Author: Zoe Gater

Wherever you call home in later life, make the most of your golden years with assistance and advice.

Home sweet home or a move to a new home? The options for later life care are many and essentially come down to any medical needs you may have, your budget, and your desired level of independence.
You love where you live, great friends, an ideal location with good proximity to shops and services so why would you want to leave all that behind?

Domiciliary care could be the answer with visits from a carer who will provide assistance with specific needs and personal care needs such as washing, dressing or cooking. Domiciliary care is tailored to specific needs and routines. With the help of a caregiver you can continue to enjoy your independence and to maintain the relationships and connections you’ve spent a lifetime building.

Staying in your own home may also involve a few changes with adaptations, mobility aids and alterations or additions to everyday equipment.

If you feel unsteady or unsafe on the stairs, now’s the time to invest in an Acorn Stairlift. Easily installed on almost any type of stairs, it will help safeguard your wellbeing and independence at home for many years to come. Acorn’s British-made stairlifts can be installed within just a few days even on non-standard staircases. Designed with you in mind, they are reliable and simple to operate, with expert help just a phone call away should you ever need it. Imagine being able to go up and down your stairs whenever you like, free from pain or discomfort and, most important of all, safe from the worry of falling. Now that really is reassuring, for you and your loved ones alike.

A bath lift will support you as you get in and out or consider swapping it out for a side -opening door which negates the need for climbing in and out if you’re struggling. If you prefer a refreshing shower then how about converting to a wet room-style alternative so you can just walk straight in and out? Make sure you have a suitable non-slip bath mat to step on to.

Simple “fixes” in the kitchen can ensure it continues to be the “heart of your home” with adaptive cutlery and aids to assist opening jars and tins being small but essential changes.

Fiona and Stuart are in their seventies and have spent more than 40 years in their semi-detached in a leafy suburb making a lifetime of memories, friends and fun and with family members close by want to keep up with all this for as long as possible.

Stuart explained how a few changes have made this possible for them: “We’re lucky enough to still be in good health generally but we all need a bit of help sometimes. I had a bit of a fall and with Fiona’s arthritis she struggled to do some of the basics I needed. For us, having someone come in for a few days for a few weeks made all the difference. Should we need further help we wouldn’t hesitate to ask for more home care visits if needed.”

More help may mean moving to a residential care home where you can enjoy comfortable living and a lifestyle that offers choice allowing you to live life your way.

Care homes offer companionship and community and activities to enjoy with others – want to get your hair done or enjoy a movie in cinema-like surroundings, enjoy picturesque gardens without having to do any of the work yourself or perhaps you just want to catch up over a cuppa or even treat yourself with an early evening glass of wine?

Julia took the decision to move into a residential care home when her own home became too much for her and, with a friend having recently made the move elsewhere, she decided to take a look and see what it could offer her. “I wanted somewhere I could still look after myself and have some independence on a day-to-day basis but with the added bonus of knowing there was help at hand if necessary,” she explained.

“I’ve had some problems with my hip so some days walking too far can be an issue. Here I can pop down to the café for a mid-morning gossip with my new friends, get my hair done and relax in the cinema room. Of course my family come and visit whenever they like and they have the peace of mind of knowing that I’m living my best life as I enter my eighties.”

Living her best life also includes taking part in regular activities such as quizzes, singing afternoons and arts and crafts as well as exercise classes to aid mobility and ensure Julia and others enter their later life in as best shape as possible.