Accepting the need for additional support can be a daunting prospect for many older people to come to terms with – but it’s best to start making plans if you’re considering care home alternatives. For most, the idea of moving into an elderly home, and losing a lot of independence in the process, is a less than appealing option. Luckily, with a variety of choices on offer nowadays, this doesn’t have to be inevitable.
Preparation and prevention are key – and while staying in good health and exercising regularly are great places to start; it’s worth putting some more concrete plans in place. From down-sizing to adapting the home, we’ve created this post as an overview of these care home alternatives – so you can decide on the best option for you.
Down-sizing as a Care Home Alternative
Of the 12.3 million UK residents over the age of 65, around 3.1 million feel like they’ve got to ‘stay put’ in their current housing arrangement – with the upheaval of moving being too off-putting for many. Despite this, downsizing to a smaller property is still one of the best ways to ensure that you can remain living independently, and with a good quality of life, for as long as possible.
You may be fit as a fiddle now but getting older is inevitable – so it’s important to be prepared for the unexpected when it comes to your health. Moving into a smaller, single-storey building, such as one of our annexes, can not only decrease potential stresses on your mobility, but will also require less upkeep and maintenance due to their reduced size. Somebody To Lean On – Family and Friends
While you may be adamant that moving to a care home isn’t an option for you, it’s important to acknowledge that you’re probably going to need more assistance as you get older and a care home alternative will be needed. Relocating to a property closer to your existing support network of family and friends is a great alternative to getting this support – and an increasingly popular one at that.
An estimated 1.5 million older people rely on their relatives for support, preferring the comfort of having care provided for them by someone they know and trust as opposed to a hired carer they may be unfamiliar with. With family and friends able to provide help that is often quite substantial, moving within a closer distance to them can be a no brainer.
Here at iHus, we understand the appeal of being close to your support network as you grow older. Our wide range of annexes, and array of customisation options for them, are the perfect way to tackle any of your concerns directly. Having an annexe built in the garden of a loved one allows you to continue living independently in a smaller, more appropriate space – all while having access to support that is quite literally on your front doorstep.
Making Changes – Adapting the Home
For some individuals however, moving out of the place they call home is simply not an option – be it due to practical issues, sentimental reasons or otherwise. If this is the case for you, there are other ways you can prepare for the later stages in life without needing to relocate to a care home or smaller property.
One option could be to adapt or renovate your current property, and it’s a good idea to make these changes while you’re still able to do so. Installing traditional aids, such as grab rails and stair lifts, are popular, tried and tested methods which can ensure you’re as prepared as possible for any future changes to your health or mobility. What’s more – modern aids, such as devices that can track for consistent movement across a property, are only working to enhance this.
Adapting a home however – while certainly an option, can only do so much to assist you with living on a larger property. Our bespoke line of annexes come in a range of sizes to suit your needs and we take pride in kitting them out with all the aids you’ll need to live comfortably. With all our builds fully customisable, we’ll work with you to create a space that truly feels like home and gives you the accessibility support you may need now or in the future.
A Professional Service – In-Home Care
Making adjustments to your current property is certainly an option, but you may also find that a professional service – provided either through a home care agency or with a private carer, is a great way to supplement it.
If you or a loved one is starting to find it difficult to carry out day-to-day tasks and personal care routines – such as getting dressed, washing or cleaning the house; then help can be provided. Not only this, it’s typically tailored to suit your needs – so there’ll be as little disruption to your life as possible. Different people will need varying levels of care so, while some may require external help on a full-time basis, others may only need it for a few hours each week.
Councils and the NHS are also increasingly investing in ‘telecare’ and ‘telehealth’ technologies to help their carers do their job in a more effective way. Devices can now be used to remind elderly homeowners to take their medications; or as a way for care staff to monitor things like blood pressure remotely so they don’t have to intrude if they don’t need to.
There’s downsides to this option though as in-home care is in high demand and can often be an expensive solution. As such, it may be preferable to move closer to relatives by building an annexe in their garden – so they can offer support free-of-charge. In-home care can still be used to supplement this and take some of the pressures off your loved ones – but it would certainly be a less expensive option than full-time care.
There are plenty of alternatives to going into a care home and here at iHus we’re extremely passionate about building spaces that can ensure comfortable, independent living for as long as possible.
Trust in iHus
With over ten years in the business and nearly 300 annexes built, why not get in touch with our friendly team to see how we can build you the annexe space of your dreams – and provide a care home alternative that suits your lifestyle.
