My Ageing Parent

23/05/2025

23/05/2025

Lifetime Mortgages – Could this be the best way to fund live-in care?

For many families, the question of how to fund live-in care can feel overwhelming — especially when downsizing simply isn't an option. One potential solution is to make use of property wealth through equity release.

A lifetime mortgage, the UK’s most popular form of equity release, allows you to unlock tax-free cash from your home while still retaining full ownership — and without the pressure of monthly repayments.

At the Live-in Care Hub, our goal is to help families make informed choices with confidence. If you're exploring ways to fund live-in care for yourself or a loved one, our guide walks you through everything you need to know about Lifetime Mortgages:

✅ What equity release is and how it works
✅ Eligibility criteria
✅ How it could support your care needs
✅ The importance of independent financial advice

We’ve partnered with Responsible Equity Release, trusted Lifetime Mortgage specialists, to ensure families can access expert, local advice tailored to their unique circumstances.
👉 Read the full guide here: liveincarehub.co.uk/lifetime-mortgages/

12/05/2025

When the time comes to step in and help a parent, partner or close relative, most of us are guided by love, duty, and a determination to "make it work."

But too often, we overlook one crucial question:👉 What can I genuinely sustain — physically, emotionally and practically — without compromising their wellbeing and my own?

Caring for a loved one can be deeply rewarding, but it is also relentless. Between work, family, and personal responsibilities, even the most committed carers can face burnout, guilt, and isolation.

It’s time to be honest with ourselves. Not because we don’t care — but because we care too much to let the situation become unsustainable.

Thinking carefully about:
✅ Your loved one’s current and future needs
✅ The time and energy you realistically have to give
✅ When and where to seek expert support
…can make all the difference.

Finding the right balance is not about stepping back — it’s about stepping up in a way that safeguards everyone’s health, happiness and dignity.

Sometimes, bringing in personalised, professional support at home is not a failure — it’s the smartest, kindest thing we can do.

Read about how respite care can help you as a family carer to maintain your own health and well-being while still ensuring your loved one is looked after. https://www.liveincarehub.co.uk/blog/are-you-a-family-caregiver-how-respite-care-can-help-you/

07/05/2025

A valuable resource for anyone seeking to fund care for themselves or their loved ones.

Live-in care is more affordable than you think. Let us talk you through the options of care funding and the best ways of paying for care.

01/05/2025

‘It has been an extremely stressful time.’

Lucy, whose dad Michael has Alzheimer’s, shares how difficult she has found the process of finding suitable care for someone in the later stages of their dementia journey.

‘Over 10 years ago, he started showing some signs of confusion and forgetfulness and was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

‘His symptoms progressed at a level pace. But around 18 months ago, they started to accelerate. The changes became more rapid.

‘And when it became apparent that Dad’s Alzheimer’s had progressed and he would need to move into a care home, it was a painful decision, especially for Mum.

‘Searching for a home that could give Dad the care he needs in the later stages of dementia was a sobering process.

‘Homes state on their websites that they care for people with dementia, but caring for someone in later stages is very different. Many care homes do not have the staff who are qualified to look after them.

‘We spent considerable time visiting care homes and reviewing Care Quality Commission reports. They were often out of date and did not provide adequate information to make an informed decision.

‘When Dad first entered his care home, there were many issues trying to settle him into a routine.

‘Since being in a care home, Dad’s Alzheimer’s has progressed quickly, and his behaviour has changed.

‘It is a rollercoaster when caring for someone with Alzheimer’s – the care they require never ends.

‘It’s exhausting and emotionally draining. We are currently working with the care home and healthcare professionals to diagnose if he can be moved to nursing care home.

‘The care provided in homes is dependent on the attitude and training of the staff.

‘We recognise that many care workers love their jobs but are not always provided with the resources, training, or tools to carry out their roles to their full potential.’

01/05/2025

🐾 As ends, a moment to reflect!

For many older adults, pets are far more than companions — they are family, comfort, routine, and unconditional love.

Yet every year, hundreds of thousands of pets are rehomed or put down because their owners were moving into residential care homes, where sadly, most care homes do not allow residents to bring their beloved animals.😔

At the Live-in Care Hub, we believe no one should have to choose between receiving essential care and keeping the pet they love.

The impact of separation is profound:

✖️ To avoid going into residential care, 17.4% of elderly people would pretend they were in good health.

✖️ To stay with their pet, 8.8% would risk making themselves more ill rather than be separated.

✖️ Shockingly, 4.3% said they, or someone they know, would consider or talk about taking their own life due to the thought of losing their pet.

Research has shown that pet ownership offers much more than companionship. Pets can provide vital social and emotional support, helping to reduce loneliness, ease distress, lower blood pressure, improve recovery from illness, and even reduce the risk of dementia.

The bond between an older person and their pet is not just emotional — it’s a key part of maintaining health, wellbeing, and quality of life.

There is another way. 🙏

Live-in care offers a compassionate alternative — allowing people to stay in their own homes with one-to-one support, while keeping the pets they love by their side. This National Pet Month, let’s remember: when we protect the bond between a person and their pet, we protect their health and happiness too. 💙

Learn more about pet-friendly care options here: https://www.liveincarehub.co.uk/

31/03/2025

28/03/2025

21/03/2025

⚠️Hip fractures: The hidden warning sign of care quality!⚠️

When it comes to care, essentials like washing, dressing, medication management, and proper nutrition should never be overlooked. But how can you be sure your loved one’s basic needs are being met?

One surprising way to measure the quality of care provided to a loved one is by examining hip fracture rates. Why? Because falls—often caused by medication mishaps, dehydration, and malnutrition—are largely preventable with the right support.

Our findings revealed that:
📉 Live-in Care users experience 6 hip fractures per 100 people annually
📈 Residential Care users see 17 hip fractures per 100 people annually

That’s nearly three times the risk of a hip fracture in a care home compared to live-in care! The difference? 1:1 personalised support. A live-in carer ensures proper hydration, nutrition, and medication management—reducing fall risks and keeping loved ones safe in the familiarity of their own home.

This , let’s raise awareness about the simple yet crucial role that proper nourishment and care play in preventing falls and protecting independence. 🤗

💬 What do you think? Do these numbers surprise you?
Join the conversation below! 👇
📖 Read more in our Care Choices Report: https://lnkd.in/e_qffUSs

21/03/2025

This week, the UK Government announced proposals for devastating and immoral changes to disability benefits.

📣 We’re clear: these changes are wrong. These cuts must be stopped in their tracks. The Government must scrap any plans that lead to harmful benefit cuts. 📣

Please share this far and wide and speak up and say: No to immoral cuts! Disabled people deserve better!

➡️ https://mssoc.uk/4ijzTjH

21/03/2025

21/03/2025

Here’s what the changes to Personal Independence Payments (PIP) mean for people living with dementia.

Starting from November 2026, the Government is tightening the eligibility criteria for PIP. PIP helps people who have difficulty doing certain everyday tasks or getting around as a result of their long-term physical or mental health condition or disability.

People living with dementia will often have additional costs around care and may be unable to work due to dementia symptoms.

These changes may be concerning, but most people with dementia won’t be affected as new claims for PIP are only possible up to the state pension age.

For those with young onset dementia (under state pension age), around 71,000 people in the UK, it’s important to understand how these changes may impact you as an individual. Citizen’s Advice can give specific advice based on your individual circumstance.

We believe that all people living with dementia need adequate support to be able to live as well and as independently as possible, with their carers supported similarly.