Can I Remove My Mum/Dad from a Care Home?
Want to remove your parent from a care home? Whether due to inadequate care, rising costs, or your loved one’s unhappiness, moving a family member out of a care home is possible, but requires careful planning and legal consideration.
This guide covers everything you need to know: the legal requirements for removing someone from care, step-by-step planning advice, and alternatives like live-in care and specialist home support that may better suit your family’s needs.
Can you remove your parents from a care home?
Yes, you can remove your parents from a care home. However, to move someone out of a care facility, you must meet one of two crucial criteria:
- The parent must have the mental ability to recognise and advocate for the move themselves.
- You must hold the legal authority to make decisions on your parents’ behalf to ensure their physical and mental wellbeing.
If you’re already planning their move out of a care facility, you’ll likely have already navigated this criteria. However, if you’ve yet to set the process in motion, you’ll want to do so before following the next steps.
Seek legal advice and guidance before planning to move your parent or family member out of a care home.
These criteria share the same level of complexity and nuance, varying drastically from person to person. Failure to follow due process when removing a loved one from care can lead to legal penalties, as well as emotional distress for your family member.
Why do people remove their loved ones from care homes?
Families choose to move their loved ones out of care homes for many reasons:
Level of care
One of the most common reasons people move a loved one out of a care facility is due to inadequate care. This can either be as a result of care facilities being too stretched to provide the type of one-on-one care your loved one needs, or because their needs have evolved beyond a facility’s expertise. For example, they may have since developed specialist care needs or a complex condition that the care home staff aren’t trained to support.
Patient dissatisfaction
If your loved one feels unhappy, neglected, or uncomfortable in their current care home, it’s important to take their feelings seriously. Dissatisfaction may stem from the environment, lack of personal connection, or unmet emotional needs. Open communication, with both your loved one and their current care provider, can help you to work out whether a move away from a care facility is the best choice for them.
Change of circumstances
Life circumstances often change: a family member is now able to provide more hands-on care, or changes to your financial situation make alternative arrangements more suitable. Reviewing your options as soon as possible helps ensure that if/when your loved one’s care changes, the transition is easy and seamless for them.
Cost of care
It’s no secret that care homes can be expensive, often representing one of the highest ongoing costs for families. Despite offering shared support rather than dedicated one-to-one care, care homes still charge premium rates to cover staffing, accommodation, and facilities. For many families, these costs can quickly become unsustainable, particularly if your parents’ needs change or their financial resources are limited.
Planning to move your parent out of a care home
Before moving your parent from a care home setting, you must plan carefully. Be sure to:
- Speak with their medical team: Consult healthcare professionals to better understand their physical and mental needs and ensure that they can be managed outside of the care home.
- Arrange alternative care: Make sure that you have alternative care arrangements in place so your loved one can continue to have the care and support they need immediately after the transition.
- Transition planning: Plan the transition thoroughly to ensure they stay safe and supported throughout.
What are the alternatives to care homes?
If you don’t think care homes are the right choice for your mum or dad, but know you can’t care for them alone, don’t worry: there are several alternatives to care homes that can still give your loved one (and your family) the quality care and support you deserve.
Live in care
Live-in care provides a level of support that most care facilities simply can’t match. A dedicated carer stays in your parents’ home, offering one-to-one care whenever it’s needed, day and night. They assist with daily tasks, from personal hygiene to medication management, meal preparation, and household cleaning, while also providing companionship and emotional support.
Hourly care
Hourly care is a great alternative to residential care, giving your loved one the same high level of care, whenever they need it. Whether visiting a couple of times a week or day-to-day, hourly carers quickly become a much treasured part of your loved one’s routine. Hourly care can also save you money compared to care home fees, as you’ll only pay for the hours your carer visits.
Specialist care
If your loved one is living with a complex illness or condition, specialist care will make sure they have expert care tailored to their needs. Specialist care can cover a wide range of conditions, including after-stroke care, multiple sclerosis (MS) care and dementia care. Specialist carers can also provide rehabilitation care, which is key to helping your loved one get back on their feet after an injury or period of ill health.
Change to at-home care with Ashridge Home Care
With Ashridge Home Care, you can confidently move your loved one out of their care home to receive elderly care at home. Our team will get to know you and your family, creating a personalised care plan before your loved one moves home for a smooth, stress-free transition. We’ll make sure that their care plan is totally in place so that they can return home safely, bringing your entire family peace of mind.
We know that everyone’s experience in care is different, so our carers take time to build genuine relationships that allow them to provide expert medical support and companionship at the same time.
If you’re concerned about costs, don’t worry: our guide to funding elderly care at home will give you all the information you need to make sure that your loved one receives the highest standard of care at an affordable price.
Making plans to move your Mum or Dad out of a care facility? Get in touch with the team at Ashridge Home Care today to start creating your family’s personalised care plan.