Care for older people - care and support

There are many kinds of care and support for older people available, ranging from a little bit of help ay home to moving into a care home with 24-hour care. But deciding which solutions are right in caring for older people is not easy. This may be because of the personality of the person being care for, or what is affordable. Our elderly care advice service aims to help identify the right care services for older people at the right time.

The first step

If any kind of care and support for older people is needed, you are entitled to a social care needs assessment carried out by your local authority (council). An assessment is the best way of finding out what care is needed so it’s always a good idea to ask for one. Following an assessment, unless the care needs are critical, the council may not be able to provide regular direct support for older people and may leave it to the person, their family or carers to make the necessary arrangements for getting the help they need. However, separate from the care services for older people some home adaptations and equipment may be provided and/or funded by or through the council. See ‘Staying Put'.

A little bit of help at home - support for older people

There are many different ways support for older people can be provided. Help with shopping, cleaning, the garden, or odd jobs. Company, or someone to walk with, transport and social and leisure activities.

Care at home - care for older people

Care services for older people are available providing help with vital personal care for those who can’t manage alone any longer, such as help to get up and go to bed, help with meals and bathing or showering.

Adapting your home

Home adaptations can be a good way of enabling older people needing care to stay in their own home. For example, installing a more suitable bath or shower, perhaps a bedroom and/or bathroom downstairs, or a stairlift? There are many ways in which a home may be made suitable so as to provide support for older people and there are local agencies that can provide elderly care advice in assessing a property for adaptation.

Moving to specially designed housing

Moving to an already adapted or specially designed flat or apartment is an option many older people choose. There are numerous and varied housing schemes available, including extra care housing where the caring for older people is provided by regular carers and support services are on hand.

Find a retirement or extra care housing scheme

Moving to a care home

If a lot more care is needed (personal care and/or nursing care) than can be provided at home, it may be decided that a move to a care home is the right choice. There are many different sorts of care home and FirstStop elderly care advice can help with choosing the right one.

Paying for care - FirstStop Advice service

As part of First Stop Advice, local NHFA Care Fees Advisers who specialise in care funding and elderly care advice can help you fully understand any entitlements from the State and provide financial advice on care plans and other options available to you for meeting what can sometimes be very high care costs. Seeking appropriate advice may be able to help as far as possible preserve capital and savings.

Request written, personal funding advice from FirstStop or call the FirstStop Advice Line to find out more - 0800 377 70 70

NHFA Care Fees Advisers all hold the advanced qualification in long term care funding (the ‘CF8’ qualification). You can find other financial advisers through the website www.unbiased.co.uk.

Some care is free

If care needs are primarily health care needs there may be an entitlement care services for older people being fully funded through NHS continuing healthcare.

Older people who have been detained in hospital for assessment and treatment under the Mental Health Act may be entitled to free Section 117 aftercare.

Support for carers

Those who need support to continue caring for older people at home can get it. For example, someone to be with the person being looked after to give you a break, or time to attend to your own affairs and appointments.

Carers: what support is available?