Choosing the right care home for your elderly relative, so that they are comfortable and you have peace of mind, is so important. There are two main types of care homes – residential and nursing:
- Residential homes are for elderly people who are unable to live at home independently and require some extra support with daily tasks (e.g. meal preparation and washing).
- Nursing homes are for elderly people whose illness or infirmity (including Dementia) requires regular nursing care, so qualified nurses work within the homes.
Outside the home is just as important as the inside and your elderly relative may want to be in a specific environment, or in a community with certain amenities easily accessible, such as a church or a lunch club.
There’s a lot to consider before deciding where to look for a care home, so Age Space has put together the following guide, which includes a brief overview to the most popular towns in Surrey for care homes.
Finding a Care Home in Surrey
There are over 250 care homes across Surrey, which all offer different facilities to meet certain needs. We have compiled a short list of care homes in Surrey that you might find useful, showing costs, contact details and other information.
Areas to Consider in Surrey
Surrey has plenty of wonderful locations to consider for care homes, with its thriving market towns, gorgeous countryside and one of the lowest crime rates in the country. The county also borders London, which is easily accessible by rail and motorway links; ideal for visiting relatives.
Esher
Esher is located on the Surrey side of the Greater London and Surrey border, lying just off of the A3 link between London and Portsmouth, making it easily accessible.
Sandown Park Racecourse is located in the town, near the railway station for those interested in horse racing. The south of the area is also home to Claremont Landscape Garden, which is a popular National Trust destination for family days out.
These opportunities and conveniences make it a popular area to grow old in and its growing elderly population means a large choice of care homes.
Farnham
Farnham is a rural market town, to the far west of Surrey, bordering with Hampshire. The town is of great historical interest, with many Georgian houses and other old buildings. Farnham Castle overlooks the town and the community is served by a public museum and library for those interested in exploring this history.
Farnham Maltings hosts an array of concerts including opera, folk and blues genres. Farnham has an above average elderly population, making it a great area to consider with a vast selection of care homes.
Guildford
Guildford is often regarded as the county town of Surrey. Bustling farmers markets and quirky independent shops line the town centre, whilst the strong elderly community hosts senior social centres and lunch clubs.
Living in Guildford offers all the conveniences of modern life, with great access to amenities, however for those interested in the area but after somewhere a little quieter, it is worth considering the neighbouring villages of Elstead, Goldaming, Peasmarsh, Shalford and West Clandon, all of which have a care home.
Leatherhead
Leatherhead is situated just North of the Surrey Hills area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The town centre is pedestrianised and has a combined theatre and cinema.
The population of Leatherhead is older than the Surrey average, making it home to a lively elderly community and a large choice of nursing and care homes.
Walton-on-Thames
Walton-on-Thames is a market town on the right bank of the Thames, to the North of Surrey. It is a vibrant town, with a vast array of shops, pubs and restaurants. There are also a number of cultural centres, including the Cecil Hepworth Playhouse, Riverhouse Arts Centre and Everyman Cinema. These venues have their own elderly friendly clubs and accessible performances available.
Woking
Woking is one of Surrey’s largest towns, located in the northwest of the county. As a result, there are plenty of community facilities available, including the New Victoria Theatre and the largest public library in Surrey. Woking Community Hospital serves the local residents’ primary healthcare needs.
Average Care Home Fees in Surrey
The amount that you can expect to pay for a care home each year is dependent on whether or not the older person in question requires residential care only, or residential with nursing care. In the UK, these average at around £37,237 per year for residential and £51,700 for nursing care.
As you can see from the table below, care homes in Surrey are significantly more expensive than other parts of the UK on average. This is due to both its popularity as a retirement location and its proximity to London, as well as being the county with the second highest living costs in the country, after the capital.
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 | Residential with Nursing Care | |
| Care Home | £61,719 | £74,646 |
Estimates taken from a study by LaingBuisson from the Care of Older People UK Market Report 2018, adjusted for inflation
The Benefits & Drawbacks of Elderly Life in Surrey
Surrey is a popular place to grow old in for good reason. It hosts beautiful countryside, with the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty attracting visitors from all over the UK. As mentioned above, the towns are lively, with good amenities and buzzing elderly communities.
You can visit our Enjoying Elderly Life Section for more information about accessible family days out and Cultural Delights in Surrey.
The two NHS trusts that oversee hospitals and healthcare in Surrey are well regarded, with positive CQC ratings:
| CQC Rating | |
| Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust | Good (June 2020) |
| Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust | Outstanding (January 2019) |
The only drawback to elderly life in Surrey, is that Care Home costs in the county are high. However, if your elderly relative has a property in Surrey, then high market value should also mean that the release of this asset will cover any cost of care.
Mobility Specialists in Surrey
Age Space preferred mobility retailer
Wheelfreedom have the mobility solution for your needs, and you can try out a range of mobility scooters, powered and manual wheelchairs, rollators, rise and recliners and profiling beds for free in their Chessington showroom.
Or call them on 0800 008 6950.
