Golden Years

Wednesday, 29 February 2012

ANN POINTER Coping with Bereavement Losing a loved one is a difficult time for anyone, especially at this time of year, and it can also be a daunting one with all the paperwork and thought of Probate. Many people do not realise what an onerous role it is being a Personal Representative (Executor/Administrator) of the Estate. As a Personal Representative you are personally liable for ensuring that the Estate is administered in accordance to the terms of the Will or where there is no Will, in accordance with the Rules of Intestacy. For instance, you are responsible for establishing whether or not there is a Will and where it is, that the one you are following is the last Will of the deceased and that it has not been superseded. Once you have established how the Estate is to be administered you then need to determine what the Estate consists of by way of assets and liabilities. This can be extremely difficult where the deceased conducted their affairs online as there is generally very little paperwork to follow in such cases. Only when you have established what the Estate comprises can you determine whether a Grant of Probate/Letters of Administration is required and also what type of Tax Return (if any) requires completion. When you are ready to distribute the Estate, you need to be sure that you have settled all outstanding liabilities (including Inheritance Tax), that you are distributing to the correct beneficiaries and that there are no claims likely to arise against the Estate. This is a very brief and general outline of the basic roles of the Personal Representative. Anyone appointed as a Personal Representative should seek independent legal advice before intermeddling in the administration of an Estate. If you have any queries regarding this article please do not hesitate to contact me.

Mrs Sophia Pettit Legal Executive & Member of Solicitors For the Elderly, Ann Pointer Solicitors, 26 Kings Street, Tavistock, Devon, PL19 0DT TEL: 01822 614882

TAVISTOCK AREA SUPPORT SERVICES Tavistock Area Support Service has for the last 27 years been helping local older people through the various services we offer. Transport is crucial to helping get people out and about and here at TASS we offer a wide range of transport solutions, from Wheelchair Accessible Transport, Shopmobility, Transport to Health, Passenger Club and supporting other Community Groups in getting out and about. Transport to health has developed to provide transport to help get people to their hospital and Dr’s appointments. The service is run by a core of volunteer drivers who travel 1,000 of miles a month. Shopmobility is available to anyone with a mobility problem, helping them to access local shops and amenities. We provide scooters, power chairs, wheelchairs and walking aids and if needed these can be on a short term loan agreement or to help people on holiday. Passenger Club, runs trips out to various venues and weekends away, including a Sunday Lunch Club! The minibuses are driven by volunteers and can pick you up from your home and return you home afterwards. These trips are varied and last year we covered over 10,000 miles! We can also help you if you are a community group by providing our minibuses to help Your group get out and about. To find out more ‘Just Ask’ by either calling into The Anchorage Centre or phone 01822 616958. TASS - ‘A local Charity making a difference for local People’

Carehome Choice      Carehome Choice is a support service that can help you through the difficult task of finding a suitable care home for a loved one. Our trained advisors have the expertise to guide and help you secure a place in the correct home to care for your needs. Respite or permanent stays can be arranged.  We understand the importance of making the right choice. Let us help you:-   • Identify the best homes in the area • Arrange appointments to view • Provide accompanied visits • Negotiate fees • Ask all of those difficult questions and much more.......   We can even relocate a family member from another area to be near you in Devon. We have been awarded the Plymouth City Council ‘Confidence Mark’ for Adult Social Care. Here are some of the comments from families using our service:   Excellent service I don’t know what I would have done without you. I was very impressed with Karen’s knowledge and skills base this is an extremely impressive service and I cannot recommend it highly enough. Jeanette Fulford   The service was brilliant as I needed responses very quickly. I was very pleased with everything and the options of the homes recommended. The home is a perfect choice for my father. It is exactly what I was looking for. Jill Johnson   Your advice and knowledge were immensely helpful when choosing the best care home for my mother. I would have found it impossible without your help. She is now living in a wonderful care home and we owe this to your efforts. Jonathan Wood.   You took all the stress and worry away. You were so kind, patient and pleasant. Thank you so much for all you have done’ Wendy Marshall   Please contact us for more information tel; 01822 858066 info@carehomechoice.co.uk www.carehomechoice.co.uk   VENN HOUSE Venn House is set in large landscaped gardens where residents enjoy walks, with accommodation in either the Jacobean Mansion wing or the Coach House. A move to a care home can seem daunting at first, but rest assured, registered manager Sandie Baskerville and the dedicated staff team will ensure your stay is as enjoyable and relaxed as possible and you can be safe in the knowledge you have chosen a ‘premium’ home in the West Devon area. Good home cooking is provided by our cooks Carol and Sue, including home made cakes from the Aga plus special diets are catered for. We look forward to you viewing our ‘special home’ at anytime and we also invite you to spend the day with us, to take lunch as our guest and see what we have to offer first hand. Venn House is rated a ‘Good Home’ by the Care Quality Commission.

