Everyone likes to make plans for the future. Whether it is a holiday booking or a trip to see friends and family, it is good to have something to look forward to. And yet, sometimes planning means preparing for situations we might not necessarily want to face up to, such as ageing or deteriorating health. However, it is only by planning for the future that we can make the right adjustments to a change in lifestyle. To put it another way, it is better to think about how these issues might affect you – as well as the people you love – sooner rather than later. Otherwise, being able to control change as it comes about won’t necessarily be possible resulting in wholesale and more dramatic changes being needed.
A good example of this is why so many people are resistant to professional care packages being put together for them. They often think care in old age, for example, means a residential nursing home. It need not. Equally, people who need help due to ill health or a long-term chronic condition may still want to do everything they can to remain independent. Again, this is possible without having to make big alterations to their lifestyle. How?
The answer that many people are looking for right now with care is in-home assistance. So-called independent living or domiciliary care can be delivered in many different ways to suit individual circumstances. In some cases, for instance, it might mean a carer moving in to help with care throughout the day, even if this is just on a temporary basis. However, it need not be like that at all. Many people just need someone to pop in to help them for an hour or so a few times a week with certain tasks. This is just as much a part of in-home care work as anything else.
Therefore, anyone who has changing needs as they age or as their condition worsens should seek out a care provider who can help them to maintain their lifestyle, not to change it. As things change and care requirements alter, so their care package can be modified. The idea should be to do the things that are needed and helpful and not to undertake what isn’t. This way, care costs can be minimised while allowing you or your loved one to continue residing in the home they know and love.
Crucially, some in-home care services can be provided under state funding rules. You will need to apply for an assessment with your local authority for this to be awarded. Alternatively, why not budget for such care provision privately so you or your family member gets the high-quality care they deserve delivered by professionals with experience in domestic care services? According to one such care provider, Anglian Care, even respite care – whereby the main carer takes a break while a care worker takes over for a time – can make all the difference to both the carer and the person being cared for. So, if you really take your future seriously, this is definitely something to plan for so that everyone involved can benefit.
