FirstStop quick guides to growing older...

Most people do not plan to move home in later life, and if you are finding it difficult to manage, but would like to stay put, there are ways in which you can make life easier or safer. However if you are considering moving, there are now several types of housing purpose-designed for elderly people. If you feel you need daily care, then there are also choices to make - between care in your home, care in a special housing setting, or moving into a care home. Our guides look at all these options in more detail, and are written by our experinced advice team. For each one we have selected a limited number of factsheets, leaflets and books most likely to give you the information you are looking for.

Housing and support options for people with dementia

Dementia is the term used for a group of symptoms that can affect the memory and lead to mood changes and difficulties with communication and reasoning. Early diagnosis can determine if drugs can help to delay the impact of the condition. It can also help people to live positively with dementia by considering their options in relation to their housing, care, support, health and general wellbeing. This page provides links to the key resources available for those who support people with dementia.

Finance

Housingcare.org and EAC FirstStop Advice firmly believe that financial security is an essential ingredient in providing older people with a sense of well-being. FirstStop has produced two guides ‘Finding and Funding a Care Home’ and ‘Releasing Capital from Your Home’ FirstStop has also carefully chosen a number of providers of financial advice who specialise in the areas which are most likely to affect older people at some time in their retirement.

Staying put, staying at home

Selected guidance on staying in your own home and receiving domestic and home care services. Staying in your own home or moving? Is your present home suitable for you? Could alterations to your home help? What about home care?

Equity release

Equity release is a tool enabling home owners to use the value of their homes to produce a capital sum or an income while they continue to live there. There are various types of equity release schemes; we recommend that you take independent financial and legal advice before entering into such schemes. There are numerous providers of equity release plans. Every lender can have differing interest rates, loan criteria and customer benefits, each of which need to be thoroughly researched to match your personal needs.

Care at home

Many people who find it difficult to manage or who can no longer deal with all their personal care (getting up/going to bed, dressing, bathing, toileting etc), can still remain at home if the right level of care or support can be arranged.

Sheltered housing and sheltered accommodation

Sheltered, retirement or warden-assisted housing are all terms used to describe accommodation provided specifically for elderly people. Schemes usually have the services of a warden or scheme manager, though increasingly this person lives off site, or the service is provided as 'floating support', with periodic visits from a member of staff.

Housing-with-care (extra care housing)

Assisted living, extra care housing or housing-with-care are terms used to described various models of retirement housing for older people who can no longer live completely on their own but do not need 24-hour complex medical supervision.

Retirement villages

The name Retirement Village refers mainly to the size of a development - say 100 units or more. Retirement villages are a relatively new type of housing for elderly people, but are growing in popularity in the UK.

Close care housing

Close care is a term used to describe various models of elderly people's housing where there is sheltered/retirement accommodation linked to or on the same site as a care home.

Residential care homes

Care homes for personal care, sometimes known as residential homes, are for people who need 24 hour support. Residents have a room, sometimes with their own en suite bathroom, and access to shared facilities.

Nursing homes (Care homes with nursing)

Care homes for nursing care, sometimes known as nursing homes, are mainly for people who need 24 hour support, and regular care tasks carried out or supervised by a qualified nurse. Individuals who need two people to help them transfer, e.g. from bed to chair, or from a chair to the toilet may also need a nursing home because of the higher staffing levels.

Dementia

One of the 17 objectives of the National Dementia Strategy launched on 4th February 2009 by the Department of Health concerns us directly "Good quality information for people with dementia and their carers".