Read more in Care homes , Extra care , Home care , Live-in care , Younger adults
Your guide to care options
Published: Friday 22nd April 2022
Knowing what care options might be right for you or a loved one can be difficult. With so much information, the biggest challenge is often knowing where to start.
Our guide to care options cuts through all that, helping you find the best care option to suit your needs and requirements.
At Agincare, we provide a pathway of services broken down into five distinct types: care homes, home care, extra care, live-in care and younger adults’ services.
Each of these is able to meet a range of care needs, personal desires and budget and is tailored to you.
Care and nursing homes
A care home supports residents to live as independently as they can within a safe environment. They are staffed 24-hours a day and provide accommodation, meals and personal care for residents.
There are two distinct types of care home.
A care/residential home is run by a team of healthcare professionals who support residents with daily tasks such as washing and dressing.
Nursing homes however, are run by qualified nursing staff and are for people who require ongoing medical support. Such homes also accept individuals who may only require personal care, but whose needs may become more complex in future.
Who are care homes for?
If you or your loved one requires 24-hour care, then a care home may be the best of the care options available.
However, the individual must be willing to move out of their own home or have needs whereby their own residence cannot be made safe or suitable for them.
A care home is also a good option for those who desire company on a regular basis.
What are the benefits of a care home?
Care homes offer around the clock support from trained staff. The presence of other residents and daily activities offer plenty of opportunities for social interaction and exercise.
They also provide reassurance to family and friends that their loved one is receiving the level of expert care they need.
However, for some a care home can signify reduced independence and moving to unfamiliar surroundings can be an unsettling experience.
Care home cost calculator
Complete our short online cost calculator to find suitable homes close to you and give you a guide to the weekly care costs.
Home Care: 24-hour care options
Home (or Domiciliary) care is when the person needing support receives regular visits from a care worker to their own home.
The care worker’s tasks could be helping the service user to get up in the morning, making sure they take their medication at the right time, helping them move around the house, or feeding their pets.
With home care, the care delivered is bespoke to the individual and ensures they receive just the right amount of support they need to live independently.
Who is home care recommended for?
If you or a loved one requires regular support at particular times, or to perform certain activities then home care may be the best care option.
It is the ideal solution for those who wish to continue living independently in their own home. Home care can also be a pathway towards live-in care as care needs increase.
What are the benefits of home care?
Those who choose care at home receive personalised support from qualified care workers at agreed times on a regular basis. This means that the person needing support can continue to live independently at home.
The flexibility of the service guarantees tailored levels of support which can be increased or decreased to suit present needs. With a bespoke care plan, visits can be daily or weekly and can go on for as long as required.
Live-in care: at home care options
Live-in care is the ideal choice of care options for those who need full-time professional care but wish to remain at home.
This involves a care worker moving into the service users home to provide one-to-one support on a 24/7 basis.
With live-in care, nothing needs to change. The individual remains within their own home and community, surrounded by family and friends.
The only difference is that, with a care worker there to provide support and company, family can rest assured, knowing that help is on hand.
Live-in care can be for the short term or long term and is tailored through a personalised care plan.
Who is live-in care recommended for?
Live-in care is recommended for people with a variety of dependency needs who wish to remain at home. It is the ideal choice of care options for those who require more consistent care than can be provided by regular home care visits.
To receive live-in care, the individual must be willing to share their home with a care worker and have a spare room for them to live in.
What are the benefits of live-in care?
The service is unique to all other care options in that it provides one-to-one support from a consistent care worker, enabling them to form a close bond with the service user.
Live-in care can be of great benefit to families with the care worker removing the need for relatives to take on the role of carer for their loved one.
It is also a good care option for couples with varying dependency needs. With a permanent care worker who can support one or both of them, the risk of being separated is reduced.
Cost Calculator
Complete our short online cost calculator to receive a personalised indication of the level and cost of live-in care based on your needs.
Extra care: care for when you need it
Extra care is also known as assisted living or sheltered housing. This is when a resident owns, rents or part-rents their own purpose-built home within a scheme that provides communal spaces and care support for them.
Residents do not need to have specific needs that require care support however, they may choose to live in an extra care scheme in anticipation of their needs increasing over time.
These care options are commissioned by local authorities and are available to people living at, or moving to, selected schemes.
Who is extra care recommended for?
For many, extra care is regarded as the halfway point between home and residential care options.
It is a perfect option for people who are predominantly capable of living independently but may benefit from having the option of care support and provision for emergencies.
A scheme is also beneficial to people who would enjoy being part of a community complex where they can engage in social groups and activities.
What are the benefits of extra care?
By living within a scheme, residents benefit from on-site care support as well as communal spaces where they can engage with others through activities and social clubs.
The secure homes with 24-hour emergency alarms and care services offer reassurance that, as care needs increase, support is available.
Extra care also enables couples to share the same room. This is not always possible in a care home setting.
Agincare Enable: care for younger adults
Our younger adults service, Agincare Enable, supports people who may have a learning disability, autistic spectrum condition, or physical disability; particularly where this presents in a complex way.
With a pathway of care options that includes day support, community outreach, respite and supported living, Enable provides bespoke support environments for a wide range of needs and desires.
This service offers an inclusive, safe and engaging environment and welcomes people to the day service weekdays, evenings and weekends. In addition, Napier Respite provides respite accommodation seven days a week, 365 days a year.
Who is Agincare Enable recommended for?
Our younger adults’ services support people with complex needs who wish to gain independence and pursue personal goals with the help of specialist support from a team of trained support workers.
Enable supports those who wish to gain the skills they need for independence while living within their own community. This could include developing communication skills, building social networks, monitoring health and wellbeing, or just having fun in a safe and supportive environment.
The range of services are designed to suit varying dependency levels with easy transfer from one service to another as needs increase or decrease.
What are the benefits of Agincare Enable?
Agincare Enable supports younger adults to have greater choice and control over their lives; providing the space, support and control they need to develop their skills, work towards their goals, and be as independent as they can.
The service supports people to remain in their local community and provides bespoke environments that cater to complex needs.
Care options tailored to you
At Agincare, our range of care options can be tailored to you and make up a pathway of services; creating a seamless transition from one type of care to another as your needs progress.
Whichever care option is right for you we provide a fully managed service. This means that we oversee the care on behalf of the individual, conducting risk assessments, liaising with the care worker and putting together a tailored support plan.
Through a tailored care package, we can provide support for a variety of needs including:
- Alzheimer’s care
- Cancer care
- Dementia care
- Multiple Sclerosis care
- Palliative care
- Parkinson’s disease care and support
- Stroke care
Whether you are looking at care options for yourself, or for someone else, you should take time to discuss your preferred option with your family to make sure it is the best choice.
You should also consider budget, funding and, if you are to move away from home, the location of the care.
