The cost of care for people later in life is a source of much media attention and debate. For people and their families that are considering care options, the financial implications and the ongoing cost of care can be a major worry. Looking after a loved one in the right way should be about their individual needs being met and, crucially, quality of life.

Government legislation relating to paying for senior care is set at country level, not overall for the UK. Unfortunately, the government provisions for care of the elderly vary according to where you live but very rarely do any provide the kind of care that loved ones want for their relatives and friends. For most people, there is a need to pay for at least some additional care support to provide the quality of life that we feel our loved ones deserve. When looking at care costs, making comparisons to the type of care you or your loved one will receive is vitally important. You should weigh up the outcomes of care, beyond simply providing tasks, to considering the person’s safety, their need for companionship, assistance with hobbies and taking into account shared interests. Care is not something that should be ‘done to you’ but something that is in place to enhance a person’s enjoyment of life.

Care for your loved one is important to you and you want to ensure that they receive the best quality care at good value for money. Heart of Gold work differently to the vast majority of home care providers. Founded by a couple who had the challenge of finding care for their elderly mother, Heart of Gold has always put the needs of the individual first.

We start with the needs of the person requiring support or care. This is why you won’t find any packages or prices on our website. It’s not that we are not proud of the value for money we bring to the thousands of people we provide care to, it’s simply that we always develop a bespoke care package around the needs of the individual. Having home care maybe almost a third cheaper than going into a care home.

We pride ourselves on the personal touch and the attention to the individual. Unfortunately, not all care companies are the same. When you are comparing the costs of care, you might want to look at whether the other company is:

• Making sure that it is the same person delivering care to your loved one each day.
• That the carers they employ are properly trained for the care being provided.
• That the carers can communicate easily and clearly with your loved one.
• If they are paying their carers for all the time they are at work, including travel time.
• Are they incentivising carers to be fast rather than be good at care?
• That they ensure wellbeing is the priority over functional tick lists.

We believe that as people reach old age the care they receive should enhance their lives and improve quality of life. Our highly trained support worker know that the priority is the person, not the timesheet, not the tick list. This means that our ways of providing care can sometimes be slightly more expensive to provide. For example, making sure whenever possible the same person provides care to your loved one every time. Something especially important to care for those people that are living with dementia.

Find out more about the cost of care by contacting us or book a free consultation to see how we could support you and your loved one.