Finding the money to fund long-term elderly care can be a worry but as this article shows, you do not need to sell your home in order to pay for care.
Financing long term elderly care can often be one of the most stressful aspects of organizing care for either yourself or a loved one. There are a variety of care options available depending on your circumstances but none of them are cheap and when it comes to something as important as the right elderly care; you will want to pay for the best care possible.
Research by the Live-in Care Hub suggests that many service users have sold, or considered selling, their homes in order to ensure that they have enough finances to comfortably afford long term elderly care for a loved one or for themselves. However, this doesn’t always need to be an option. There are other options available and other financial routes you may take.
Financial help from your local council
If you or your elderly relative do not have large amounts of savings to fall back on to help pay for elderly care then you may be able to apply for social care benefits which will help you to pay for care. This money can be put towards the cost of residential care homes or help to pay for domiciliary of home care services. When there is a medical need for elderly care, the NHS may cover the cost of nurse care.
If your elderly relative has savings of below £23,250 then they may meet the requirements for financial support for their care from your local authority. Your care needs will be assessed by your local social services to determine the level of care required before any benefits are paid. The amount you receive will also depend on how much you can comfortably afford to pay towards your care yourself as well.
Alternatives to expensive care homes
Residential and nursing care homes are without a doubt the most expensive elderly care options. Although your relative may reach a point where they require round the clock support and care, this does not always have to be within a care home setting.
Live-in care services are an excellent bridge between casual support and residential care homes. A carer will move into your or your relative’s property in order to provide care and support for as much time as is required. This will allow your relative to remain in the comfort of their own home which can help with many aspects of both physical and mental wellbeing. Live-in care is also a much more financially viable care option for many families as costs are markedly lower than the cost of moving into a care home or having domiciliary carers coming into the property in shifts.
Live-in care agencies can work with you and your financial budget to find a care plan that suits your needs and your budget. Any social care funding that you are entitled to from your local council can also be used to fund this type of care package which will help to further ease any financial burden so that you do not need to sell your home to fund your elderly care.
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