Listen: preparing for adult care

Almost a third (29%) of people across England expect to make, or help make, a decision about care for an older relative or friend in the next five years. Yet nearly a third (31%) feel unprepared to do so, and nearly half (49%) confess to having no or little knowledge of key aspects of care like costs. 

In fact, a quarter (26%) of us are having to make difficult decisions about care for an older relative or friend at the point of crisis and while feeling ‘lost and confused’. Of those with experience making care decisions, 36% wished they’d known more about care and 20% wished they had more support when making the decisions.

New figures by leading not-for-profit care home group Greensleeves Care show the process can be extremely difficult for people, with a fifth (21%) finding having to decide on care for an older relative or friend ‘upsetting’, and 20% largely avoiding thinking about it.

Aston spoke to Andy Wilson, family liason officer at Greensleeves Care.