Looking after an elderly parent or loved one by yourself can be quite a task. It requires a great deal of balancing daily activities and their needs. Sometimes, you may feel that the care you provide is insufficient to meet their needs. Other times, you may struggle to balance the responsibilities bestowed upon you. At times like these, you might consider various types of senior care.
But elderly care in the UK comes under many guises and it’s important to understand the differences between each type because no two people are the same and each will require their own unique approach to care. Let’s explore what options you have available and which one could be the best for you.
Why is elderly care important?
Support for the elderly in the UK is becoming ever more important owing to the rising ageing population and the demands that this places on families. As such, if you’re providing care for elderly at home and you wish to consider some of your options, it’s important to first realise that elderly care is crucial to our societies for multiple reasons. These include:
- Elders are a part of our families and communities
- They require care that respects their dignity and well-being
- When fulfilled, they can avoid feelings like helplessness, depression, anxiety and more
- Elderly care fosters strong familial bonds and relationships
- When done right, it brings people closer together
- It relieves the current primary caregiver who can also lead a more fulfilling life with less stress
- And so much more!
What are the different types of care for elderly?
With these reasons at the heart of your decision making process, it’s worth considering your options regarding the different types of care for the elderly in the UK. Some of the most common ones include:
Home care
Home care is a type of care service that is provided to seniors to help ease their daily tasks and takes place in the person’s own home. It can be carried out for as little as half an hour to a few hours – depending on your loved one’s needs.
It also involves helping with tasks that are becoming ever more strenuous for them to carry out themselves such as personal care, meal preparation and even light housekeeping. The carers are also usually well trained to administer medication although this type of care is typically non-medical in nature.
Care homes
A small switch in words and we also have care homes where your elderly loved ones are moved into to get round-the-clock care with things like bathing, dressing, eating and more. In such facilities, which tend to be more costly, the elderly person is usually assigned their own room to live in although there are communal areas for shared activities with other residents.
Care homes come in the forms of assisted living communities, senior living facilities, nursing homes (where high levels of medical care are provided), retirement communities or continued care retirement communities and independent living communities where elderly residents can generally look after themselves but would like to be in a community with others in their own age group.
Continuous or hybrid care
This type of care is a plan that’s individually tailored to your loved one’s needs. It may involve a combination of outpatient day medical care and being in a care home for other periods of time. It’s essentially a care plan as opposed to a method of care.
Living with a family member
An elderly carer may also be a family member where they relocate the elderly person to their own home or where they provide care to the person in their own home for a certain period of time – whether daily or weekly. This option, however, can be quite strenuous on the family member providing the care and support that the senior person may need.
Living away from their own home can also affect their levels of independence and overall well-being. It can also be strenuous on relationships and you’ll further need to consider their medical needs to ensure a completely healthy and safe environment for them.
Live-in care
In more serious situations, you may also require live-in care, which is 24/7 care where a specially assigned carer is allocated to your loved one and lives in their home. This carer is available to meet your loved one’s needs as and when they occur. They’re also specially trained in all aspects of care such as toileting and bathing, dressing, meal preparation, medicine administration and many others.
What are the most common types of senior living options?
With home care and live-in care as the two most popular and common options, there are further subdivisions and categories in terms of the different types of care for the elderly. Below is a list of the main ones.
- Respite care: respite care is when the primary caregiver literally requires some “respite” from their care responsibilities, which can become strenuous over time. It can range from a day to several days or longer, depending on your particular needs.
- Dementia care: if your loved one is suffering from dementia, then allocating the right carer to them who specialises in dementia care could be the best option for you. Dementia carers are patient, flexible, compassionate and strong. They know how to handle the difficulties that come with this ailment and are also good communicators who engage with the rest of the family on a regular basis.
- Physical disability care: this type of care is provided when your loved one suffers from a physical disability. Some of the type of help you can receive with this type of care includes daily tasks, food preparation, medication administration, light housekeeping and more.
- Palliative care: this is a special type of care for people who are experiencing serious and long-term illnesses, those with untreatable conditions and even terminal conditions. Pain management is a major part of palliative care as is comfort and great levels of support.
Get in touch with a professional senior carer today!
The space of elderly home care is quite broad and navigating it can feel like an overwhelming challenge given your desire to do the best for your loved one who needs it most. However, it must be remembered that whether dementia or palliative care, your loved one will be most comfortable in familiar surroundings whilst getting the help they need to complete their daily activities more seamlessly.
As such, choosing the right type of care doesn’t have to be a pain. It’s something that we’re more than happy to discuss with you and we’re on hand and ready to help you at every step of the way. Simply reach out to us and we’ll ensure your loved one gets the right type of care in the best possible way.
