Aneira Thomas, was the first patient of the newly formed NHS – the great institution we all use on a regular basis – 61 years ago. She was born one minute after the NHS started. She even grew up to work for the NHS as a nurse.
Now, however, she may have to sell her house to pay for health care and says her belief in the system has been ‘betrayed’ by the current social care system. She has to meet a £50,000 invoice for the care of her elderly relatives.
She claims the care her parents-on-law received was ‘shocking.’ Hilda Thomas, her mother-in-law, suffered from Alzheimer’s disease. She claims that money and jewellry went missing from the care home in Wales. Both the mother-in-law and her husband died in 2005, but Mrs Thomas was so short of cash she had to pay for their funerals by using her credit card.
Mrs Thomas said: ‘Their appearance changed from a proud and elegant pair to dishevelled, confused and unkempt during their time in the care home. It was tragic to see it happen.
Mrs Thomas’ husband died of a stroke in 2007. She says that when the parents-in-law moved into the care home funding would be provided for the couple. This didn’t happen and now the local authority/the care home want her to settle the £48,750 bill.
Mrs Thomas said: ‘The only way I could pay the bill is to sell my own house.
‘I have applied for retrospective funding with the local health board but have been waiting for more than three years. It’s been a huge strain.’
If you want to plan for care home fees, then speak ASAP with a professional who may be able to plan your estate and finances with you, so that this type of situation doesn’t happen to you.
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