Couple Care vs Care Home Costs: Everything You Need to Know
When it comes to caring for elderly couples, the cost can be a significant concern. Many families face the dilemma of choosing between couple care at home or moving their loved ones into a care home. Each option offers different benefits and costs, and the decision often depends on factors like the level of care required, personal preferences, and budget.
Discover more about the costs of couple care vs care homes to help you make the best decision for your family’s future.
Understanding care options
When considering care for elderly couples, it’s important to understand the different options available. The two main choices are couple care at home or moving into a care home. Each has distinct advantages depending on the couple’s needs, health status and personal preferences.
Couple care at home
Couple care at home allows elderly couples to stay in the familiar surroundings of their own home while receiving the necessary support. This option often provides a sense of comfort and security, allowing couples to remain in the familiar comfort of home, surrounded by their personal belongings and routines.
Home care can include either live-in care or visiting care, both of which are tailored to meet the couple’s bespoke needs.
● Live-in care: With live-in care, a trained caregiver resides in the home full-time, providing round-the-clock care. This option ensures that the couple has constant support for daily activities, medical needs and companionship. Live-in care is ideal for couples who require more consistent support or who prefer having someone with them at all times.
● Visiting care: Visiting care involves carers coming to the couple’s home for scheduled visits throughout the day. These visits can range from a few hours a day to more extensive visits, depending on the level of care required. This option works well for couples who need assistance with specific tasks, such as personal care, meal preparation or housekeeping, but don’t need constant support.
Each type of home care offers flexibility, enabling couples to choose the level of assistance that best suits their lifestyle and needs.
Care homes
A care home provides a community environment where elderly individuals receive care from trained staff in a residential setting. Care homes can be either residential care homes or nursing homes, depending on the level of medical support required.
● Residential care homes: These homes are suited for individuals who need assistance with daily activities such as bathing, dressing and eating, but do not require ongoing medical care. They offer a supportive environment where residents can socialise with others and participate in activities, creating a sense of community.
● Nursing homes: Nursing homes are designed for individuals with more complex medical needs. These facilities offer 24-hour nursing care, with professional healthcare staff available to administer medication, monitor health conditions and provide more intensive medical treatment. Nursing homes are ideal for couples who require significant medical attention, either temporarily or long-term.
How to choose the right care option
Choosing the right care for you and your loved one can feel like a big decision, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Here are a few things to consider:
1. How much care is needed?
● If the couple needs round-the-clock medical help, live-in care or a care home might be the better choice. For those who need help with daily tasks or companionship but are otherwise in good health, visiting care might be a good fit. You should also bear in mind that with home care, you get one-to-one support, whereas care home staff care for multiple individuals at one time.
2. What’s most comfortable?
● Does the couple want to stay in the comfort of their own home, surrounded by familiar things, or would they prefer the social setting of a care home?
3. What’s your budget?
● Home care can sometimes be more affordable, especially for those who only need help for a few hours a day. Care homes are often more expensive but they can provide a welcome sense of community.
4. Location matters
● Consider how easy it is to find reliable home care in your area or if there’s a care home nearby. For some, staying close to family or in a familiar area can make all the difference.
5. Location and living arrangements
● As well as location, the way couples are accommodated in care homes can affect costs. In some cases, couples may be placed in separate rooms if their care needs differ or if there aren’t joint spaces available. This separation can result in emotional distress, as well as additional costs for individual accommodation, impacting the overall expense. If both partners need different types of care, this could further influence pricing and arrangements within the care home.
Think about these factors, and you’ll be in a better position to choose the option that works best for your needs, budget and lifestyle.
Factors influencing cost
When deciding between couple care at home and a care home, it’s important to consider the various factors that affect the cost. Here are a few to think about:
1. Level of care needed
● The more support required, the higher the cost. Complex medical needs may lead to higher care home fees, while more basic support needs at home could be less expensive.
2. Location
● Care costs vary depending on where you live in the UK. Urban areas often have higher costs due to demand, while rural areas may have fewer care options, potentially increasing costs for home care.
3. Care Hours or Full-Time Care
● One of the benefits of home care is its flexibility. You can choose visiting care for just a few hours a day, or opt for live-in care to provide support around the clock, without the need to move into a care home. This allows you to tailor the care exactly to your needs, and only pay for the services you use. Plus, home care can often be more cost-effective since you don’t have to cover room and board, and couples can stay together in the comfort of their own home.
Couple care at home vs care home costs
The cost of care varies significantly depending on the type of care chosen. Care homes can be expensive, with fees typically ranging from £1,600 to £4,000 per month. These costs can increase if specialist care is needed. Additionally, moving into a care home means leaving behind the comfort and familiarity of home.
On the other hand, home care offers a more personalised and flexible solution for couples. Visiting care can start at just £60 per week, while live-in care, where a trained carer lives with you, begins at £1,100 per week.
The final cost depends on the level of care and the frequency of visits required, making home care a more affordable and tailored option. To get a precise quote, contact our team to discuss your specific needs.
Financial aid and funding options
When it comes to funding care, both home care and care homes offer potential financial assistance.
For home care, local authority support and NHS funding may cover part of the costs, especially if you meet specific health criteria. Similarly, care homes may be eligible for funding through the local council or NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC), depending on the level of medical care required.
It’s important to explore both options to see which type of care you qualify for assistance with, ensuring the best fit for both needs and budget.
Download our full Financing and Funding Care Guide for free. You’ll find everything you need to know about how to fund care for your loved one in one handy pdf.
Talk to us today
At Trinity Homecare, our ultimate goal is to enrich your life in the comfort and familiarity of your own home. This allows you to live the independent lifestyle that you love without the daunting thought of moving into a care home. We are here to support you with various different forms of live-in and visiting care for couples.
Call us now on 0207 183 4884 in confidence for a free no obligation quotation. If enquiring outside of our opening hours, please complete our online form and we will contact you the next day.
