Care advice for families, by topic
273 articles for families arranging care for an older relative in the UK, grouped by subject. Each one is checked against official sources such as GOV.UK, the NHS and the Care Quality Commission.
Choosing a care home
How to shortlist, visit and compare care homes, and the questions that tell you most about a home before you commit.
- Purpose-built care homes vs converted houses: which?
- Care home groups vs independent homes: which is better?
- Small care homes vs large care homes: pros and cons
- Care home staffing at night and weekends: what to ask
All 18 articles on choosing a care home
Types of care
Residential, nursing, dementia, respite and specialist care: what each one means, who it suits and how to tell which your relative needs.
- Supported living for adults with disabilities: how it works
- Assisted living in the UK: what it is and how it works
- Retirement villages vs care homes: which suits your parent?
- Sheltered housing vs a care home: which suits whom?
All 17 articles on types of care
Care home costs
What care homes charge, why fees vary so much between homes and areas, and the extra costs worth asking about before you sign.
- Home care hourly rates in the UK: what you will pay
- Live-in care costs compared with a care home
- Why do dementia care homes cost more than others?
- Care home deposits and advance payments: your rights
All 14 articles on care home costs
Paying for care
Council funding, the means test, self-funding, deferred payments and top-ups: how care is paid for and what help is available.
- What happens when self-funding care money runs out?
- Deferred payment agreement interest and fees explained
- Choosing a care home that costs more than the council pays
- Third-party top-ups for care homes: rules and risks
All 27 articles on paying for care
NHS funding and health services
NHS Continuing Healthcare, funded nursing care and the NHS services people in care homes are entitled to, with how to apply and appeal.
- What NHS services can care home residents still get?
- How to get a GP involved in your parent's care decisions
- Primary health need: what it means for NHS funding
- Does dementia qualify for NHS Continuing Healthcare?
All 14 articles on nhs funding and health services
Inspections and quality
How the CQC and the Care Inspectorate inspect and rate care homes, how to read a report, and the signs of good and poor care.
- Online care home reviews: how much can you trust them?
- RQIA care home inspections in Northern Ireland explained
- Care Inspectorate Wales reports: how to read them
- Care Inspectorate grades in Scotland explained
All 23 articles on inspections and quality
Dementia
Dementia care at home and in care homes: choosing specialist care, what to expect as needs change, and support for the family.
- Music and dementia: why it helps and how to use it
- Life story work in dementia care: a family guide
- Sleep problems in dementia: causes and what helps
- Continence care in dementia: what helps and free support
Health in later life
Common health needs in later life and how they are managed in a care home: falls, medication, nutrition, continence and more.
- Polypharmacy: when an older parent takes too many medicines
- Frailty in older people: what it means and how it's measured
- Heart failure in older people: how to live well with it
- Care after a stroke: rehab, home care or a care home
All 18 articles on health in later life
Life in a care home
What daily life in a care home is like: moving in, settling, visiting, activities, food, and keeping family relationships strong.
- Care home residents' meetings and family forums
- Relationships and intimacy in a care home: your rights
- Can my parent practise their religion in a care home?
- Can care home residents vote? A guide for families
All 19 articles on life in a care home
Rights, contracts and complaints
Contracts, fees rules, safeguarding and complaints: the rights residents and families have, and what to do when something goes wrong.
- Human rights in care homes: what the law protects
- Your rights if a care home closes: a family guide
- CCTV in care homes: the rules on cameras and privacy
- Restraint and restrictions in care homes: what is allowed
All 13 articles on rights, contracts and complaints
Legal planning
Lasting powers of attorney, deputyship, mental capacity, wills and advance decisions: the legal planning that makes care decisions easier.
- Wills and care home fees: common misunderstandings
- Writing a will when your spouse is in a care home
- Do Not Attempt CPR (DNACPR) decisions explained
- Advance statements: how to write down care wishes
All 18 articles on legal planning
Money, benefits and tax
Attendance Allowance, Pension Credit, Carer’s Allowance, tax and the family home: the money questions that come with arranging care.
- Can equity release pay for care home fees?
- Gifts and care home fees: how tax and care rules differ
- Inheritance tax when a parent is in a care home
- Free prescriptions and NHS costs after 60: what is free
All 28 articles on money, benefits and tax
Family carers
Support for the people doing the caring: carer’s assessments, breaks, benefits, work, and looking after your own health.
- Carers' breaks and replacement care: how to get one
- Support groups for family carers: how to find one
- Caring for a partner at home: help, money and rights
- Young carers: what support is available in the UK
All 12 articles on family carers
Home care and live-in care
Home care, live-in care and the alternatives to a care home: what they cost, how to arrange them and when a move becomes right.
- Telecare and personal alarms: how they work and cost
- Home adaptations for older people: what helps, who pays
- 15-Minute Care Visits: Problems and Better Options
- Overnight care and waking nights explained
All 16 articles on home care and live-in care
End of life
Planning for the end of life: palliative care in a care home, advance care plans, hospice support, and what families can expect.
- Clearing a care home room after a death: what to know
- Bereavement support for families in the UK
- What to do when someone dies in a care home
- How to support family at a relative's bedside
All 11 articles on end of life
Leaving hospital
Leaving hospital when more care is needed: discharge to assess, reablement, intermediate care and choosing a home at short notice.
Search care homes near you