Vicky Hales-Dutton
/IndexMagazineTW
@IndexMag
@CanterburyIndex
PLANNING FOR LATER LIFE 125 Your home from home
Care home options for you or a loved one, news on new free national advice line to help the elderly, care home society celebrates its 50th anniversary and take advantage of discounted journeys on the Kent & East Sussex Railway
t’s official – we’re living longer so the number of older people in the UK continues to rise. Recent Government figures show a startling 21% increase in people aged 65 and above within the last decade, while the number of those living beyond 85 is up by nearly a third. Where to live following retirement is undoubtedly a conundrum. Older empty nesters may find the family home too big, the stairs too steep or cleaning becomes a struggle. If this happens, the main options are: • Staying at home – with adaptations for ease and security.
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• Moving to a smaller property – this should reduce household bills. • Living with family – being realistic about whether you/they can cope. • Renting/buying sheltered accommodation – you retain independence with support. • Entering a care home – this provides meals, personal care and, potentially, nursing.
It’s hardly surprising that most people prefer to remain at home, and this can be managed, depending on their health and reliance on others. If they need help with washing, dressing, meals or housework – but don’t yet require 24-hour care – the local council can access such support as meals on wheels and home help. Your local authority’s social services department will assess your needs and equipment/adaptations worth up to £1,000 are provided free. For anything more you must apply for a (means tested) Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG). You could also try a Home Improvement Agency, an organisation that helps older or disabled people repair or adapt their homes.
OPTIONS EXPLORED
If staying at home or living with relatives is not for you, how about sheltered accommodation (retirement housing) or a care home? • Sheltered accommodation offers security, privacy and comfort, combined with a
ready-made social life. Residents can buy or rent a self-contained flat or bungalow and can access communal facilities such as a laundry room, dining area, lounge and shared garden. • An alternative is the Retirement Village, and these are springing up all over the county. They offer secure housing to buy (or sometimes rent) within a village-style complex with shared gardens and facilities such as a swimming pool, health club, pub and restaurant/cafe. Different levels of support can be purchased, depending on requirements. Residents bring their own furniture (and pets), decorate as they wish, and are free to have guests. Maintenance costs can be high, though, and residents who die or leave pay an exit fee.
Care or nursing home? People requiring more personal support will most likely have their needs met within a care home. These must meet statutory standards of care, are regularly inspected and the reports published. There are two main types, offering: • Personal care, including bathing, toileting and medication. • Nursing care (nursing homes) to patients with complex needs, including on-going medical conditions/disabilities, such as dementia.
The costs
Accommodation and care costs vary, reflecting the complexity of your needs. The local authority must provide a place for anyone assessed as needing a care home and will evaluate your assets, including your house and savings. You may be eligible for financial help with fees. If you need nursing care your local trust will help pay for the nursing element. Talk to your local authority, agencies such as Age UK or check out www.
dh.gov.uk for information and advice on costs. If you are paying yourself, do ensure that you can pay the fees and consider what happens if and when you cannot.
Discounted rail travel for the Young at Heart
Travel by steam train on the Kent & East Sussex Railway on selected dates throughout the year and, if you are over 60, take advantage of the special £13 return train travel (usually £18), which is valid on all trains departing on the following dates: 4th, 5th, 6th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 18th, 19th and 20th July. (There is no further reduction for groups on these dates.) Passengers can relax in the
beautifully restored carriages while the train travels 21 miles through scenic countryside between Tenterden and Bodiam stations, while visitors can choose to pre-order a delicious cream tea or Ploughman’s lunch to enjoy during the trip. Visitors can also dine in the railway’s licensed restaurant at Tenterden station.
At Bodiam station passengers can enjoy discounted admission to Bodiam Castle with a valid train ticket. When at Tenterden Station why not visit the Colonel Stephens Railway Museum (free to enter with a valid train ticket)? • For more information, call 01580 765155 or visit
www.kesr.org.uk
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