Weekly update – this week we have been preoccupied with nursing homes and the Continuing Healthcare funding question. After endless phone calls and even more cups of tea, we have cracked it, or we think we have, at least for the time being.
So, two things where we have made progress. The first is a nursing home. We have found a lovely home, not too big, not too small but well designed and with a brilliant manager in charge. In fact we were shown around by the manager while in her silk pyjamas (apparently National Pyjama Day) while cuddling a rabbit. Yes, a rabbit.
Now it’s fair to say we had quite a wide choice of homes, ranging in price from £650 to £1300 a week, plus the cost of 24 hour nursing care.
Now we are hoping the NHS best-kept-secret funding might help, so we have been getting clued up on this. Again, lots of phone calls and reading. An interim award has been made on a “without prejudice” basis, which we take to mean this shouldn’t be taken as an indication of future payments being agreed. It is a step in the right direction.
We have been inclined to employ an advocate but having spoken to some, we are having second thoughts. I think we are able to hold our own and not be pushed around in a panel meeting. Our weakness will be to challenge the panel if they don’t follow the correct process (which we have no experience with), so for that an advocate might be helpful.
So still lots to do and weigh up but the main thing is doing the right thing for Grandma; this is our focus.
The Gasman cometh
Our adventure in the Dusty Museum continues and it is almost becoming like Flanders and Swan’s very apt song “The Gasman cometh”.
You might remember the shower conked out a few weeks ago and the plumber said he could supply a new one. Seems the old one was 30+ years old and the new version has the same fittings etc so installation would be straightforward. Right? Sadly not.
Once it was fitted, a leak within the new shower was detected and it had to be taken off the wall, sent back and we will have another two weeks with no shower.
Of course the plumber needed to go up in the roof to turn the cold water supply off. When he turned it back on, it caused a little drip which wasn’t noticed until the following morning when the landing ceiling was bowing down with the weight of the water swelling the plaster.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, when Rachel touched the tap she got a small electric shock. Val the electrician was also shocked (!) when we told him. So he will need to come and check the earthing, or something like that.
That’s the thing in the Dusty Museum: it seems everything is held together with a wing and a prayer – and it all appears to be quite fragile. The cracked ceiling above my side of the bed still has me worried.
Nevertheless I have made some progress. I have finished decorating the Pink Room. It has never looked very pink to me so I decided to paint the walls in an unmistakable pink and generally freshened up the room. It is fine as a spare bedroom, although it is difficult to heat with a small radiator and an 11ft high ceiling. I have also put an IKEA day bed and desk in there and this also helps to freshen the room. It also complements the antique tallboy – done well antiques can sit very nicely alongside modern furniture.
Next project is our bedroom. We will need the plumber to fit a new basin and Jeff, our friendly carpet fitter, will bring a little pampering to our feet. The room has a very low ceiling and some wooden beams which add to the nice cosy feel. As it is just over 16m² we can be adventurous with the colour scheme!!!!!!