CARE & SUPPORT
Independent living flats are often part of a community where residents can get together
Option 2: A retirement flat Downsizing to a smaller property – perhaps an easier-access, ground-floor apartment – can make life easier, having fewer rooms to clean and no garden to care for. Generally designed for people over 55 or 60 who seek a self-determining lifestyle, retirement or independent living flats are often part of a community where residents can get together and socialise. These are available to buy or occupy on a leasehold or shared-ownership basis, which allows the owner to release funds from the sale of their home. You might be able to use the proceeds from the sale of the old house to pay the deposit on the new property, then take out a lifetime mortgage to cover the rest. Alternatively, you might buy a home for lifetime plan or lifetime lease. The Elderly Accommodation Counsel (EAC)
can provide more information regarding the financial aspects. Remember that bills and council tax are still chargeable, and check which services are covered by the maintenance fees. Support is likely to be offered in the form of a daytime duty manager or warden, with an out-of-hours call centre. Assisted living accommodation offers residents the chance to live independently in a self-contained flat while still being provided services such as a 24-hour duty manager, help with shopping, laundry and meals, as well as a communal lounge, dining room and gardens. Independent retirement flats, which generally don’t offer personal care, aren’t regulated by the Care Quality Commission, but care homes are. Option 3: A care home Once a person becomes too infirm to care for themselves or is at high risk of falling, the best solution is to move them into a care home. The standards of care – and costs – vary enormously, so be sure to assess them in person. Weekly fees are likely to be around £1,500 to £2,000 until the resident reaches the government’s savings threshold of £23,250. “The cost of care varies greatly depending on the level of support your loved one needs,” says a spokesperson at Care UK. “Depending on your situation, you might be eligible to receive government assistance... but if you’re paying for the care yourself, it’s important to discuss the costs first so you understand what’s covered.”
LIVING IN STYLE Homes like Cambridge- shire Care Home (top and bottom) offer the best in creature comforts, as does the lovely Heathlands House (left)
CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK JANUARY 2025 65
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