I have given the blog a lot of thought in the last year or so and have considered writting it on many occasions , the main reason is to show people that you can achieve things if you have the desire and the persistence.
Before my Mum was diagnosed with dementia I was clueless about the adult social care system and the facilities available as I am sure most people are , the Alzheimers society were an excellent first resource and started me on a journey of discovery. They made me aware of who I should be involving in adult social care , what help my Mum could obtain and also how to try and maintain Mum and Dad's dignity and independence. My blog can hopefully be a tool that other careers or family members can access to get help and support when they need it.
I never realized how persistent people need to be to get the wheels of bureaucracy in motion but I can honestly say that I am certainly persistent now and I never let anything slide related to my Mum's care. So far in my blog I have touched up on the adult social care financial review and its importance , being prepared and having all the necessary documents ready is a must for this , documentary evidence is always required and if you go to these meetings prepared they run much smoother and you can usually avoid any delays in the process. Ask questions ! If you don't understand what is being discussed or agreed ask until you do, you will be required to sign forms and these are legally binding so ensure you are aware of everything you are agreeing to. I wasn't aware that once someone goes into care they are considered single and can claim lots of things in this capacity that they can't claim while at home. If you have attendance allowance and go into care on a self funded basis you keep your attendance allowance. If you don;t get a full pension you can claim some pension credit depending on your finances , again this isn't the case if you live at home with someone getting a full pension.
Take down contact details for everyone you speak to, this makes it so much easier to follow up on things and chase up things if they don't seem to be happening.
I future blogs I am going to discuss lasting power of attorney ,palliative care registration and DNR, DOLS ,continuing care funding and also fast track funding all of which I have had to be involved in. Many of these areas have been difficult to deal with but hopefully my experience can help others to navigate through them .
My family have been through a horrible ordeal over the last 5 years and it has been a huge learning curve for me to get the care package in place that my Mum needs and deserves. I have had to challenge those in authority who hold the power with regard to decision making and I can say that to date I have never failed to obtain my objectives. I have had to take a firm stand with some people but ultimately, what I believed was right and I got the correct outcome. I have had to dig deep to find the strength to fight for what is right and at times it has been such a struggle, but I have never given up because if I don't fight my mum's cormer who will ? The care system is an impersonal machine and a lot of people involved in decision making within it are very good at not personalising claims or discussions - I am sure this is necessary in their role, but I have always had my Mum's needs in sharp focus and have fought hard to ensure they are met.
I can discuss all aspects of my mum's care now without becoming emotional- we have had so much to deal with and fight for I have learnt to distance myself from the emotions of the illness in order to get the desired outcomes. I hate what has happened to my mum and how she will end her life but I am confident I can look back on it all and know I did all I could to ensure her care was good and that she was't forgotten or neglected. 
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