Let’s stop making assumptions about later life and talk
At Anchor, we have recently conducted new research into the nation’s attitude towards old age and I was struck by the degree to which we are all sticking our heads in the sand.
Our findings show that 64% of us have never thought about our own care and one in five of us would put off doing anything about it. Given that one in three women and one in four men will need care at some point in their lives, we need to act now to ensure we don’t leave our retirement living options until it’s too late.
A common misconception about life in retirement – that the options are limited to living in a care home or remaining in your own home – is something that I am very keen to address. In reality, there are a vast array of options from sheltered housing to retirement villages and other independent living choices that may have not been considered or explored. Through the Grey Matters campaign, we are urging people to look into their retirement living and care options earlier, so that they are fully aware of the different alternatives and plan ahead to ensure they get the best outcome for their needs.
It’s quite common for people to move into care homes following some sort of crisis, when family members are in turmoil and emotions are running high. Interestingly, our research found that over three quarters of people (76%) who would trust someone else to make care decisions for them, have never talked about their care options with that person. So, if conversations about retirement living options and care in later life begin sooner and before people reach that crisis point, it would make the decision making process much smoother and less stressful for all of the family.
We’ve created a short video to demonstrate that there is a disconnect between what people want and what their loved ones believe their wishes are. However well we think we know someone, it’s worth raising the topic, in a sensitive way, to ensure we make the best, most informed decision.
We worked with top behavioural psychologist, Jo Hemmings, to develop a guide to help people broach a conversation about old age care and retirement living. Drawing on our joint experience, Anchor’s experts and Jo have developed conversation starters and tips to support and enable people to make this decision.
As Jo says, “It’s much easier to talk about life changing decisions when you’re not faced with an immediate crisis – and talking earlier means you are more likely to get what you want in the long run. It’s time to think about it, talk about it and plan for it now.”
Download your free Grey Matters Guide at www.anchor.org.uk/greymatters
Jane Ashcroft CBE is Chief Executive of Anchor, England’s largest not-for-profit provider of housing and care for older people.
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