If you’re looking for additional support caring for parents or elderly relatives, you may believe your only option is to consider moving them to a nursing or residential home. But this isn’t the case – there are several alternatives to care homes, including care at home.
At Trinity Homecare, we have been providing care and support in the comfort of people’s own homes for over 25 years. From comprehensive live-in care for those needing round-the-clock support to visiting care tailored to suit the needs of your loved one, we can provide bespoke and fully tailored support.
What are the alternatives to care homes?
While elderly care homes or nursing homes may provide the ideal solution for some people, many are now seeking alternative care options. There are several alternatives to care homes, including:
Home care
Home care gives individuals the opportunity to receive professional care services in the comfort of their own homes.
This offers numerous benefits, including:
- Alleviating the need for them to leave the area they are familiar with
- Enabling them to keep their beloved pets
- Allowing them more independence
- Having visitors over whenever they like
- Following a schedule or daily routine that works for them
- Getting one-to-one support
- Care is personalised
Home care can be fully tailored to an individual’s specific needs, whether that is nurse-led care for complex medical conditions like dementia or palliative care or helping with daily chores like preparing meals. This ensures that whatever your loved one’s needs can be met in a way that works for them. It can also encompass as much or as little support as required, from full-time live-in care to a few hourly care visits per week.
At Trinity Homecare, we can provide comprehensive home care bespoke to your loved one’s needs, ensuring they get the high-quality care they deserve in the home they love.
Moving in with family
Moving in with family members ensures loved ones receive the care and support they need from those they love in a familiar and nurturing environment.
Some of the benefits of moving in with family members include:
- Care is provided by people you know and trust
- It can strengthen family bonds and relationships
- It can help alleviate feelings of loneliness or isolation
- It can provide a sense of security and belonging, with help readily on hand as and when it is needed
- Can be more cost-effective as it eliminates the need to pay for care
- Elderly relatives may still be able to be an active part of the household and take on some smaller chores
- Improve the well-being of those being cared for
However, it is also important to acknowledge that moving family members into your home is a significant decision that considers careful planning and preparation. Being on hand to care for your loved one may mean adjusting your hours or even giving up your job or hobbies. You’ll also need to consider what happens when you want to take holidays, will other family members help, or will you require respite care from specialist carers?
You should also be honest about what support you can provide and whether this meets your loved one’s needs. Depending on your circumstances and your loved one’s needs, this option may not be feasible.
Sheltered housing
Sheltered housing could be the ideal solution if you’re looking for independent living alternatives. It offers older adults a sense of independence but ensures they can still access essential support services. Typically, it comprises self-contained flats with communal areas and amenities where residents can socialise. This helps prevent loneliness while ensuring people still get their own space and sense of autonomy.
Sheltered housing benefits from a warden on site who oversees maintenance and repairs in the homes and offers assistance as needed. Properties are also equipped with a 24-hour emergency alarm, ensuring a rapid response in case of emergencies.
Sheltered housing does not generally offer any medical or nursing care, so is usually more suited to those with minimal medical and care needs. However, some sheltered accommodation providers do offer ‘extra care’ options and can provide daily assistance with tasks like personal care and meal preparation.
Retirement villages
Another increasingly popular option for those seeking independent living alternatives is a retirement village. These communities have been specially designed to provide residents with a comfortable lifestyle surrounded by various facilities and conveniences.
Retirement villages often have facilities that promote physical activity, social engagement and personal enrichment. These can include on-site gyms, libraries, social groups, organised outings and more.
Unlike in elderly care homes, the focus of retirement villages is on allowing residents to maintain control over their daily routines while reassuring them that support services are available if needed. This can make them an attractive option for those who still want to maintain their sense of independence.
However, like with sheltered care, if your loved one has complex medical needs and requires comprehensive support with daily tasks, then home care from specialist carers or a residential or nursing home may be a better option.
Does a care home offer good value for money?
When weighing up care options for elderly loved ones, we know that cost will play a factor. Many people believe that a care home may be their only option due to the prohibitive costs of alternatives to care homes, but this isn’t always the case. In fact, at Trinity Homecare, our live-in care costs are comparable to those of a care home.
With our live-in care costs, you get quoted a weekly inclusive price based on your loved one’s assessed needs, ensuring no hidden extras. Having this pricing upfront can make it easier for you to understand the annual cost of care. What’s more, with live-in care, you have the peace of mind that your loved one will always receive one-to-one support in the comfort of their home.
Most care homes on the other hand charge a set weekly fee. While this can initially seem cheaper than live-in care, it is important to look into any costs that are not covered by this fee. Some care homes separate out ‘care’ and ‘accommodation’ costs while others will charge for any extras your loved one may choose like a daily newspaper, therapy appointments or social events. This can mean the actual price paid varies from month to month which can make financial planning harder.
Ultimately deciding whether a care home offers good value for money, will depend on what they charge, what extras are billed, and whether it is able to provide the best kind of care for your loved one.
Signs your elderly loved one needs support
When it comes to caring for parents or elderly relatives, introducing the idea that they may need additional support can sometimes be difficult. Your loved one may not be ready to admit that they need help and may feel like a failure for asking for additional support.
However, planning ahead for their care needs can be beneficial as it ensures they get the care and support they need to live a full life. As a result, it is important to know the signs to look out for that may indicate they need additional support.
Common signs your elderly loved one needs support can include:
- Problems with mobility
- Difficulty carrying out normal day-to-day tasks
- Poor hygiene
- Frequent accidents or falls
- Medication mismanagement
- Getting confused or forgetful
- Mood swings
- Withdrawal from usual activities
- Behavioural changes
- Poorly maintained house
- Weight loss
- Increased sleepiness
- Social isolation
- Changes to appetite
- Depression
Spotting these signs early can enable you to address your concerns with your loved one so that together, you can discuss what their wishes are when it comes to being cared for. Knowing about the alternatives to care homes can also be beneficial as it allows you to explore all the options available and work out which is best for your loved one.
Trusted home care from Trinity
Trinity Homecare is a fully managed care agency with an ‘Outstanding’ CQC rating, placing Trinity amongst the top 4% of all nationwide care companies in England. With this in mind, you can rest assured that your loved one will receive the highest standard of care and specialist support.
If you have any questions about arranging home care, simply get in touch with our helpful and knowledgeable care team.
Arranging nationwide dementia care with Trinity is straightforward.
Simply follow these five steps:
- Call our care team
- Undergo a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your care needs and arrange a care assessment
- After the assessment, a plan of care is created
- A well-suited carer is found and placed
- Care can be adapted at any time