FRIENDLY COMPANIONS Is a family run local service, which has been founded on the anvil of over 30 years experience. Our service is offered to assist you or your loved ones to remain in independent living in your own home. We offer a daytime and night time sitting service, also light housework, bed linen changes, meal preparation, shopping and appointment escorting. If you feel that our services could benefit or enhance your quality of life then please contact Paula 01822 833788 For further Information.

SPRING HOUSE Spring House at Peter Tavy has been caring for elderly people with dementia for 24 years and has a very experienced care team.  We feel elderly people with dementia require lots of personal attention from carers and at Spring House, with over 30 members of staff, there is always someone on hand to provide the one to one care individuals need.? Spring House has a dedicated respite bed available to offer support to families who care for their loved ones at home.  Having a short break enables family carers to take a holiday or just to have  time to “recharge their batteries”. For the elderly person a short break at Spring House can also mean a holiday, meeting people of their own age and being taken out on outings.  Maybe taking a walk in the pretty village of Peter Tavy or enjoying our entertainers who visit to play music and sing. All in an environment of feeling safe and secure, with staff on duty 24 hours a day.? If you are looking for respite for your elderly relative come and visit us at any time for a cup of tea and one of our home made cakes.  No appointment is necessary and you will be made to feel very welcome!

LAKESIDE RESIDENTIAL HOME Lakeside Residential Home at Lower Maddaford is a private family run home, situated a few miles from Okehampton and is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and has been rated (two star good) web site www.lakesidecarehome.co.uk Lakeside lies within extensive landscaped grounds including lawns, flowerbeds, and lakes with a footpath perimeter. The lakes are surrounded by natural meadows and woodland, home to some of Devon’s rarest and most beautiful flora and fauna. All this is set in glorious rolling countryside and has far reaching views with Dartmoor National Park as a majestic backdrop. We have 29 bedrooms, 20 on the ground floor, and 8 on the first floor, 4 accessed by stair lift and 4 by passenger lift. Most enjoy a superb outlook either across the lakes, some with their own patios, or over the Devon countryside towards Dartmoor’s highest western tors. We endeavour to make Lakeside a home from home. To this end we offer a rich mix of stimulating activities, entertainment and outings in our own mini bus. Our chef cooks and prepares good fresh food, using quality ingredients sourced locally whenever possible. We can of course cater for special dietary needs.

NASH & CO Should the NHS be funding your care home fees?

