How much we pay for care is a subject that’s been in the news a lot recently. For many people, it’s tempting to want to stay in their own home for as long as possible. The cost of moving into a care home is often a major factor in this decision.
When buying a car most people will look beyond the price in the windscreen. You have to take into account other factors such as fuel consumption, the cost of insurance, servicing costs. It’s called the ‘total cost of ownership’.
You can apply the same thinking when you look at the cost of care.
At first sight, staying in your own home and being visited by a carer may seem a cheaper and less stressful option than moving into a care home. But, by digging a little deeper, we can see how the costs really stack up against each other.
Dawn Williams, director of community relations at Sunrise Senior Living in Bramhall, explains that every person’s care needs are unique and so any ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to pricing care is full of pitfalls. “We can talk in general terms about pricing, but each person will have more or fewer needs than the next. That’s why, at Sunrise, every resident is assessed so that the true cost of care can be as clear as possible.”
Dawn points out the need to look at the bigger picture. “In a care home such as Sunrise, you can rest assured that care is on hand 24 hours a day, every single day of the year. You can also be sure that your bills, food, laundry and housekeeping are all included. There’s no need to manage your utility and other household bills anymore. It’s all part of the cost. Also, what sort of price can you put on being part of a community of people where there’s always something happening and always care at hand?”
A major concern, for many, will be facing long periods alone between short visits by carers. This can add extra stress to the family, calls during the night, cancelled holidays and the guilt of not being able to be there all the time.
Not forgetting the house still has to be maintained, bills still have to be paid on time and gardens kept in order.
The point is clear: whilst staying at home can initially seem the easy option, the reality can be far different.
Sunrise Senior Living in Bramhall
“The key is to look at the value you get from any care service,” says Dawn. “It’s not just a matter of counting how many hours of care you think will be needed; it’s a matter of counting all those hours when families and friends will be free from everyday worries, free from the practicalities of care at home and free to enjoy a stress free relationship with their loved one.”
For more information visit www.sunrise-care.co.uk/bramhall or call Dawn and the team on 0161 820 9448.
