Your Guide To Choosing Care Homes For Couples

If the time has come for you and a partner to consider a move to a care home, or if you think your loved ones would thrive better in a care environment, you may be looking at care homes for couples. Most care homes will have provisions for couples to move in together, even if each partner has different care needs. This guide will help you in your journey of choosing care homes for couples, and explain what to consider when making a final decision.

Why Choose A Care Home For Couples?

Growing old alongside a significant other is a privilege, but there may come a time when caring for each other becomes harder. This could be the right time to look into residential care homes for couples or, perhaps, nursing homes for couples. Apart from the obvious reason of staying together, there are some other benefits of moving into a care home for couples: 

Finances

There are, of course, cost implications when moving into a care home. If only one partner needs to move into a care home, this can impact the other. However, if moving into a care home for couples, the financial transition may be smoother and less complicated, particularly if it involves the sale of a house. For help understanding how much you might need to pay for a care home, read our Guide To Care Home Costs.  

Emotional Wellbeing

Moving into a care home requires some getting used to and can be particularly difficult if it means moving away from a loved one you have lived with for a long time. Making this move with a life partner eliminates the anxiety of leaving them behind. Choosing residential care homes for couples can further help with the settling in process as the two navigate the new environment together.

Quality Time

A bonus of care homes for elderly couples is the chance to spend quality time together. Whereas at-home care may still involve many day-to-day responsibilities, care homes address residents’ primary needs. This gives residents time and freedom to enjoy one another’s company. This might involve taking part in activities together, enjoying fine dining meals side by side, or even just sitting outside in companionable silence.

Peace Of Mind

We can’t know what the future will bring, but knowing that your loved one will be cared for in a place that you are both familiar with when you are no longer around can be a great comfort. Care homes for couples can give the peace of mind that each partner will be surrounded by faces they know in an environment they are happy in.

Choosing A Care Home For Couples

Choosing the right care home for couples means striking a balance between what both partners want and need. 

Do Your Research

Try to start your search early so that you can thoroughly research each care home. You could ask around for any recommendations of people who have used care homes for couples and read reviews online.

Choose A Location

Many people like to stay in their local area, or you may see this as a chance to move to a quieter area. Talk through different locations so you can narrow down your search. It’s also important to think about how close the care home will be to family and friends so they can visit regularly.

Make A List

Make a list of the things you specifically need. If one partner requires more hands-on care, look at nursing homes for couples that offer nursing care as well as residential care. Think about the facilities on offer, such as en-suite rooms and outdoor space, and decide which features are non-negotiable for both of you. This will also help you when you need to make a care plan as part of your move into a care home.

Plan Visits

Where possible, plan visits to each care home to get a good feel for the space and to see if you like the interiors and living spaces. Visit together so you can both get to know staff and ask any questions that either of you may have. Ask about things like staff to resident ratios, amenities and sleeping arrangements.

Organise Finances

Choosing care homes for couples in advance can help make financial arrangements easier when the time does come. This might give you time to make any changes to a will or speak to family members about anything that could concern them, such as who should be appointed power of attorney if that were ever necessary. 

Living Arrangements

You may wonder what the typical living arrangements are when you move into a care home for couples. There are a few options that you may be presented with:

• Double rooms – some care homes offer double rooms so that couples can stay in the same bedroom together
• Adjoining rooms – one of the most popular choices for couples is having two rooms next to one another. One room can be used as a living area, while the other is sleeping quarters. The bedroom can accommodate a double or twin bed, but the separate spaces help those couples who want to be together but still remain independent 
• Separate rooms – it’s not uncommon for couples to have very different needs when they move into a care home. For example, if one partner requires dementia care, they may need to live in a separate community to their spouse who needs residential care. Couples can still spend time together during the day but then retire to their respective living quarters later on

Care homes for couples are also able to accommodate the changing needs of their residents. Couples may start out in the same room but if, for example, one partner starts to need changing or medication during the night and would disturb the other, they might choose to move into separate rooms. 

New Care Homes for Couples

At New Care Homes, we accommodate individuals and couples, offering residential, nursing, respite and dementia care at locations across the UK. Our rooms are large and luxurious with en-suite facilities. Couples can choose rooms next to each other and either sleep in their separate rooms or use one as living accommodation and one for sleeping. 

We’d be happy to show couples around our care homes and talk through any requirements they may have. Please contact us to ask any questions or to arrange a visit.