Debbie Harris from the elderly care and retirement-living directory autumna.co.uk discusses the complexities of choosing a care home with Daisy and Annabel. She highlights the need for quick decision-making, with a typical six-week window, how Autumna supports over 3,000 families monthly, offering a care-finding tool and a seven-day advice line. The discussion also explores the current challenges facing the Care Quality Commission and the importance of understanding care needs, along with the impact of hospital discharge delays, and much more.
You can also find this Age Space Podcast episode and more on Apple Podcasts.
Age & Stage – Episode 15 Summary: Choosing and Funding Care Homes with Debbie Harris of www.Autumna.com
The conversation centres around navigating the complex world of care homes in the UK—what families should consider when choosing one, how to prepare for the move, and how to ensure it’s a positive step for both the person moving and their relatives.
Challenging Assumptions and Guilt Around Care Homes
There is still stigma attached to moving a loved one into a care home, often driven by guilt or the feeling of “giving up.” However, care homes can offer companionship, regular meals, warmth, and safety—especially for those living alone, falling frequently, or struggling with daily activities. The wellbeing aspect, including community, structured activities, and a supportive ethos, is something that home care may not fully provide.
Making Informed Decisions: Filters and Priorities
Tools like Autumna help families apply specific filters to search for care homes by need (e.g., dementia care, challenging behaviour), location, budget, or even personality—gardens, pets, or social environments. The platform allows search by amenities (e.g. Wi-Fi, gardens, types of food), behavioural needs, and religious or cultural considerations. For example, a person may want to live near family for frequent visits, rather than in a long-time hometown with no remaining connections.
The Importance of “Fit”
Care homes vary widely—from five-star, hotel-style facilities to smaller, more traditional homes. What matters is the individual’s preference. Some prefer luxury; others value a homelier feel. Likewise, while some families may seek out homes linked to specific communities (ex-service personnel, religious groups), others focus on atmosphere and ethos.
Dogs, Distance, and Dilemmas
Pets are a major factor for many people. Some would rather stay at home in challenging conditions than give up a beloved dog. Equally, many families struggle with the location: the “perfect” care home might be too far away for regular visits, which can be a deal-breaker.
Real Reviews and Transparency
Official inspection reports can be outdated—many care homes haven’t been reviewed by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in over four years. To address this, Autumna developed Open Score, a live, data-driven rating (out of 10) based on real-time metrics. It’s already used by thousands of care homes and is influencing family decisions, offering transparency beyond glossy brochures.
Funding, Fairness, and Financial Planning
The cost of care homes is significant. Local authorities often pay less than half of what self-funding individuals pay for the same service. This results in private payers, in effect, subsidising the system. Despite high costs (averaging over £1,300 per week), families are generally getting good value for money—24/7 care, meals, activities, companionship, and peace of mind.
Many homes now require proof of funding duration. If someone’s funds are only expected to last 18–24 months, that may not be sustainable unless the home is prepared to accept local authority rates or a family top-up later.
Couples and Retirement Living
Some care homes can accommodate couples, either in adjoining rooms or shared suites. Others offer separate floors for residents with differing levels of care needs. Additionally, retirement villages are an overlooked option: independent living with support onsite, ideal for those not yet ready for full care. These often include restaurants, domestic help, and eventually, access to residential care as needs evolve.
Preparing for a Crisis: Power of Attorney & Respite
Families are urged to prepare before a crisis strikes. Having Power of Attorney in place avoids delays later. Planning also means understanding contracts—what’s included (e.g. hairdressing, trips) and what’s extra. Respite care is a useful way to ease a loved one into a care setting and evaluate whether it could be a longer-term solution.
Hospital Discharge Pressures
A major concern is delayed hospital discharges. Around 22% of care seekers on Autumna are looking for post-hospital placements. On average, patients stay in hospital 31 days longer than needed. This not only blocks NHS beds but harms patient recovery. Each week in hospital results in roughly 10% loss of muscle mass for older people, which is often irreversible.
Autumna has developed tools for NHS discharge teams to rapidly match patients with suitable care, but many delays persist due to lack of coordination and tools—not lack of care home availability.
Taking Control as a Family
Families can—and should—take initiative during discharge planning. If self-funding, you can arrange suitable care directly. Even if it’s short-term respite, getting a loved one out of hospital quickly can drastically improve outcomes and reduce long-term dependency.
