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Even if you are not at the stage of needing care, it’s still worth considering what type of care would suit you, your financial situation in later life, and planning ahead to work out how you might fund any future care needs.
You will have more time to think about how you would like to manage your care when the time comes. It will be one less decision for you to make at a time which can often be difficult and challenging.
If you are likely to be acting on behalf of a relative, it is even more important to have early conversations so you can be sure what their wishes are when the time comes.
Start planning your care
To begin planning your care, you may find it useful to think about the following areas.
Types of care
There are many different care options available, depending on the level of support you need. For example, as well as care at home, and residential care homes, you may also wish to consider the benefits of supported, retirement and extra-care housing.
You can find out more about the different care options from:
West Sussex Connect to Support website
Later life finances
Deciding how you’ll pay for your long-term care is one many important financial decisions in later life. Think about your income, savings and investments, as well as your outgoings. We also recommend you read Things you need to know about paying for care.
Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA)
An LPA allows you to choose a trusted person to manage your finances on your behalf, should you be unable to do so in the future. Find out more in ‘Things you need to know about paying for care’.
Wills
You may want to think about making a will so that your wishes relating to your money, property, possessions and investments (known as your estate) are followed. There is more information available about what a will should include and how to write one from the Age UK West Sussex, Brighton and Hove website.
Starting to forward plan in this way can feel overwhelming so consider discussing this with a trusted family member or friend, especially as your decisions may well affect them too.