Choosing the Right Care for Your Loved One
Home Care or Care Home: Which is Right?
Watching a loved one struggle with age-related challenges, chronic conditions or disabilities can be tough. As these challenges grow, providing care at home may become demanding. This is where trusted homecare services come into play. These professionals are trained to offer specialised care, ensuring comfort and safety for your loved one right in the familiar surroundings of their own home.
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However, if the situation calls for round-the-clock support, you may need to consider more comprehensive options such as Live-in care or a care home.
The type and amount of care required can make a difference in whether you choose care at home or a residential care facility.
For many, home care is the favourite. Why? Because it’s flexible. If your loved one’s needs change, the care they receive can change too. Plus, being in a familiar environment can be far more comforting.
For a lot of families, the cost of care will inevitably be one of the determining factors in their final decision-making process. To help you and your family member make the correct choice, we will explore some of the most important things to consider when it comes to financing your loved one’s care requirements
Financing Care: What You Need to Know
Discussing finances during emotional times is not easy, but it is essential. Care costs can be a concern for many families. It is important to explore and understand the various care financing options available. Whether your loved ones care includes local authority funding, NHS funding or is entirely Privately funded, being informed is the first step to ensuring your loved one gets the best care with minimal financial strain.
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Cost of at-home Care vs cost of Residential Care Home
According to carehome.co.uk the average cost of living in a Residential Care Home is around £760 per week. More information regarding this can be found on the carehome.co.uk website: Care home fees and costs: How much do you pay?
According to homecare.co.uk the average cost of care at-home services is between £20 to £30 per hour. For example, if you require 2 hours every day at £25 per hour then this would mean that you will pay £350 per week. More information regarding this can be found on the homecare.co.uk website: How much does home care cost per hour?
Do you have to sell your house to pay for your care?
A huge benefit of receiving care services in your own home is that you will not be forced to sell your house to cover these costs. A person’s home is excluded from the calculation when a local authority assesses whether they will provide funding for care at-home services. Alternatively, if you move into a Residential Care Home, then it is likely that you will be forced to sell your home to cover the costs unless you can cover these via some other means such as from savings or from the sale of other assets. More information regarding this can be found on the Alzheimer’s Society website: Do you have to sell your house to pay for care?
Opt for Flexible Home Care: Pay Only for What’s Needed
When it comes to caregiving, not every situation demands 24/7 attention. If your loved one’s care needs fluctuate or are not constant, at-home care stands out as the most cost-effective choice. Why? Because home care offers unparalleled flexibility when compared to traditional care homes.
With at-home care, personalisation is key. You and your family member can collaboratively decide on the number of care hours needed each week, adjusting based on their real-time requirements. Good homecare providers offer adaptable care plans, ensuring that the services align perfectly with your loved one’s changing needs.
By choosing this tailored approach, you ensure that you’re only billed for the care services used, minimising home care expenses ensures that it is a budget-friendly solution in the long run.
Figuring Out the Best Care for Your Loved One
How Much Care Do They Need?
First things first, think about what your loved one really needs. Do they just need a bit of help here and there, or do they need someone around for most of the time? The answer matters a lot when you’re trying to figure out the costs.
Let’s Talk Daily Needs
Sit down and have a heart-to-heart with your family member. What do their daily routines look like? Maybe they need help with bathing, cooking meals, or just moving around the house. Home care can cover all of these and will come out as the more budget-friendly choice.
Cost Matters, So Does Comfort
Even if a significant amount of help at-home is required, having someone come to their own home to care for them can still be more affordable than moving into Residential facility. So, not only is home care normally the least expensive of the two options, it also provides the care recipient the additional comfort and peace of mind that receiving care in your own home can offer over care homes.
Understanding the Costs: Home Care vs. Care Home
When considering care options for a loved one, it is vital to weigh up the costs involved. Care homes, although they provide a comprehensive environment for care, they often come with high cost. Many do not realise that these costs are two-fold: you are also paying for the accommodation – the bricks and mortar, the furniture and the facilities – as well as the actual care services.
Now, let’s imagine your loved one already has a comfortable home. In this scenario, homecare services become an attractive alternative. By opting for home care, you are directing funds exclusively towards the amount of care that is required. You will not be paying towards the overheads of facility maintenance, utilities, and other associated costs of a residential setup. With home care this focused spending is what often makes at-home care a more economical choice.
Moreover, the familiarity and comfort of being in one’s own home can have intangible benefits for your loved one’s well-being. Combining cost savings with the comfort of home, it is clear why many families are leaning towards at-home care over traditional care homes when evaluating long-term care solutions.
Find out more
If you have a family member that could benefit from homecare services, Clarity Homecare can offer wide range of help and support.
To find out more about the homecare services that we offer, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us at Clarity Homecare today. See if Clarity Homecare has an office near you.
Alternatively, you can find out more information by visiting the Homecare Services page on our website.
