Discover why installing a home lift could be a more affordable alternative to moving into a care home, helping you maintain independence in your own home.
As you age, your health and mobility might change, making it harder to get around your home as comfortably as before. It’s natural to start thinking about your options for the future, and for some, that might mean moving into a care home. However, this decision can have significant financial implications and isn’t always the best choice for everyone.
This guide will explore why staying in your own home with a home lift could be a more cost-effective alternative. We’ll walk you through the surprising cost of care homes and how a lift can help you stay independent in the home you know and love.
When considering moving into a care home, cost is one of the first factors you’ll need to consider. There are two main types of care homes in the UK: private and council-run. While both require you to pay the costs yourself, the total amount can vary significantly.
Private care homes offer a higher living standard and more personal care, but tend to be more expensive. On the other hand, council-run care homes might be more affordable but often have longer waiting lists and may not offer the same level of comfort.
Let’s take a closer look at the average costs of residential care and nursing homes in the UK to give you more of an idea about the financial commitment involved.
When you think about the annual costs of paying for a care home, the numbers can be even more daunting. Here’s what you might expect to pay over a year:
| Type of care | Average annual cost |
| Residential care | £67,132 per year |
| Nursing home care | £80,340 per year |
| Residential dementia care | £69,576 per year |
| Nursing dementia care | £81,588 per year |
It’s also worth noting that these costs don’t always include extra costs like outings, private treatments, or additional therapies.
*Pricing information courtesy of carehome.co.uk
One major concern when considering a move to a care home is what happens to your house. If you own your home, you might be wondering whether it will need to be sold to help cover the costs of your care.
The cost of care depends mainly on your finances and assets, which include your home. The local council will conduct a means test to assess your financial situation and determine how much you’ll need to contribute towards the cost of your care.
This test takes into account various factors, such as:
If your assets (including your home) are above a certain threshold, you might be required to sell your house to help fund the care home fees. This can leave you with no property to pass on to loved ones, which can be a particularly hard decision if you’re among the 15% living in a multi-generational household.
If you’re looking at staying in your own home but need help with mobility, installing a home lift could be an ideal solution. These lifts can help you regain access to your upper floors and even make it easier to move heavy items, such as laundry, between levels.
There are three main types of home lifts to choose from, each with its own installation costs. Here’s a quick overview:
**Pricing information courtesy of Check-a-trade.
Compared to the cost of moving into a care home, making adaptations to your home — such as installing a home lift — is a far more affordable option.
For example, the average cost of a care home is £1,291 per week, which could easily add up to over £67,000 per year. In contrast, installing a home lift may seem like a significant investment, but it can allow you to stay in your home, maintain your independence, and save a substantial amount of money in the long run.
A care home is an expensive investment, but this is due to several reasons, the main one being the high costs of running a facility that provides round-the-clock care. Staff wages make up a large portion of these costs since care homes need a wide range of different professionals, like nurses, carers, and general support staff. There are also costs associated with maintaining the specialist care equipment for residents with more complex health conditions.
As a result, the residents pay a premium for their care, which helps these facilities balance their overhead costs while meeting the needs of those staying there.
If moving into a care home doesn’t feel right, a home lift could be the perfect way to maintain your independence while staying in the home you know and love. By installing a lift, you can easily move between floors and continue enjoying all the comforts of your home without the physical challenges of stairs.
Discover the Stiltz home lift range, including the standard Duo and wheelchair-friendly Trio models, designed to blend into your home seamlessly.
Contact us today to learn more about your options, or visit our blog for more helpful advice on making your home more accessible in the future.
While staying in your own home can be a more affordable and comfortable option, there are certain situations where moving into a care home may be necessary.
Various home adaptations can make living at home with Dementia or Arthritis possible for much longer. Installing a home lift, widening doorways, and making space to store medical equipment can help those with limited mobility maintain their independence.
However, if these conditions advance to a stage where daily care and supervision are required around the clock, the need for a care home may be inevitable.
Ultimately, the decision depends on individual circumstances and should be carefully considered after a lengthy discussion with family, healthcare providers, and professionals to ensure the best possible choice for long-term care.
If moving into a care home doesn’t feel right, a home lift could be the perfect way to maintain your independence while staying in the home you know and love. By installing a lift, you can easily move between floors and continue enjoying all the comforts of your home without the physical challenges of stairs.
Discover the Stiltz home lift range, including the standard Duo and wheelchair-friendly Trio models, designed to blend into your home seamlessly.
Contact us today to learn more about your options, or visit our blog for more helpful advice on making your home more accessible in the future.
Easy to arrange lots of information, No problems with fitting, payment taken in stages, last payment when job was completed. Everyone was friendly from start to finish.
My experience with Stiltz Homelifts. Just over a month ago, I had my Stiltz lift installed and I am so pleased with it. The workmen that came and fitted it were very professional and knew what they were doing. They were so professional I would not hesitate to recommend Stiltz lifts to anybody.
Great looking product, knowledgeable sales people, fitters work clean quickly and polite. Definitely recommend.
Great stylist lift, had for six months without a hitch. Installed by company staff not subcontractors. Cannot fault the lift, buying experience, installation, service. Good company ethos and made in UK.
From the very beginning with the initial construction to the finished product. I have never seen such polite men with an equal work ethic. They cleaned as they went each day. The pets were never in harm. The finished product is awesome. Couldn’t be more pleased
Excellent from beginning to end – and beyond.
Everybody we dealt with at Stiltz was very helpful and efficient, from the initial meeting with Nick Sale, the sales rep, thorough technical inspection, the builders, installers, plumber, electrician, and excellent follow up service and attention. My husband’s life is transformed and mine is much easier. Thank you Stiltz.
Elegant lift, promptly installed by careful and tidy fitters who removed their rubbish the following day. A fair price and an envied addition to our home.
I have been astounded and gratified by the levels of service we have received from every member of the Stiltz teams we have dealt with. A superb lift with exceptional service!
An excellent company from the first contact to the completed project. All personnel were friendly and very polite but stayed extremely professional throughout. Having been in the construction industry for over 40 years I was aware the preparation work was carried out to a high standard by the best of trades people. The lift itself can not be faulted both the operation and aesthetics.
The service was better than 1st class. It was excellent in every way. We could not be more pleased with everything Stiltz applied it’s self to in any way. We would award 6 stars at the very least.
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