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Hope someone can give me some pointers. My Mum (97) lives in a sheltered flat near to me. She has a form of dementia and has gone downhill a lot during the last few months. It's getting to the point when I need to start considering permanent care. One option we MAY have is to have her live here (we have downstairs room with en-suite wet room) if she is not too 'far gone'. I would want overnight care of some sort and morning care to get her showered and dressed (she has this already). Trying to find example costings and options but there's so much 'out there'! She would be self-funding. Costs for residential care are eye-watering, but if it has to come to that, we will find something suitable! Anyone had any experience with 'at home' overnight care or similar?

It’s a minefield out there when care is needed

When hubby was hospitalised in 2015 and became completely bedbound it was a struggle to get him home ,that was what he wanted

It was threatened to transfer him into a care home if they could find him a place but I was noooo you will kill him!

Soo he was finally sent home with carers coming in 4 times a day BUT that’s only free under the NHS for six weeks ,after that its means tested

I would start by talking to whoever runs the sheltered housing where she lives.This may well be the first time you have had to deal with this situation but it will not be so for them.

If nothing else, they will know who to contact and what to ask.

Waking care is incredibly expensive overnight, possibly £800-£900 a week. Still a lot cheaper than a care home
The family of the lady I had befriended looked into this as they didn’t live locally, but in the end they decided that she needed far more help than the three daily visits she had already, so she moved into an excellent care home full time
Overnight care where the Carer goes to sleep and only wakes when your mum does is cheaper, but a bit pointless as you would need to provide a bedroom and you are there in any case
Most of the local care companies in your area will probably do overnight care,so I would just google them, or get a list from social services

Age UK are very helpful

I got hubby into one of their dementia day care centre once a week when he was still mobile
And got a stair lift installed by one of their accredited installers

They gave me advice too on claiming attendance allowance and applying for a disabled parking permit

Worth talking to them


I found that when the medical problems arose it was where to get advice even if it’s out there it’s knowing where to start and what to look for