Your future care needs

If you are a young person with disabilities and might need care for a long time, plan ahead for future changes in your life. You will get information about the support you will get from the services you receive as a child. 

As you approach retirement age, make sure to think about the care you might need and plan for it. You may wish to consider setting up a Power of Attorney or an advance decision (living will). These will help people follow your wishes if you lose the capacity to make decisions. You will also want to ensure that you have thought about how you might pay for the care you need.

Many of us will put off planning for care and support arrangements until the last minute. Having an urgent need for care and support may mean you and your family feel pressured into making decisions. Under such pressure it is vital to:

• ask the right questions
• think and plan for your future needs
• include options for meeting the cost of care

It is important that you seek good advice on these subjects. You can then consider your best short-term and long-term options.

There are several factors to consider when planning social care. These include:

• The type of condition you have, and the best ways for you to stay healthy and independent
• The type of care you would prefer, and whether it would meet your needs
• Where you would like to be cared for
• in your own home
• in a residential care setting such as a care home
• or in the community while you are living at home
• How much your care is likely to cost and whether you may be entitled to free care or financial help
• Who you want to care for you, and whether, if you want friends or family to be your carers, they are able and willing to do so

You will need to weigh up the pros and cons of each care option against the above factors.

If you are thinking of moving to a care home on a permanent basis, you may need to decide whether to sell your home to cover the costs. We can give you information on deferred payment agreements to help. This is an arrangement where you agree to pay some of your care fees at a later date. This means you won't have to sell your home during your lifetime to pay for your care. You or your estate usually repays us from the sale of your property at a later date.

Shared-decision-making is very important, especially for family carers. Check out these videos which outline how to make good decisions.