Ageing Well, at Home

Our population in Devon is an older one, with our average age of 50 being ten years higher than the rest of England figure.* It’s also a vibrant community, keen to age-well and to plan for later life wellbeing.

Research and planning are key to providing peace of mind in later life, and this is especially true when the economy is causing many to consider the combination of both costs and care options.

As the only home care provider in the southwest rated as ‘outstanding in all five areas of inspection’ by the Care Quality Commission, we aim to raise awareness around later life matters and to create safer communities via our free Community Talks, conducted for businesses and organisations including the NHS, providing training and guidance on care choices, dementia, nutrition, scams awareness and more.

Regarding the economy, we know that there are a rapidly increasing number of clients opting for our own Live-In home care as a very viable alternative to residential care. These clients recognise that they can remain at home for a similar monthly cost, in comparison to residential care of the same CQC standard. Our Owner/Director Mark McGlade’s thoughts are clear…

“Our home care visits are a minimum of one hour, which sets us apart from the majority of providers, but our Live-In care is exceptional too. Few of us want to be separated from loved ones, friends or even pets in later life, and Live-In care keeps those ties intact. Plus, if you’re a couple separated by care needs, the costs of funding what are in effect two ‘households’ can be considerable, and these costs are rising with the cost of living.”

Live-In care is a concept that Home Instead clients are embracing, with one contented service user, Miss A, describing the Live-In Care experience, saying “It’s very efficient, very caring and really, I couldn’t wish for better. It’s so reassuring to have the Care Professionals here with me.”

For those living with challenges such as dementia, the small but significant routines of home life can be invaluable and underestimated. The particular layout of home, the furniture, the sound of post dropping through the letter box each day, the familiarity of a cup of tea at a particular time, or the routine of neighbours coming and going each day can prolong memory and cognitive ability, and the sudden change of surroundings and routine when moving from home to residential care, can be hugely debilitating.

Live-In care can also be a flexible solution, where the type and frequency of care given can be increased or decreased, as required. It also allows the usual contact with friends, family and connections with the local community to continue as normal, as the Live-In Care Professional supports the client with their daily needs and wishes, both inside and outside of home – within the set monthly cost. Often, this isn’t the case in residential settings where one to one support isn’t possible, where restrictions and additional charges can apply.

Finding the right care at the right time can be hard, so to support those looking into their options, we have created two handy ‘Checklist’ documents. Both allow the user to consider the many factors involved and to compare providers.

For information regarding Home Instead care services – including Live-In Care – and to access a free copy of our Home Care and Live-In Care Checklists, please contact Home Instead Exeter & East Devon via 01395 200600 or email our team via [email protected]

*Office for National Statistics Census 2021