Homecare and care homes offer very different experiences, and different styles of support. Neither is better than the other – it’s about choosing the care and the path which suits you.
Care homes
- Care homes offer facilities and care that often can’t be provided in a typical residential home. These range from services such as hairdressers to social offerings, like in-house cinemas and restaurants.
- Trained nurses and carers provide 24/7 care. This aspect of a care home can be reassuring if that level of care is required. It can also be a good option if you require specialist equipment or medications that need to be administered several times a day or through the night.
- Something to consider is that moving out of your former home – often permanently – into a new shared care home is a major lifestyle change and can be daunting for many.
- While care homes offer shared, communal spaces instead of living rooms and kitchens, you will have your own space and your own bedroom, which you can personalise.
- If you don’t have family or friends living close by who are able to provide care, a care home can remove the stress of trying to access long-term, consistent care. It also provides a built-in community of people to live with, which can be beneficial.
- Family and friends can visit you in a care home at any time.
- Care homes can cost a lot of money, and this is a key consideration for many. As they provide 24-hour care, it can cost thousands of pounds per week. State support for care home costs is available and is means-tested.
Home care
- Homecare enables you to be as independent as possible, living life within your own home and local community.
- It can also be the right choice when you don’t need round-the-clock care or support.
- For example, one person with mobility issues may just need help getting dressed in the morning and getting ready for bed at night. Another person may need assistance on public transport and doing errands outdoors, but is happy and able to move around at home.
- This independence could help people stay stronger and healthier for longer, as it fosters self-care, decision-making and daily physical activity.
- With homecare, you can continue to manage your own household. Many of us certain ways we like things to be done in our own homes – some people enjoy doing their own dishes, for example. In contrast, in a care home, you usually have a housekeeping team that will take care of your laundry and domestic cleaning for you.
- Homecare is typically cheaper and more flexible than a care home, and can be easily integrated with care from other sources, such as friends, neighbours and family. It can also be a short, medium, or long-term choice, whereas moving into a care home tends to be a long-term decision.
Any decision should be centred on what is best for an individual, their health and social needs and how they like to live. Services such as Citizen’s Advice, AgeUK, and your local council’s adult social services department offer free, independent advice.
Here at Ethica, we’re experienced providers of homecare across the county of Hertfordshire. You can contact us by phone on 01442 501162 and via email at herts.team@ethicacare.co.uk. We’re open Monday-Friday 9AM-5.30PM and Saturday-Sunday 8AM-6PM.
For queries outside of Hertfordshire, you can contact our London office on 0207 1128186 or via email at team@ethicacare.co.uk.