The rising costs of paying for care is proving to be a real crisis for individuals and families in the current recession. Many people are unaware that the fees they are paying for care at home or to a care home should be fully funded by the NHS. Mike Rice of local law firm Nash & Co explains, “NHS funding is not ‘means tested’ but based on physical or mental needs and is not paid for by their local authority but by the government centrally. “Anyone needing care either at home or in a care home should undertake a ‘Continuing Care Assessment’, which looks at their medical needs.” “Many people have never had an assessment and others have been assessed incorrectly.” “The assessment should look at medical (whether physical or mental) needs and not social ones.” A number of relevant persons such as a district nurse, a community psychiatric nurse can conduct these assessment attended by the family and professional legal representation, if appropriate. The assessment looks at the primary reason for a person needing care whether it’s for social care or for health related needs under twelve criteria. Four of these deal with mental health, such as behaviour and communication, and the other eight look at physical health, for example mobility and nutrition. Each criteria is graded and then the subject of a panel decision. If the panel decides the primary need of the individual is health related then the NHS must provide total care funding, which is not means tested. Many people need care because they cannot cope at home but still do not qualify under this assessment as their need is properly deemed to be social care and are dealt with by the local authority whose funding is based on a financial assessment. Whilst there are national criterion in place to assess eligibility for NHS funded continuing care, the application and interpretation of this varies widely between different health authorities, inevitably resulting in some families being treated unfairly. Unsuccessful applicants can appeal to the Court of Appeal and Health Services Ombudsman. They have ruled that many of the criteria used for assessing whether fees should be paid by the NHS, do not meet legal requirements In many cases specialist solicitors have been able to reclaim tens of thousands of pounds of care fees paid. This can apply even if the person has since died and their estate settled. Mike Rice adds “To date this year our team has reclaimed over £230,000 for twelve clients with a number of agreed claims due to be settled. In addition there are a numerous cases where we have won funding going forwards for people still in care.” “We feel strongly about the issue of fairness for vulnerable clients and can help with both new claims and retrospective claims and, if still living, can assist with a Continuing Care Assessment. Our experience means we can simplify the complications of pursuing these claims and remove the worry and stress.” “We offer a free initial assessment and if we believe there is a chance of success, our team can pursue a claim for you, usually on a ‘no win no fee’ basis.!

Contact Mike Rice at Nash and Co Solicitors on 01752 827048 or by email at mrice@nash.co.uk

YELVERTON NURSING HOME The Yelverton Nursing and Residential Home are a 33 bedded dual registered Home. We care for residential and nursing residents and also care for residents who need a period of respite. We pride ourselves on the homely atmosphere in the Home and everyone is welcome especially friends and family. Activities are a large part of Home life (for those who wish to join in). We have a volunteer who offers nail care including varnishing and brings her small dog to see the residents and another volunteer who also comes with her dog. Interact come weekly and residents have the opportunity to join in with this activity which helps with manual dexterity and memory recollection. The Home has its own activity co-ordinator who offers a range of activities including our own Songs of Praise, Reminiscence afternoon, Poets Corner, Bingo, Card games, board games and jigsaw puzzles. She also can help residents with writing letters or can read with them. One to one time is often appropriate too for those residents who prefer not to engage in group activities. We have a lovely chap called Richard who comes to the Home every other week and plays his guitar and electric organ and sings for the residents. However the residents are looking forward to the better weather so we can plan our first trip of the year. If you would like any further information please speak to Tracey Thomas, Matron at the Home.

DEVONIA HOUSE Devonia House Nursing And Residential Home Following the appointment of our matron/manager mrs tracey oxborough, devonia house continues to provide the highest standards of care, including palliative, nursing ,residential and respite care. We constantly strive to improve the service we offer, and with this in mind our matron has introduced many new and innovative ideas. Our dedicated team of RGNs, auxiliary, and domiciliary staff ensure the needs of our residents is paramount. Our in house activities sessions are very popular with both residents and visiting friends and family. Activities include memory games, craft sessions and sing-a-longs, all of which are much enjoyed. We have recently introduced afternoon tea parties and extend a warm welcome to all, including non-residents to join us for tea and ‘sumptuous’ cakes, friendly conversation, and perhaps a sing song. Do come along on thursday 8th march for our next afternoon tea and enjoy the atmosphere which makes ‘Devonia’ so special. For further information email matron@ devoniahouse. co.uk or call 01822 852081.

Copyright Tindle Newspapers Ltd Monday, 20 May 2013