Affordable alternative to expensive care at home

The right care package to allow loved ones to stay in their own home can cost thousands – but other options are available
Ad Feature by Taking Care
Published 5th Apr 2022, 11:01 BST
The high cost of elderly care: this could be an affordable choice.The high cost of elderly care: this could be an affordable choice.
The high cost of elderly care: this could be an affordable choice.

For most of us, our homes are where we imagine growing old, surrounded by the people and things that we cherish. Familiarity makes us feel happy and secure, and able to continue enjoying our lives and doing the things we love.

Yet as we age, we can suffer illness or become unsteady on our feet and it’s natural to start thinking about how we can continue to stay safe and independent in our own homes. This is especially true for the many people who live alone. What if I feel unwell or if I fall and who will be there to help me?

Increasing numbers of people in the UK now care for an older family member. Whilst this provides reassurance and support, it can also be a challenge to the family carer who may be juggling their care responsibilities with work and looking after their own families.

What care options are available?

Depending on the level of support needed, there are many care services available. Perhaps you or a loved one find it difficult to cope with daily tasks and require some home help from a care professional. Or live-in care may be appropriate where full-time care to remain in your own home is needed. Sometimes residential care or a nursing home may seem the only option for someone struggling to live at home alone.

These care options, whilst providing reassurance and support, often come at a high financial cost. The typical monthly cost for a carer to visit you at home is around £960, whilst a live-in carer can cost around £4500 per month. When it comes to care homes, these can cost around £3616 per month.

Care can also limit freedom and you may not feel comfortable having people other than your friends and family coming into your home.

Telecare and personal alarms to provide peace of mind

Telecare can be an excellent and affordable choice if you or a loved one are worried about staying safe in your own home. It can be an important first step to maintaining independence for longer and a vital addition to care at home, providing the support and reassurance when a carer isn’t around, should you fall or feel unwell.

Ranging from easy-to-use personal alarms through to more sophisticated passive monitoring solutions, technology enable care can help family feel confident that their loved ones are safe and well, and can get help in any emergency, day or night.

Taking Care offers a range of personal alarms that work in the home or out-and-about, each one fully supported by a 24/7 monitoring service. In the event of a fall or medical emergency, the highly trained Emergency Resolution Team will be immediately notified and will get the appropriate help as needed.

If you or a loved one want to remain independent in your own home but feel safe in the knowledge that help is available 24/7, go online or call to learn how a personal alarm can give peace of mind to you and your family.

Visit taking.care/cost-of-care or phone 0800 678 3891 to find out more.