Five reasons why home care is better than a care home

What you’ll get in the guide

• What are the signs that your loved one needs care and how to talk to them about it
• What is home care, which other options are available and which one is the best for you
• What costs are involved, and how to pay for home care
• What to look for in a carer

Why home care is better than care homes

The care you need

Home care services are flexible and adaptable. Caregivers can be employed to come into the home and provide just a few hours of help with chores or twenty-four-hour nursing care to support with complex health needs. The right care can be found to suit the family budget and your loved one’s individual needs.

Future-proof care

Reliable and trusted live in carers can adapt to respond to evolving needs. A carer can start off by offering a friendly face and a helping hand. If your loved one loses function, they may be able to extend the service to support self-care and toileting or to supervise medication.

Familiar features

The essential advantage of home care is that your loved one stays at home. Being surrounded by home comforts, photos, a squashy armchair and your favourite mug can make an enormous difference to wellbeing and quality of life. This familiarity is especially important for people affected by dementia, where strange environments can lead to increasing levels of confusion and distress.

Keeping routines regular

When your loved one is at home, they can set their own schedule.  Rather than fitting in with an institutional timetable, they can choose preferred meal times and the routines they love. They can continue to enjoy hobbies, clubs and their favourite soap opera, without fighting over the remote control. This consistent daily structure can improve independence and function, especially in those affected by Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia.

Friends, family and four-legged companions

It can be challenging to find a residential facility in your part of town, village or suburb. Staying at home means that friends, family and neighbours can pop in easily, so there is less chance of loneliness and the depression that can go with it. If your loved one has pets, they can stay at home together and the carer can take them out for a walk.

Controlled care

When you hire a home carer, you can check them so that you know they can be trusted with the care of your loved one.  You can look at references, interview them and observe a trial session so that you are reassured that your loved one is safe in their hands.

The hometouch difference

hometouch is an introductory agency for carers. The caregivers are self-employed professionals, which means the costs are lower to the customer. The families have greater choice, transparency, control and continuity of care and the carer is also better paid and rewarded for a job well done.