Paying for social care (older people)
Other sources of information about care and funding
This page covers:
- The importance of getting help from a wide range of people and places,
- Websites and charities that people found helpful and why,
- How local communities and groups helped.
People told us that they got a lot of information and advice from charities. Some of that information was through speaking to advisers on the phone, at drop-in centres or group meetings, and some was from the internet. Some people said they had help through their work or benevolent societies such trade guilds or the armed forces. No one said that they felt there was one right place to start. When Jane looked for a care home in an area where she had a lot of friends, she started by asking those friends, but when she looked for one in another area where she had fewer friends, she started with the internet.
Jane described looking for a care home in different ways at different times.
Jane described looking for a care home in different ways at different times.
So in [county] it was rather more I started with a list of potential homes and Googled them, looked at the reports saw what I could find out, then asked around, did anybody have any individual knowledge, either, I mean whether as a carer or, you know, as, whether it’s a relative. In [town], when I was looking to move my mother up to [town] I asked friends first, said “Right, what homes do we know about?” and then, so I did it the other way round. So maybe that was influenced by the fact that I knew, the second scenario was based on the specific geographical location; so then it was about, OK, what do I know about those? Whereas the first time, whilst I wanted it to be fairly proximate, it didn’t have to be 5 miles or whatever, it didn’t have to be on a bus route on anything like that, and it could be fairly broad and sweeping. So I, I took at it from the other end really.
People told us that finding the right information on the internet at the right time was quite hard. They said that part of the problem was that there was so much information to work through. They also said some information wasn’t there. For example, Hazel told us she had tried to compare online recommendations for two care homes but one had only just opened so didn’t have any recommendations.
The websites people told us they used to find information about care and paying for care were usually websites of charities that focused on a condition like dementia, such as the Alzheimer’s Society. Some people said it was good even for people without dementia, while other people said it was better to look at websites like Age UK or the Carers Trust because they were for anyone. People also said that Citizen’s Advice was very helpful. Some people told us government websites were excellent while others preferred the charities.
Simon said he relied on the internet because he lived some way away from his mum.
Simon said he relied on the internet because he lived some way away from his mum.
But I had to do everything online from afar, I couldn’t, I couldn’t possibly do it first-hand, it was impossible. So what I would have done before the age of the computer [laughs] I have no idea; that would have been horrific.
So you found it, you just sort of basically went into the web and found the information and just sort of accumulated knowledge from… [Laughs]?
Yeah, mainly from, you accumulate different leaflets from different people but there isn’t a place where all the leaflets are; that’s why this financial guy was so brilliant, because he knew all of this because it’s his job. So he could tell me what the benchmarks were and everything else; and once I got in contact with the charities, I; Crossroads, that’s what the charity was called; once I got in contact with Crossroads they could tell me all sorts of different things. They were brilliant, just brilliant; and the other one was Carer Support.
As well as online information, people described their local charity groups and networks as very helpful. Sometimes these groups brought people together to share experiences. Some local groups arranged for volunteers to take the older people needing care out for the day. Jennifer told us about experts in her local area who were trained in providing information to people about help and support in their communities but Paula picked up her information from other carers.
Paula explained how taking her mum to a singing group helped Paula to network in the local community.
Paula explained how taking her mum to a singing group helped Paula to network in the local community.
I was taking her to some things, I was taking her to the Alzheimer’s Society singing for the brain and I also, and so I’d got to know quite a community of people who were looking after their loved ones, spouses or sons and daughters looking after parents, and I became quite hooked in to what was going on locally and so I started taking her to lots of different places memory lane cafes; and there’s one particular cafe that I got, I’m still involved with in terms of volunteering, she goes there once a week.
A couple of people said they liked to print out relevant information to keep track of it. Tracey said she would like a “Tripadvisor for care homes”.
Jackie and Gary said the most important thing was to get help rather than try to do everything on your own.
Jackie and Gary told us the different places they got help from.
Jackie and Gary told us the different places they got help from.
Jackie: My advice would be to go to one of the organisations like the Carers Centre, like Age Concern, and they will give support and advice; they have a lot of information, they have a lot of people who are experts and I can’t think of anything else better.
Gary: Well you also, we’ve even, even helped, got help through, through CAB at one time and stuff like that, and sorted out paperwork and bits and pieces, things that we just couldn’t make sense of.
Citizens’ Advice Bureau, yeah they can be helpful there.
Gary: Yeah, so it’s always looking at other avenues.
Jackie: The main, as I say, the main thing is just don’t be on your own.
Gary: Yeah, yeah, definitely.
Jackie: Look for help and advice.
Last reviewed 2021.
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