Lots of people choose to stay near their current home when they’re looking for residential care. However, for some people, the best places to retire or find care are further away.
You might want to move to be near your family, or perhaps you can’t find suitable care in your current area. Moving out of London or other expensive areas can make retirement more affordable for some people – and others might choose to move somewhere they’ve always loved.
In this guide, we’ll look at why some people move away to find care, talk about some of the things you should consider when looking at the best places to retire, and explain how you can find the right property for you.
Looking for care urgently? Find Your Room can help. Whether you’re looking for a local nursing home or a supported living scheme further away, our website and app let you search by location. Learn more about how to find care with Find Your Room.
Why move away for care?
You might be moving away out of necessity. Perhaps you need to move to a care or nursing home, but there isn’t a suitable facility near you. Your area might be increasingly expensive, and you’re looking for something affordable, or you might want to be nearer your family. However, some people choose to move away because they want to live somewhere new, or to follow their dreams while they still can.
Reasons people move away to find a care home or supported living scheme:
- To be closer to friends and family
- To find suitable care
- To live somewhere more affordable
- To try living in a new area
Let’s look at these reasons in more detail.
Moving to be near family and friends
If your family live far away, you might want to move to be closer to them.
Your relatives might have offered to help with your care, or you might simply want to make it easier to visit. Perhaps you’ve moving back to a town where you lived previously. Alternatively, this might be a totally new area to you – but you already know people there.
Spending time with loved ones is vital for your mental health, so choosing to be near friends and family is a good choice. According to Age UK, more than a million older people say that they often go weeks without speaking to friends and relations. Even if you’re moving to a care home or supported living scheme where you’ll be surrounded by neighbours and fellow residents, it’s important to keep up with friends and family too.
Moving to find a suitable care facility
Unfortunately, if you need specialist care, or you need nursing home care urgently, you might need to move away from your current area.
Are you looking for specialist care, such as support for people with epilepsy, profound and multiple learning disabilities, or brain injuries? You might find that there’s no suitable nursing homes with vacancies in your area. Some care facilities can’t support clients with certain needs, and there may be a lengthy waiting list for the right property – so, if you or your loved one need care urgently, it might be best to look outside your area.
A hospital discharge co-ordinator might recommend that you don’t go back to your current home. Perhaps you’ve recently had a stroke or a fall, and you won’t be able to manage the stairs or use the bathroom in your home. Maybe you’ll need constant supervision for a while, but you live alone. In these situations, you might need to find care – and quickly.
A move to a far-away care facility doesn’t have to be permanent. You might be able to return to your own home when you recover from your illness or injury, for example. Alternatively, when you’re settled in and receiving support, you can search for a more local care home at your leisure.
Moving to a cheap retirement location
If you’ve retired or can no longer work, you might be worried about affordability in your current area – particularly if you live in London or the South East. However, your money might go further if you move elsewhere. Lots of people are moving out of London because they’re looking for more affordable areas, for example.
Before you decide to look for cheap retirement locations, though, do your research on paying for care. Are you eligible for any help from your local authority or the NHS? Depending on your circumstances, care and nursing homes in your town may be more affordable than you think.
Moving to your dream location
Some people aren’t moving out of necessity. Instead, they’re making the choice to move to a new area so they can follow their dreams.
You might decide to move before you need care, especially if you know your health or mobility is declining. Lots of people decide to make changes to their lives after getting a negative health diagnosis, or after the death of a loved one. Perhaps you’ve always dreamt of being just a short walk from the beach. Why not look for retirement properties to rent by the sea?
Alternatively, you might already have care needs and need to move to a care home or sheltered housing community. If you’re moving anyway, why not go somewhere you’ve always loved?
What should I consider before moving?
Moving a long distance can be daunting, whatever your age and health situation. Lots of people choose to find a care home near their current home, because it’s often easier. However, if moving is the right choice for you, you should make sure you’re prepared.
Questions to ask yourself before moving:
- Can I see my new home before I move in? If you’re moving a long distance, it might be difficult to tour care facilities in advance. However, the best way to choose a care home is to visit. Meet the staff and residents, get a feel for the atmosphere, and ask questions before you commit to moving.
- Do I have a support system in my new area? Older people and those with care needs are at a high risk of becoming isolated. Making sure you have social contact is important for your mental health.
- Will my family and friends visit me? If you’re moving far away from your friends and relatives, your relationships may become more distant. It can be difficult for people to make long journeys on a regular basis.
- Are my finances in order? There are often extra costs associated with moving long distances, like paying a removal company and your own travel expenses.
- Do I have a new healthcare team lined up? If you have care needs, you may rely on your GP, community nurses, and specialist healthcare teams. Make sure that your current doctors will arrange referrals for you – especially if you’re waiting for treatment.
- Will my care funding change? If you receive help from the local authority to pay your care costs, make sure that tell social services that you’re moving. Your new local authority must assess you – they can’t change your care until you have a new care plan. You have the right to continuity, under the Care Act 2014.
How can I find the right property for me?
Word of mouth is a popular way to find care homes and supported living schemes. However, if you’re moving away to find care, you can’t always ask around for recommendations – you may not know anyone in the area. Your current social workers and care team might not be able to help, either.
Nowadays, most people search for care homes and other properties online. You can search for terms like “retirement homes by the sea,” and come up with lists of potential properties.
Find Your Room can make your search easier. Our website and app let you search by location, and filter for available properties only – so you can narrow your search down to care facilities that have vacancies. You can contact the care facility, knowing that you won’t be wasting your time, because they have availability.
Good luck with your search!
