Planning for future care

Caring about the Future: Bucklesham Grange Care Home

As Customer Relationship Manager of Bucklesham Grange Care Home, Ipswich, I meet daily with families of residents needing residential and dementia care, and I can tell you that we don’t tend to plan for it. Unfortunately, people put off having conversations about care with their families until the last minute. While understandable, this can make the process of searching for a care home when it is needed stressful and difficult to navigate.

The good news is it’s never too late, and there are lots of people like me, who can hold your hand and guide you through this process. Having gone through this experience with my own father-in-law, I can relate to your journey.

I find the most common question I face is, ‘where do I start?’

Firstly, to help answer this question, I feel it’s really important that you or your loved one sets up a Power of Attorney for Health & Welfare and Property & Finance whilst they are able to. You can do this at any time, but organising this early on takes a lot of stress away, as it means care placements can happen quicker and your loved one can trust that you can make decisions on their behalf.

Secondly, it’s really important that you consult your family and take your time to do your research. Websites such as carehome.co.uk are a great place to start as you can see reviews, care ratings and reports. Care homes have different specialisms, and you need to find the right fit for your loved one. Bucklesham Grange, for example, is a very established home with a warm family feel and a good CQC rating, but equally, we appreciate our home may not be right for everyone.

I would also recommend speaking to a financial advisor about the cost of care. Financial advisors such as Eldercare can provide free, helpful advice and discuss financial products that can help you plan for future care.

Finally, I would like to add that Bucklesham Grange and care homes in general are not just there to cater for care needs. If you’re feeling lonely or isolated, care homes are great places to live. At Bucklesham Grange, we encourage people to enjoy the next chapter of their lives, make new memories and relationships. We often hear residents say, ‘I wish I moved here sooner.’

If you feel your loved one could benefit from living in a vibrant community where they are supported to live the life they love from a dedicated team, please do not hesitate to contact me. As a proud Dementia Champion, I am also available to discuss your loved one’s dementia journey and how our knowledgeable team can support you.