There are many reasons why Essex is a good area to look for a care home in. It has great transport links, good care homes and a lovely balance of countryside beauty and urban conveniences. However, there is a lot to consider when finding the right care home for your loved one.
The first thing you need to think about it is the type of care home that your relative needs: nursing or residential. Residential care homes are for people who need a little extra support day-to-day, with tasks such as cooking and cleaning, whilst nursing care homes are for people who regularly require more complex help from qualified nurses.
Another significant factor to consider is location. Even within Essex, there are differences between towns that you may want to take into account when searching for a suitable care home. This page will guide you through the different towns worth considering in Essex and some other factors that you should take into account when choosing a care home.
Find Essex Care Homes
Age Space is working hard on making our own care home search engine to help you find the best care home options in your area. In the meantime, we recommend using a directory like CareHome.co.uk.
Different Areas to Consider in Essex
When moving someone into a care home, there are many factors that you should be taking into account. One of the most important factors is location; in terms of proximity to friends and family, as well as the different opportunities each town has to offer. Below, we have outlined some of the best and most popular places in Essex in which to look for a care home.
Chelmsford
Chelmsford is one of Essex’s biggest towns. It has lovely parks and canals for those who enjoy walking and enjoying the outdoors, as well as being only 30 minutes on the train to London, making it convenient for day trips to the capital. It is also conveniently located close to Chelmsford & Essex Hospital.
Colchester
Once the capitals of Roman Britain, Colchester is now one of Essex’s cultural hotspots. It boasts the Firstsite art gallery and the Colchester Arts Centre, as well as the famous Colchester Castle, the large Colchester Zoo and is home to Essex’s most successful football team; Colchester United. This is a great choice of home for an older person looking to keep busy.
Rochford
Rochford is one of two locations in Essex that were listed in the Top 50 of Halifax’s highest quality of life locations for 2019. It was also the 10th happiest place to live in the UK in 2020, according to the Office of National Statistics, so it must be doing something right! Rochford also has a quaint town square at its centre.
Saffron Walden
Saffron Walden is described as having a relaxed and tranquil feeling to it, making it a calm and laid-back place to live. This is not to say it lacks in culture – the town has a museum and three art galleries! Saffron Walden is located in the district of Uttlesford, the other location in Essex that scored well in Halifax’s highest quality of life list in 2019.
Southend-on-Sea
Southend-on-Sea, Essex’s biggest town, sits on the coast and has a lovely, popular pier. Its size ensures that you have access to all the urban conveniences your relative could be after. Living in Southend-on-Sea would also put your relative in close proximity to Southend University Hospital.
Average Costs of Care Homes in Essex
How much you can expect to pay for a care home per year depends on whether or not the older person in question requires residential care only, or residential with nursing care. In the UK this is usually around £37,237 per year (residential) and £51,700 (nursing).
As you can see from the table below, care homes in Essex are averagely more expensive than other parts of the UK. This is due to both its popularity as a retirement location and its proximity to London. However, this doesn’t mean that you can expect to pay the prices below, as care home fees are dependent on a lot of things, such as location, facilities, space, type of care, length of care, staff per resident and preference.
| Residential Only | Res. with Nursing Care | ||
| Yearly Cost of Care Home | £49,249 | £59,545 |
Estimates taken from a study by LaingBuisson from the Care of Older People UK Market Report 2018, adjusted for inflation
The Benefits & Drawbacks of Life in Essex
Essex has an outstanding mixture of parks, countryside and urban amenities. Its many towns have buzzing and vibrant high streets, but you are never too far from rich countryside.
Essex has excellent transport links, particularly to London, which is why it is such a popular commuter area.
Essex has a high number of care homes rated as Good or Excellent.
Care homes in Essex are more expensive than the national average. This is due to care homes in the South East being more expensive than the rest of the country, and due to Essex’s popularity as a location.
There are plenty of accessible cultural days out in Essex, including at the coast. You can read more about these in our guides to the Top 5 Accessible Days out in Essex, and best Cultural Activities for the Elderly in Essex.
