Your questions answered on care options
Your questions answered on care options
When considering care options for yourself or a loved one, it’s important to understand the variety of options available to ensure the best fit for individual needs and circumstances. Care options can range from in-home care, where caregivers provide assistance within the comfort of your own home, to specialised facilities like nursing homes or assisted living communities.
Each option offers different levels of care, from basic help with daily activities to full-time medical supervision. It’s crucial to evaluate the level of care required, the preferred living situation, and financial considerations when selecting the most appropriate care option. This decision is deeply personal and should be made with thorough research and professional advice.
In the videos below, we are joined by Louise Joslin, Managing Director of Ashridge Home Care, to answer some of your questions.
Coming to terms with the need for care
Types of care
Future planning for care requirements
Funding care
If you have any questions of your own on the care options available then please do ask them and we can do our best to provide answers. Just email our Family Support and Volunteer Co-ordinator, Cathy Garner, at CathyGarner@chilternsneurocentre.org
To further help you in your decision-making process, you can find two external publications below that provide a wealth of information on choosing the right care option for you or a loved one, and helping you to think about what you might need to consider when weighing up your options.
Age UK – Care Home Checklist
Age UK has put together a checklist to help you find the best care home for you.
The first section covers some of the things it’s worth thinking about when you’re considering a move. It suggests questions you might like to ask when you’re visiting care homes.
The second section is there for when you’ve picked a care home that’s suitable for you. It covers some of the things you might need to do before making the move.
They’ve also included space for you to jot down a plan for moving day.
The Live-In Care Hub – Choices in Care
The Live-In Care Hub has produced a short paper to encourage you to have a pre-emptive ‘Care Conversation’ with your ageing loved ones; to explore the care options available to them before it’s too late; and to help you make a confident, more informed decision together, about the most suitable type of care they’ll receive when the time comes.
The paper does this this by exploring the four main care options available in the UK. They discuss and compare some of the pros and cons of each option, including the relative cost of each care model, and share evidence of why Live-in Care deserves serious consideration over the current, often default outcome: institutional care homes.
Much of the discussion is underpinned by research The Live-in Care Hub conducted and commissioned in 2023.