Citizens Advice have found that care home prices rose on average £900 during 2015/16. It seems thousands of elderly people are facing hiked prices to the fees that they pay. Over 400 care homes in England were included in their study.
The study by Citizens Advice in 2016 showed that in one area prices were shockingly hiked by £2,000. They found that one in 10 care homes, with an estimated 22,000 residents altogether, gave only one weeks notice that care home prices would rise. For these residents and their families there would have been just a few days to cover extra costs, that could add £75 a month.
You can read the full article from The Express.
2017 Average Care Home Prices
According to a report on the AOL Money website, the average room in a care home will cost around £600 per week, with nursing care making that figure rise to around £726 per week. That's an average of £31,200 a year for a room in a care home. In the South East the figure is £37,804 per year.
With an average length of stay being around two and a half years this would bring the total average cost in the South East to £94,510 - which is an awful lot of money to spend and find in many cases.
Care home prices vs alternatives
With the rising costs of care home prices and the closure of many homes across the UK, many elderly people and their families may benefit from some alternatives. Residential care homes and the prices they charge may not be for everyone, especially those who are still relatively active and seeking independence.
However, as people enter older age they may be at risk of falls in their home. Even elderly people who are active and able to look after themselves can trip, fall or suffer illness, and in these moments need help. Retirement homes are a big move if the person doesn't need around the clock care, it can also be a large expense.
Alternatively, a personal alarm could be a solution for many people not wanting to move into care homes. Telecare Choice provide personal alarms that are affordable and compliment an independent lifestyle.
If the elderly require assistance, in a medical emergency or after a fall, then they just need to press the Telecare button which will be around their wrist or their neck. This sends an alert through to the Telecare Monitoring Centre, which is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
A monitoring team member will speak with our alarm user to see what has happened, before contacting family members, close friends and neighbours to let them know that they are needed immediately. The emergency services will also be contacted if they are required to attend.
We have two price packages available to help suit your finances. You can choose to pay yearly on our Annual Package, which costs £124 per year* with a one-off introductory fee of £39. Alternatively you can choose to pay monthly with our Monthly Package, which is available for £12 per month* with a one-off introductory fee fee of £39.
How to refer a patient or client
In comparison to care home prices our personal alarms are much cheaper and we would never change our fees unexpectedly. We do not tie our customers into a contract. You can cancel the rental of your alarm at any point. All we ask is that you return the equipment to Telecare Choice if you decide that you no longer need an alarm
We accept referrals from a wide range of professionals including health professionals, social workers and care providers. To do so just fill out this referral form on our website.
*VAT exempt price – if you have a long-term illness or disability you may qualify for VAT relief on this product.
