Care home or home care?

Care home or home care?

According to recent figures, nearly all of us want to receive care services at home when we get older. But sometimes you’ll need to consider going into a care home instead. How do you decide? And how much is it going to cost? And where to go when you need more information and advice?

Thinking through your care options

The most important decision to make when considering your care needs is whether you can remain in your own home or need to move into a care home.

The decision will be based on what you want and what care you need, but you’ll also need to consider how much it will cost.

Our needs change as we get older, and aspects of living independently become more difficult, such as getting up and down stairs or in the bath.

The sooner you consider what will work the better. This can help avoid rushing into a choice that is not right for you particularly in a time of crisis, such as following a stay in hospital.

It can help to answer the following, you could even write it down. It can help to priorities your needs:

What does ‘home’ mean to you? For example, is it comfort, security?

What makes a good home in later life? For example, proximity to family, GP.

What things might become more difficult? For example, getting in and out of bath, steep stairs or a large garden.

Elderly Accommodation Council has a useful online tool that can help you assess the suitability of your current home Housing Options for Older People.

Home care services pros and cons

Home care can include regular visits from a home care worker to help with personal care, shopping and preparing meals.

Other services include meals on wheels, monitored personal alarms and household equipment, and adaptations to help with everyday tasks.

You may be able to visit local day centers where you can socialise and enjoy various activities, with transport available to get you there.

Pros

The cost of care at home might be cheaper As The amount of support increases it might become cheaper to move into a care home. You also have more control over the care and support you receive.

You get to stay near friends and family Staying in the same neighborhood is really important to some people.

You can ask for more help or less. You’ll be able to tailor exactly how much help you needas your ability changes.

You can continue to live with your pets If you need help looking after them, you could try contacting the Cinnamon Trust who might be able to lend you a hand.

You might get more money for care. The value of your home isn’t taken into account when calculating how much you have to pay towards your care. It will if you move into a care home.

Cons

Carers are not around 24/7 This might mean you feel less safe in your home. A live in carer, an alarm system, fall detectors or a bed sensor might help you feel better.

Your carer may change The agency you use will likely try to send the same person every time, but may not be able to due to sickness and time off.

Carers might turn up late This might be because they have an emergency at their previous call. If you have a strict schedule, this might be difficult for you.

It could get more expensive if you need more help For example you may need a cleaner, a gardener or need hairdresser to visit.

Home modifications and equipment might affect the value of your property. This is especially the case if they are unsightly.

Quality of care can vary. You can check the quality on the Care Quality site

Moving to a care home pros and cons

There are two types of care homes:

care homes without nursing care that provide help and assistance with personal care

care homes with nursing care that have registered nurses providing 24 hour nursing care and experienced care assistants providing personal care.

Both are places where you can live (often with a spouse) and have your care needs met by trained staff.

Some also have accommodation and support specifically designed for older people with dementia.

Pros

Trained staff are always on hand This means you might feel more safe and secure.

No need to worry about utility bills, meals and household chores It’s all sorted for you, which might mean it’s warmer, safer and cleaner.

You’ll always have company There will always be someone to talk to, as well as organised activities.

Taking medication can be supervised

Cons

It might be more expensive This is especially the case if you’re not eligible for local authority funding.

Quality of care can vary. All homes need to reach a minimum standard to be registered, but quality does vary you can check the quality on the Care Quality here

All your belongings will need to fit in one room. This might mean that you can’t be surrounded by all the personal items you’d like.

You might feel that you’ve lost some of your independence. A good home should help minimise this by helping you live independently as you can be. There might be some loss of privacy.

Pets might not be allowed, if they do claim to be pet friendly check what is allowed it might be that pets are ok to visit but not stay for example.

You might not enjoy the company of the other residents in the home.

Family and friends can feel guilty that they are not able to help more or visit as much

Source: https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/care-home-or-home-care