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Care planning

I think I might have dementia – if I do, who’ll look after me?

Whether you have dementia or not, we should all think about who'll care for us in future. Here’s how to start care planning…

If you suspect you have dementia it’s natural to think about what life might look like in future – and thoughts often go to how you might live in terms of your day-to-day care. So, it’s a great idea to start care planning.

Here are a few things to think about for the future:

  • What care might I need?

  • Who do I want to look after me?

  • Who’s able to take care of me?

  • Can I live at home?

  • Do I want to stay in my own home?

  • What happens when my needs change – who decides about my care?

  • How will I pay for my care?

  • What do I think about moving to a care home?

Looking ahead

It’s best to have a discussion with your loved ones, but options to consider include:

  • Remaining in your home, being cared by a loved one

  • Remaining in your home with carers coming in to help you

  • Moving in with family or other trusted care givers

  • Moving to a residential care setting

How to make a care plan

When you create a care plan you’ll need to provide the name of someone who will be your key carer, so have a think about who that should be.

Some people start with one care option and try a few before they find a plan that works best for them, but it’s best to make your wishes known sooner rather than later, which is why a care plan helps.

To get you started, download our Care Plan Toolkit here

Help with funding your care

When you decide you need extra help with daily living a care needs assessment can be done. This lays out what help you need and what will be provided to you. You can find out more about this at your local council’s Adult Social Services department.

You might get NHS funding to pay for some of your care. Check out Dementia UK’s advice on this.

Care planning – next steps

When you start care planning you might find you have more questions, including queries about how to pay for it. Here’s where to find further help: