Private care services for elderly people in their own home is also known as homecare. It is a flexible and highly personalised care service that allows older people to receive support while remaining in their own homes. This type of care is tailored to individual needs and can range from a few hours of assistance per week to 24/7 round-the-clock care and support. Private care for the elderly at home can include a wide range of services depending on individual care needs.
One of the advantages of private care is that the elderly person also receives emotional support and daily social interaction, in addition to personal care and specialist support. This is especially beneficial for their well-being if they had previously been living alone. Whilst a residential care or nursing home might seem to offer social interaction, on the face of it, the reality is that people often spend many hours alone in their room. With a private carer at home, people receive personalised attention on a one-on-one basis tailored to individual care needs.
In simple terms, with their own carer people can do what they want, when they want; they can eat what they want (within reason), when they want. These are simple pleasures none of us should be denied in our later years. Another advantage is the familiar environment of home: older people can remain in the comfort of their own homes, surrounded by cherished memories and possessions.
Private home care and a care home are two very different types of elderly care services even though they might sound similar. Perhaps most importantly if the location in which the care is provided. Private carers come to your home – or lives in your home with you – so you can remain in your own familiar, comfortable environment.
In contrast, a care home means that the person has to move into a specialised facility where they will have a private room (and usually a private bathroom) but all other areas such as the dining room and TV room will be communal areas shared with other residents. Along with the communal living environment in a residential home come organised activities and interactions with other residents. For some people this chance to potentially meet other like-minded people may be seen as a good opportunity. For others it can be a daunting prospect to lose a level of privacy and to be sharing your living space with other people that you don’t know.Nursing homes will often have qualified nurses and other healthcare professionals, such as physiotherapists, on-site to provide medical care and handle health needs. A private carer may not always offer medical services, focusing more on personal self care and support to help a person stay independent. But health and medical care is sometimes available from specialist carers for things like early-stage dementia, after discharge from hospital or post-surgery recovery.
Carers can also arrange visits to hospital, and liaise with healthcare professionals for very complex health needs.Private carers offer more personalised, one-on-one attention tailored to individual preferences and needs. That means that older people can maintain a higher level of independence and control over their daily routines. The care provided is flexible so could be just a few hours a day or 24/7. With private homecare there is no need to make an “all or nothing“ decision and move out of your home. And by staying in your family home, you can maintain existing social connections and full family involvement in your life. In fact, with dedicated carers you can even re-establish social connections in your local area because the carer provides a helping hand to get out and about more easily to local activities.
Private home care also plays a crucial role in maintaining older people’s independence because carers are a friendly face supporting their clients in pursuing their interests, hobbies, and goals, which fosters a sense of achievement and well-being. Older people remaining in their family home are also empowered to make choices about their care and daily activities, preserving their autonomy even when facing physical or cognitive challenges. Making their own decisions and choices – even for something as simple as what to eat for lunch – has the added benefit of providing much-needed mental stimulation for older people and can help keep minds active.
It is important to understand how you will fund private homecare for yourself or a loved one. An Independent Financial Advisor is a good starting point, particularly a local IFA with experience in financing homecare. They will be able to help explain your options to you so that you can make an informed decision about financing the kind of care you or your loved one wants to have in later life.
You can find out more about ways to pay for care services here
Quite simply, private homecare services provide more personalised, flexible care for you or a loved one in a familiar environment, promoting independence and a sense of well-being. And often at a lower cost than a residential or nursing home.
