What is 24-Hour Care?
When people need to make decisions about the next stage of their care journey, they have a number of different options available to them. One of those options is 24-hour care, but what does this entail?
24-hour care is support that is available to anyone who needs extra help to carry on living at home. It can include help with shopping, cooking, cleaning, washing, dressing and all other daily tasks. The need for 24-hour care can be prompted by accident, illness, dementia, frailty, disability, or frailty caused by the ageing process.
How much does 24-hour live-in care cost?
The cost of 24-hour care can vary significantly so you would be well-advised to do proper research and look at a number of providers before making a decision. It is important to assess the price against the quality of the care, for example if it seems as though you would be paying a company significantly below the national minimum wage (£8.72) per hour then this should be cause for concern.
The average cost of live-in care is about £150 per day plus an additional £150 for night support. This means an average of £2,100 per week. If you have complex or challenging needs, you may need support from a nurse as well, which can cost significantly more.
What are the benefits of 24-hour care?
The most obvious benefits of 24-hour care is staying in your home with all of the appropriate support and care you might need. It fits with many people’s vision of what they want and feels like the natural option.
24-hour care support – The primary benefit of 24-hour home care is that it provides carer support all day and all night. Having carers on hand helps means quicker reactions to any falls, changes in condition or accidents.
Peace of mind – Anybody that has cared for a loved one, or knows someone that has, will understand how emotionally and physically stressful it can be. Having care on hand removes some of that stress and pressure.
Independence – Losing your independence and control over your life is often one of the most significant worries for older people, and 24-hour home care can help resolve some of these concerns by allowing the person in need of care to stay in their familiar surroundings.
What are the disadvantages of 24-hour care?
Like everything in life, nothing is perfect and there are pros and cons with everything, but what are the disadvantages of 24-hour Care?
People in your home – Many older people will feel wary about ‘strangers’ moving into their home. This is something worth discussing with loved ones beforehand, so that everyone is prepared.
Not getting on with a carer – People also worry that when you have the same person looking after 24/7, not getting on with them would make it extremely difficult to cope with.
No team to support the carer – one of the advantages that care homes have is a whole team to call upon if a carer is unsure about a resident’s condition. Live in care does not provide that benefit and a carer is left to themselves to a greater extent.
In conclusion, there are many advantages to 24-hour care and it suits many people. However, it is not for everybody, and there are lots of things to consider before making the decision.
For more information or if you wish to discuss care for your loved one please email care@greensleeves.org.uk
