It’s Never Too Early To Start Planning Care
Arranging care at home is often a last-minute reaction to unforeseen circumstances. Many families contact us during a moment of crisis, following a major fall, a hospital discharge, or a sudden change in care needs for an elderly loved one. In these situations, families are understandably overwhelmed, stressed and under intense pressure to make complex decisions about home care with very little time to explore their options.
We see this every day, which is why we encourage families in our local communities to start planning future care early. Speaking openly with loved ones and discussing care options in advance allows families to feel prepared, informed, and confident about what care at home might look like in the future.
Benefits of Planning Care Before It’s Needed
Planning care ahead offers reassurance and control for both individuals and their families.
By planning future care early, families can:
- Fully explore and understand care at home options, including respite, live-in, and hourly visiting home care and their respective costs and funding options.
- Make calm, informed care choices rather than rushed decisions in a crisis.
- Involve loved ones early so everyone knows what to expect.
- Build confidence and trust in the home care provider of your choice.
Most importantly, planning care ahead helps your loved ones remain independent at home for longer, with the support they need shaped around their life and routines.
How to Start Conversations About Future Care
Talking about care can feel difficult. Needing care and wanting care are often two very separate things, and many people worry that accepting help means losing independence. For many of our clients, it takes a while to accept that care is the best option for them to continue living life as they wish. This is another reason to start conversations about future care with your loved ones as early as possible so that, when care is needed, they do not feel it is forced upon them.
Start by sharing why you care, not what needs to change.
Reassurance goes a long way. Let your loved one know that arranging care is about keeping them safe, comfortable, and most importantly, independent, not about losing control.
Listen first.
Give your loved ones the space to share their fears and objections. Many people worry about losing independence, privacy, or dignity. Don’t rush to change their minds, being heard often softens resistance. You can revisit the discussion later once they’ve had time to think it over.
Explore the possibilities together.
Rather than telling your loved ones what they need or what improvements care would make to their lives, involve them in thinking about what would make life easier for them. How would it feel to be able to do something they haven’t been able to for a while? Using this as a starting point, you can then discuss the different options and what feels the best fit for them.
Start small and flexible.
Care doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Suggest small, trial-based support, like help with shopping, meal preparation or housework, so it feels less overwhelming and more reversible.
Many families choose trial care to ease the transition with great success:
“My father was very apprehensive at first about having care, but Leah won him over in the first day! Thank you so much for organising it.” Feedback from Christies Care Client’s family, Oct 2025.
Case Study: “I had the time to make the best and wisest decision possible.”
When Ann picked up the phone to call Christies Care, she wasn’t in crisis, desperate for care or help at home. Her husband was still independent, and she was managing perfectly well as his caregiver at home.
“I just kept thinking, what if something happened to me? I wanted something in place so that my husband would always be well-looked after,” she shared. “Without putting the burden of these decisions on our next-of-kin.”
Ann wanted to do things differently. She knew that the responsibility of care would fall to her niece and nephew, who both live outside the area. Rather than leaving them to make difficult decisions under pressure, Ann wanted to plan her and her husband’s care ahead.
Ann was recommended Christies Care by a friend in her community and gave us a call. This led to an hour-long conversation with Christine, our local Area Manager based near Ann, who listened carefully to her situation and helped her understand the different home care options available for her and her husband in the years to come.
“As it turned out, we realised we knew each other years ago when Christine lived in the neighbourhood. Knowing someone who I respected worked for Christies Care as well as the word-of mouth recommendation, said a lot. When I saw the CQC ‘Outstanding’ rating, that reassured me even more.”
Ann recalls, “What stood out was the ethics. Christine answered all my questions, and it never felt like I was being sold something. I got the distinct impression that the company really follows through on what they promise.”
“I now have a care plan in place for the future, my family have been informed, and I have great peace of mind knowing that my care decisions were not rushed and I had the time to make the best and wisest decision possible for my husband and me.”
Planning Furture Care with Christies Care
If you’re beginning to think about planning future care for yourself or a loved one, having an early conversation can make all the difference.
Our local teams are always happy to talk through care options, answer your questions, and support you in planning ahead, with free care advice and signposting and no pressure or obligation.
Sometimes, the most reassuring step is simply starting the conversation.