The Broader Picture: Respecting Social Care
Despite negative media portrayals, the majority of care provided in the UK—by paid carers, unpaid family carers, and care homes—is excellent. Social care is the country’s largest employment sector and underpins quality of life for millions. Yet it remains undervalued and misunderstood. The episode ends with a plea to shift the conversation to recognise and celebrate the good in social care.
Age & Stage – Episode 15 Summary: Choosing and Funding Care Homes with Debbie Harris of www.Autumna.com
The conversation centres around navigating the complex world of care homes in the UK—what families should consider when choosing one, how to prepare for the move, and how to ensure it’s a positive step for both the person moving and their relatives.
Challenging Assumptions and Guilt Around Care Homes
There is still stigma attached to moving a loved one into a care home, often driven by guilt or the feeling of “giving up.” However, care homes can offer companionship, regular meals, warmth, and safety—especially for those living alone, falling frequently, or struggling with daily activities. The wellbeing aspect, including community, structured activities, and a supportive ethos, is something that home care may not fully provide.
Making Informed Decisions: Filters and Priorities
Tools like Autumna help families apply specific filters to search for care homes by need (e.g., dementia care, challenging behaviour), location, budget, or even personality—gardens, pets, or social environments. The platform allows search by amenities (e.g. Wi-Fi, gardens, types of food), behavioural needs, and religious or cultural considerations. For example, a person may want to live near family for frequent visits, rather than in a long-time hometown with no remaining connections.
The Importance of “Fit”
Care homes vary widely—from five-star, hotel-style facilities to smaller, more traditional homes. What matters is the individual’s preference. Some prefer luxury; others value a homelier feel. Likewise, while some families may seek out homes linked to specific communities (ex-service personnel, religious groups), others focus on atmosphere and ethos.
Dogs, Distance, and Dilemmas
Pets are a major factor for many people. Some would rather stay at home in challenging conditions than give up a beloved dog. Equally, many families struggle with the location: the “perfect” care home might be too far away for regular visits, which can be a deal-breaker.
Real Reviews and Transparency
Official inspection reports can be outdated—many care homes haven’t been reviewed by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in over four years. To address this, Autumna developed Open Score, a live, data-driven rating (out of 10) based on real-time metrics. It’s already used by thousands of care homes and is influencing family decisions, offering transparency beyond glossy brochures.
Funding, Fairness, and Financial Planning
The cost of care homes is significant. Local authorities often pay less than half of what self-funding individuals pay for the same service. This results in private payers, in effect, subsidising the system. Despite high costs (averaging over £1,300 per week), families are generally getting good value for money—24/7 care, meals, activities, companionship, and peace of mind.
Many homes now require proof of funding duration. If someone’s funds are only expected to last 18–24 months, that may not be sustainable unless the home is prepared to accept local authority rates or a family top-up later.
Couples and Retirement Living
Some care homes can accommodate couples, either in adjoining rooms or shared suites. Others offer separate floors for residents with differing levels of care needs. Additionally, retirement villages are an overlooked option: independent living with support onsite, ideal for those not yet ready for full care. These often include restaurants, domestic help, and eventually, access to residential care as needs evolve.
Preparing for a Crisis: Power of Attorney & Respite
Families are urged to prepare before a crisis strikes. Having Power of Attorney in place avoids delays later. Planning also means understanding contracts—what’s included (e.g. hairdressing, trips) and what’s extra. Respite care is a useful way to ease a loved one into a care setting and evaluate whether it could be a longer-term solution.
Hospital Discharge Pressures
A major concern is delayed hospital discharges. Around 22% of care seekers on Autumna are looking for post-hospital placements. On average, patients stay in hospital 31 days longer than needed. This not only blocks NHS beds but harms patient recovery. Each week in hospital results in roughly 10% loss of muscle mass for older people, which is often irreversible.
Autumna has developed tools for NHS discharge teams to rapidly match patients with suitable care, but many delays persist due to lack of coordination and tools—not lack of care home availability.
Taking Control as a Family
Families can—and should—take initiative during discharge planning. If self-funding, you can arrange suitable care directly. Even if it’s short-term respite, getting a loved one out of hospital quickly can drastically improve outcomes and reduce long-term dependency.
The Broader Picture: Respecting Social Care
Despite negative media portrayals, the majority of care provided in the UK—by paid carers, unpaid family carers, and care homes—is excellent. Social care is the country’s largest employment sector and underpins quality of life for millions. Yet it remains undervalued and misunderstood. The episode ends with a plea to shift the conversation to recognise and celebrate the good in social care.
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