Costs of dementia care
When it comes to caring for a loved one with dementia, many families are navigating certain challenges, including the cost of dementia care. With so many care options and funding routes to consider, it can feel overwhelming. We’ve put together this guide to help you understand the cost of dementia care, from how much it costs to how it can be funded or financed.
At Consultus Care and Nursing, we believe that life is better at home, and have been supporting people with live-in care for over 60 years to enable them to do just that. Our personalised, one-to-one live-in care services allows people to continue to experience the familiarity, comfort and safety that home brings, something especially valuable for those living with dementia.
What is dementia care?
Dementia care is tailored support for individuals living with dementia, including Alzheimers disease, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia and frontotemporal dementia . It can range from help with daily tasks to full time live-in support, depending on the stage and complexity of the condition. The right care not only meets practical needs such as medication administration, personal care, and mobility support but also provides emotional wellbeing by promoting structure and familiarity.
Dementia care is a specialist form of care that requires an understanding of how the condition progresses and how behaviors such as confusion, agitation, or memory loss can impact daily life. At Consultus Care, we match each client with highly trained professional carers who are experienced in managing these challenges with sensitivity and compassion.
How much does dementia care cost?
Dementia care is personalised and tailored to an individual’s specific needs. Some individuals may only require visits from a domiciliary carer for medication administration or personal support, while others may require around-the-clock live-in care.
For many, staying in the comfort and familiarity of their own home is the preferred choice. The freedom, choice and comfort it provides is invaluable, especially for dementia where continuity of care is so important . At Consultus Care, we provide dementia care across three services - introductory live-in care, managed live-in care and live-in nursing. Live-in care involves a professional carer residing in your home to assist with day-to-day activities, personal care, companionship, and standard medication management. However, where more complex needs exist, a registered live-in nurse may be necessary.
Our managed live-in dementia care service starts from £1,575 per week, subject to a comprehensive assessment of your needs.
Alternatively, you may choose to receive dementia care in a care home, or through visiting care instead depending on your needs:
According to the latest figures from Age UK, dementia care in a care or nursing home typically starts from £1,267 per week, depending on the region, type of facility, and complexity of care. These costs will increase if you decide to stay at a dementia care home, where care is specialised to those living with dementia. This type of care can be useful when home care is not feasible. It’s important to note that some care homes may also choose to separate costs into care and accommodation fees, with additional charges for services such as hairdressing and specialist therapies. These additional costs can make it more challenging to accurately predict the total expense. The overall value of care should be considered, with care likely to be less personalised in a residential setting, with residents often receiving care at a ratio of 4:1.
Visiting care, or domiciliary care, provides support at set times during the day. This could involve help with washing, dressing, meals, or medication. It’s generally best suited to those in the earlier stages of dementia or those who have family members close by providing the majority of care. Visiting dementia care in the UK typically costs between £25 and £38 per hour, depending on the location, provider, and level of expertise needed. While more flexible than residential care, it doesn’t offer the same continuity as a live-in arrangement and may not be sufficient for individuals with more advanced needs.
Talk to us today
Give us a call to discuss your needs with one of our friendly, expert Care Advisors. They will guide you through your options to ensure you make the right choice for you and your family.
Who pays for dementia care?
There are a few ways in which dementia care can be financed or funded.
Many families do not qualify for any funding, so need to pay the full cost of dementia care themselves. This is called ‘self-funding’ care or ‘private pay’ care. self-fund care to ensure they have full control over the type of service, the provider, and the consistency of support. This route offers greater flexibility and the ability to personalise care to meet specific needs. While it does involve upfront expense, many families value the peace of mind it brings.
If you’re not sure whether you can afford care on your own, your local authority may be able to help. Following a care needs assessment and financial assessment, you may be eligible for full or partial funding. In England, if your savings and assets are below £23,250, you may qualify for some support. In Wales, this threshold is £24,000.
In cases where dementia has progressed significantly and medical needs are complex, you may be eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare. This is a fully funded package of care provided by the NHS, delivered either in a care home or in your own home.
To determine eligibility, an initial checklist assessment is carried out by your local Integrated Care Board (ICB), which considers areas such as cognition, mobility, medication, and communication. If your needs are deemed primarily health-related, a full assessment will follow to decide whether the NHS will cover the cost of ongoing care.
Dementia care with Consultus Care
At Consultus Care, we understand the challenges that come with caring for a loved one living with dementia. Our goal is to provide meaningful, one-to-one care that supports not just physical needs, but emotional wellbeing too. Our carers are carefully selected, receive award-winning training, and are matched to each individual's unique needs and personality.
If you’d like to speak to one of our friendly Care Consultants about your options, costs, or how to get started, call 01732 496715 or enquire online.
How to arrange dementia care
Speak to a Care Advisor
Our friendly, expert Care Advisors are here to guide you through your options, answer your important questions, whilst providing support along the way.
Care assessment
If you would like our managed live-in care service, a Care Consultant local to you, will complete a free assessment of your needs in your home.
Care starts
A fully trained carer will be carefully matched to meet your needs, and will start to provide our high-quality service in your home.
Why choose Consultus Care and Nursing?
One of the longest-established and most trusted providers
Founded in 1962, we have always been innovators in live-in care and live-in nursing. With over 60 years’ experience, we are one of the country’s longest-established, most highly recommended and experienced providers.
Unrivalled choice and control over your care
We understand that every person’s needs are different and every family’s situation is unique. With our choice of fully managed live-in care and nursing, and our introductory service, we offer more flexibility and personalisation than any other provider.
Highly trained nurses and carers
We are nationally recognised for the quality of our nurses and carers. With market-leading training, delivered at our own, multi-award-winning training centre, they provide exemplary, compassionate care tailored to individual needs, offering total peace of mind for clients and their families.
Expert care and support, dedicated to you
Our Care Consultants oversee our nursing and managed care services supporting only a small number of families. This means our service is truly personal, with unrivalled support and continuity of care. Reassurance that we are there when you need us most.
Family-founded, family-owned
We continue to be a family-owned and family-managed business. The largest wholly family-owned live-in care provider in the UK, we focus on what our clients and their families need from a high-quality care service, not on meeting investors’ expectations.
Looking for care?
Please fill out the enquiry form below and we will aim to contact you within 24 hours. Looking to work for Consultus Care and Nursing? Please apply here.