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From the Editor: People waiting for breaking point before accessing care

The Care Home Environment Magazine

The Care Home Environment is the leading business information resource focusing on the build and equipping of care homes

发布日期: 2024年4月11日

Vida Healthcare has found that many people wait until breaking point before reaching out for help when it comes to the care of their loved one.

New research by the leading dementia provider highlights the uncertainty around the different types of care available. Almost a quarter (23 percent) of UK adults are unsure what residential care is, while 24 percent are unsure what nursing care is. More than a quarter (28 percent) are unsure what dementia care is, while almost a third (31 percent) do not know what social care or respite care involve.

According to Vida Healthcare , more than half (57 percent) of UK adults have waited until crisis point before seeking expert care and support for their loved one. This can then make the process more difficult for families as they try to avoid the tricky conversations and difficult decisions.

Another contributing factor to people avoiding conversations around a loved one’s care is the perceptions of care homes – 20 percent of those surveyed said their perceptions of care homes were negative.

The research also reveals what people have learnt from the process of enlisting specialist care and support. The top five reassurances include:

You cannot provide the level of care that a care facility does.
You have not failed a family member by not keeping them at home with you.
You should prepare more and talk about options earlier.
You and your loved one will feel safer.
Plan the move and make it as smooth as possible.

Vida Healthcare MD James Rycroft said: “Moving a loved one into a care home can be difficult for all involved. By the time someone starts considering a care home, it’s likely their loved one may be in need of more care than what can be provided at home, and individuals may have come to a point where they can no-longer provide the care and support their loved one needs.

“Our research found that adults are often putting off conversations because of feelings of guilt - more than a third (36 percent) of UK adults that we spoke to admitted to avoiding the conversation of moving a loved one into care as they felt guilty about doing so, a stigma that we’re dedicated to challenging and changing. It’s important to accept that you are human and there is only so much you can do - an individual cannot provide the level of care that a dedicated care home can.

“Family members of people living with dementia and other conditions that mean they need to move into a care home shouldn’t feel like they have failed their loved one by not keeping them at home with them. On the contrary, being supported by a care provider can ensure that yourself and your loved one are cared for in a respectful and dignified way, that allows independence to be maintained as much as possible, all the while helping to improve your loved one’s wellbeing and quality of life.”

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