Leaving your home and familiar surroundings to move into a residential care home is a big step. It is important to consider your choices carefully before making a decision about where to move to, but how do you decide and how much is it going to cost?
Residential Care homes may be run by councils, businesses or not- for-profit organisations. They may offer respite care, temporary care or permanent placements.
When choosing a care home it is important that you know what type of care home you need to meet your assessed needs.
There are three types of care home::
- Standard residential care homes
- Nursing homes
- Elderly Mentally Infirm (EMI) care homes.
You may just need residential care to help you with activities of daily living like washing, dressing, feeding, taking you to the toilet, helping you move around, or you may need to consider looking at nursing care homes or specialist mental-health care.
For a complete guide to care homes go to ageuk.uk.
Alternatively, go to MoneyHelper.
ageuk also have available a series of downloadable fact sheets on care homes available at the following links:
- Finding the right care home
- Care home checklist
- Paying for permanent residential care
- Treatment of property in the means test for permanent care home provision
- Paying for care in a care home if you have a partner
Alternatively independentage.org provide a guide to choosing the right care home and also have a range of downloadable guides, available here, explaining the system of funding & how councils in England set standard rates and when a third party, such as a relative or friend, may have to pay a 'top up':
- Care homes - Overview
- Care home fees - paying them in England
- Care home fees - paying third party top-up fees in England
- Do I need to sell my property to pay for my care home fees?
Saga provides information about paying for care:
They also have a range of articles on Residential Care in there magazine section.
The Care Home Opton Podcast
The Care Home Opton Podcast series presents informaion and insights into the care home sector, delivered by experts who share their knowledge, experience, and hands-on expertise.
UK Care Guide
UK Care Guide provides comprehensive information and help in selecting a Residential Home.
Financial Advice
To discuss the financial options and help you decide the one that is best for you, you can seek help from an independent financial adviser, ideally with the specialist CF8 qualification on advising on the funding of long-term care. They will explain all the costs and any risks involved.
The following websites will help locate a financial adviser near you:
For advice if you are funding your own care and the money is running out, follow this link.
Equity Release Schemes
If you are retired or close to retirement (over 55) and own your own home by using an Equity Release Scheme you can release money tied up in your house to supplement your income, undertake home improvements or pay for long term care - more information on Equity release Schemes can be found at MyAdviceGateway Equity Release Schemes.
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