Help from Marie Curie - Mum has dementia

HayleyDate 2 years ago

1 reply

Hi, I am new to this forum and am just looking for any advice.  My Mum has been given 6-12 months to live due to many life limiting illnesses from heart failure to chronic kidney disease, diabetes and dementia.  The dementia was only diagnosed in May this year but following an admission to hospital in June the dementia has progressed rapidly.  Mum still recognises immediate family (mainly myself as I am an only child, my father - her husband and my husband and children) but spends a lot of time asleep or in her little bubble as I tend to call it.  At the moment she is in her first week of respite care as my father was really struggling to cope with everything (he is 78).  I am the only other family that they have and I also have health conditions that stop me from being actively able to help them.  In August during a consultation with my Mum's cardiologist he referred her for help from the Marie Curie nurses.  They have made contact but now know Mum is in respite - initially for 2 weeks but it could be extended to 4.  They are due to make contact again with my Dad during the 3rd week.  Obviously at the moment Mum has 24-7 nursing and care in the home but it concerns me how she will get the correct level of care when she is able to come home again.  They don't own any property, don't have any assets or savings and are on a very low income and I don't understand the system enough to know how much support they may or not be able to get.  Can anyone help with any similar instances?  Thankyou

Hannah11 2 years ago

Hi HayleyDate, welcome to the Marie Curie community. 

We’re sorry to hear about your mum’s diagnosis and all that you are going through as a family. We hope both your parents are benefiting from the respite care. It’s natural to be concerned about how things will be when this comes to an end, please do share all of this with the nurse when she makes contact. Our Support Line is also here for you and can share information about the type of care someone may be able to access at home - www.mariecurie.org.uk/contact-us

Questions about how care may be funded are understandable. This can depend on which nation within the UK a person lives in and whether their care is coming through social services or the NHS and we hope our page on this will be helpful for you - www.mariecurie.org.uk/help/support/terminal-illness/care-needs/paying-for-social-care 

We appreciate looking through this may lead to further questions, please don’t hesitate to come back to us here on the community or through the Support Line.

Take care

Clare – Support Line Team