How Much Does a Great Care Home Cost in Devon?
The cost of nursing homes, across the UK and Devon varies based on location, quality of accommodation, and care. We consider how to get the most from your budget for your loved one.
The cost of a good nursing home is affected my numerous variables. However, the average care home costs with nursing provision, in the South West, is £183,500 for four years. This is more expensive than the national average of £726 per week in 2016, but is certainly not the most expensive in the country. This article will consider the cost of a good nursing home in Devon, and briefly how you can meet these costs. According to AgeUK, lots of people worry about affording nursing home and care costs. So if this applies to you, you are not alone. By demystifying the costs, and explaining how and why costs differ, we hope to remove some of the worry.
Breakdown of Care Home Costs
The cost of a good nursing home is determined by a myriad of factors including location, the type of care you need, and additional services provided. The largest determiner of care home costs is due to the type of care you need.
The cost of a good nursing home is largely dependent on whether you need residential care, nursing care, or a more specialised type of care, such as tailored dementia care. Care homes cost more than residential care homes because of the nursing and medical services provided, in addition to relatively more straightforward care.
Care home costs are also affected by the nature of the accommodation in terms of its location and provision. Some nursing homes provide shared rooms, and these will be cheaper than single occupancy. The size of the room, the location to amenities, and the standard of the furnishings, all contribute to affect the overall cost of the nursing home. The quality and provision of catering will also affect costs.
Different care homes also offer a range of different services in addition to the basic costs of accommodation, care, and food. A care home may offer hairdressing, trips and activities, or alternative therapies. You will need to ascertain, in advance, if these are included in the cost of care, and if not, what they cost in addition.
Meeting the Cost of a Good Nursing Home in Devon
The good news is that although these costs can seem large and worrying, the Government has plans to introduce a cap on care costs from April 2020. This will mean that you won’t have to pay beyond a certain point for your social care needs. This doesn’t include accommodation and board, but there are plans to cap these costs too.
Additionally, fewer than half of residents in care homes in the UK are fully self-funded. You may be entitled to help with meeting the costs of a good nursing home, known as the NHS Nursing Care Contribution. Firstly, your care needs will be assessed, and if you are considered eligible then you will be entitled to this non-means-tested benefit which will reduce the cost of your care. Secondly, your assets and capital are assessed by way of a means test to determine how much you should contribute towards your care home costs. Help is then provided on a sliding scale, and the thresholds are set to change considerably, in favour of the individual, in due course.
Value for Money in Nursing Homes
The costs of a good nursing home need to be considered in terms of value for money. Sometimes the care home costs can seem high when you don’t fully understand what you are receiving for the fees. The easiest way to see where the costs of nursing care arise is to visit potential nursing homes in your area. We are always happy to welcome visits to any of our Eastleigh nursing homes, and to go through with you the costs of yours or your loved one’s nursing care, and how you may meet these. Get in touch on 01769 573166 to arrange a visit and discover more about our nursing home costs.
