Posted by Rob King
Whoever said ‘you can have it all’ was clearly misguided!
Many of us are experiencing a demanding time in our lives where we seem to be both cash and time poor (how did that happen?), when, on top of everything else, our parents urgently need support too – perhaps more than we can actually give them, however much we might want to.
So feelings of guilt and frustration often set in.
Presenting at a webinar with employees of London-based professional services firms recently, Autumna’s founder, Debbie Harris found just how significant an issue this is, and confirmed the knowledge gaps that exist amongst those who find themselves responsible for organising care for elderly parents, or even grandparents.
First of all, no one has any ‘spare’ time, and without knowing what is going to be involved in finding the best elderly care solution, it’s hard to know where to start.
Because we don’t tend to plan for later life care, we don’t know what to look for or where to go for guidance, despite the enormous amount of information that is actually ‘out there’. We tend to wait for the situation to reach a crisis point. It’s only then that we find that synchronising a variety of services is immensely challenging. It’s only then that we find that understanding the variety of options available for our ageing parents – whether that be care homes, home care, live in care - requires time-consuming investigation.
'This is precisely why Autumna was established: to provide information and access to everything you would need to know – in one place, and thus help you to plan effectively for the future – whether for yourself, your partner or your parents.'
The webinar attracted more than 300 participants, all of whom had responsibility for supporting their elderly parents in some way. They were all involved in trying to find their way through the social care maze.
Their main concerns and questions, when looking for care for an elderly relative, are highlighted below
Some of the answers to those questions can be found here: Planning
Autumna answers these questions here: Care advice
Autumna partners with Schroders Personal Wealth (SPW) who we can work with you to develop a financial plan that reflects your unique outlook on life.
Autumna partner with legal advisers, Parfitt Cresswell: Many of the answers can be found here, Legal advice but they can also be contacted by phone on: 0800 999 4437
The following final two categories that can be pulled out of the webinar responses illustrate the need for support in the more emotional areas involved in finding care for an elderly parent as well as the practical. They also highlight the value in planning early for later life care.
We can all save ourselves a lot of worry and stress if we address a difficult subject in advance – before it becomes difficult – than if we ignore the future and just keep our fingers crossed, whilst that lurking elephant in the room becomes enormous.
As the manager of a truly wonderful care home in Tunbridge Wells said to Autumna just last week:
‘If more people planned for this in good time, they could come in here and really enjoy living, rather than just coming in expecting to die.’
If you need help finding a care home or domiciliary care, you might find this quick and easy questionnaire and shortlisting service useful.
Alternatively, if you just want general advice on next steps in your search for later-life care, email Autumna on info@autumna.co.uk or ring our advice line which is open every day of the week (Mon – Fri 8.30am -5.30pm, Sat 10am – 5pm, Sun 10am – 4pm) on 01892 335 330.
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Autumna is the UK's largest and most comprehensive later-life living & elderly care directory. Our detailed search facility and team of expert advisors can help you find the best care homes, nursing homes, retirement homes, retirement villages, home care, and live-in care services for you or your loved one's needs. Our website is free to use, we are proudly independent, and we never take referral fees.