathroom funded but there's lot of other stuff that is useful (hand rails, key safe, bed rail, Zimmer frame, walkers and other bits). She may also be eligible for a carer which can be incredibly liberating for the person. May have to part or wholly fund carer, depending on savings. Also worth looking at attendant allowance which your mum may be able to claim and blue badge.

[Riley Blue]

SonicHedgeHog said:

Nickbrapp said:

Care home?

Do you have any idea how much that costs?

I’m fully aware of the challenges you face and what you will face in the future. Whatever you choose, think about how you’ll manage when your mum declines further. It’s amazing how a perfectly good plan for today doesn’t work in a year’s time. Think about reduced mobility and the need for people to assist bathing, dressing and going to the loo. You need space for carers to work properly. It’s not what you want to hear but money invested wisely today will pay back many times over in the future. Good luck

You're addressing the wrong person.

[mikeiow]

geek84 said:

Hi Folks

My elderly mother, who lives with us, can no longer climb stairs. We have a very small bathroom downstairs which only consists of a toilet and wash basin.

We are thinking of extending this small bathroom in order to fit a shower for my mother and have enough room to place the bed nearby.

Does anyone know if there is any financial help available to cover these costs?

Thank You

Sorry to hear this: getting old is a bugger

Going through this (for a few years now) with elderly in-Laws.....PiL now sadly passed away (just before Covid, so that was kind of a relief).
MiL cracking on: stair lift was an easy fix for getting upstairs....stick (or walking trolley - 4 wheels better than the 2 wheeled frame for her, after OT advice) upstairs and down.

She still lives alone: carers in thrice daily: most very good (although we have moved companies 3 times in 2 years, really to follow the particularly good carer she gets for 70% of her week.
Bath chair is an option too. She has frames for the toilets too.

Can't help on grants, I'm afraid - they had enough savings that this is all her money paying for things. Grab handles are relatively cheap, & certainly helpful when strategically placed.

For us, it is a goal to try to avoid her having to go to a care home. It consumes a lot of time for MrsMikeIOW in particular.
We deployed Blink cameras at front/back (so we see the carers arriving/leaving) plus one in the hallway (so we see if the stair lift is up or down). They are really useful, although inevitably MrsMikeIOW watches them an awful lot....makes for a lousy soap opera!

MiL has a lovely house & garden (which kept me fit the past 2 years, hedging and mowing, etc!), & a care home room would not be a good substitute for her. Plus the fees for carers is far cheaper...

Good luck!

[Biggy Stardust]

oblio said:

We have something similar going on with my FiL at the mo as his knees are shot and he only has an upstairs bathroom and toilet in his museum of a house. We have got him to use a Zimmer; and a stroller; and also have an alarm fall system installed but the next challenge is getting him to agree to a stair lift. He's an intransigent sod (lovely bloke but very blinkered) and his default position on anything new is "No".!

The new stairlifts are so fast that they could get him upstairs while he still remembers what he went up for.

[geek84]

Hi Folks

Many thanks indeed for your helpful advices.

I will look into most (if not all) of these.

Once again, thank you very much.

[Sticks.]

Apols if I've missed this. She might be able to claim Attendance Allowance, which is not means tested. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-supp...

If she does, it's worth seeking guidance on the application as it's not always clear what to include.

[geek84]

Thanks Sticks