Care Home or Home Care?
Why you should consider care at home before a care home in Basingstoke.
Home care, live-in care and care homes all sound very similar, but they are actually completely different propositions.
Home care provides support in a person’s own home, and comprises visits to perform identified tasks or provide general support. The duration and number of visits can vary from an hour (our minimum visit) to several hours, potentially several times each day or all day, and up to seven days per week.
With live-in care, the carer lives with the elderly person in their home. They would be contracted to work say eight to ten hours per day, would be given a complete break for around two hours per day, and would be available for the rest of the time (including overnight) for any emergencies that might arise.
The term care home is a broad term covering a range of residential care types, from homes for those who are relatively well and able bodied, to homes specialising in care for people with dementia, to nursing homes where the residents are often bed bound and need constant care. Residents can move in for brief periods, for respite care to give family members a break, or long term.
Keeping Loved Ones In Their Family Homes
For many of us, staying in our own home is critically important. After all, we have loved and lived in our homes for many years, and it is a major and highly demoralising step to have to leave it. This is demonstrated by the survey result that 71% would even prefer to reach the end of their life in their own home.
Why move into a care home in Basingstoke if you can remain at home instead, with the exact support that you need? What’s to beat maintaining your independence, continuing with your normal daily routines, remaining close to friends and family, and continuing to make your own day to day decisions for as long as you possibly can? Both home care and live-in care are flexible arrangements which enable you to do this whilst increasing the level of support as necessary to meet your needs.
Home Care And Live-In Care Are Amazing For Those Living With Dementia
One aspect of dementia is the increasing inability to adapt to change. It is easy to see how those living with dementia can be supported more successfully whilst at home, where they remain more responsive and active whilst in familiar surroundings with the support of those they have come to know and trust. Studies have shown that a person can lead a higher quality of life when surrounded by familiar paintings, photographs, furniture, and people.
Home care for those with dementia can start with a few visits a week to provide mental stimulation, social interaction and outings for shopping or favourite activities, adding meal preparation and help around the house as necessary, and fitting around support provided by the family. In due course the care package can be expanded to cover personal care, from assistance with choosing what to wear, through prompting and encouragement, up to full personal care support.
Key though, particularly with dementia, is consistency. A good home care provider will provide visits at agreed regular times by a single carer or a small consistent care team – carers who are not recognised or trusted will often find their attempts to help are rebuffed.
As needs increase, there can be a natural progression into live-in care. With Home Instead Basingstoke, a client can make a natural progression from just four hours’ home help per week to multiple personal care visits every day and on to full live-in or 24 hour support.
How Do Costs Compare?
The cost of home care services will start off small and increase in line with increasing need, reflecting flexibility and hence value which are not available from care homes. Live-in care too can be flexible, potentially varying from part time to full time live-in.
Full time live-in is generally about the same price as a care home in Basingstoke, but in both cases of course costs will reflect the quality of the service provided. The big difference will be that with live-in care your loved one remains independent and in the comfort of their own home, with a support package that can be tailored to their needs and adjusted as needs change.
To discuss your particular needs or how best to provide support for your loved one, do please give us a ring on 01256 840 660, send us an email at [email protected] or complete our online enquiry form. We look forward to speaking to you and exploring how we can help.