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Posted 21/02/2019 in Category 1

Elderly care: a guide for families new to caring


Elderly care: a guide for families new to caring

Guest blog 

If you are new to caring, then it might seem like you're at the beginning of a long and challenging journey. However, there is plenty of help and advice available on elderly care, and there are even some benefits that you might enjoy. This guide for families new to caring for the elderly covers what considerations you need to be aware of, what support is available to you and some practical advice on looking after those you love when they can't look after themselves anymore.


Planning


Being an elderly carer is rarely a decision that we have a lot of time to consider – families often find that they end up becoming carers without any considerable planning. If this sounds familiar, then it is worth taking some time to come up with a plan. It is essential that the person you are caring for feels involved in this process and it might be a good time to talk with them about their needs. A comprehensive care plan is a great way to make sure that the arrangements you put in place work for you and your family.


Consider your options


There are so many options available for elderly care now, and with an ageing population, more and more of us are having to consider how to look after our elderly parents. Some of the options you need to consider are home care, sheltered housing, care homes, assisted living and adult day-care centres.

It is important that you choose the option that is best for both the family and person, so looking at a variety of care options can allow you to find the best way forward. It might be that loneliness is a problem, so an adult day-care centre could be a good choice. Many older people are against the idea of a care home, so finding a middle ground, like having a home carer pop in every day, could be best for your family.

Paying for care

Paying for care is something that many of us find incredibly stressful. However, there are a range of funding options which might be available to you and help ease the pressure. From NHS Continuing Healthcare and local authority funding to funding your own care, there are many ways that you can finance elderly care, and there are more details about the different possibilities and care assessments in the guide mentioned above.

Make sensible adjustments

After talking with everyone involved, it might become clear that your relatives could be more independent if there were certain adjustments made. This may be something major like moving closer, or it could be that they're able to bathe themselves, but their current bathroom is unsuitable. Making these adjustments so that they can remain independent for longer is an important step. Why not have a look at the Adapt My Home website where you can use your postcode to find out where you could apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant which could help towards funding home adaptations. 

You may also find that keeping the house clean has become too much, so having a regular cleaner could take some strain off your family. The family home may also be unsuitable for your parents, so looking for alternative accommodation could be beneficial.

First, have a look on findmyhia.org.uk to find out if there is a local Home Improvement Agency in your area, who may be able to offer advice and support to make modifications to the home.