Families are being urged to have an often difficult but important conversation before it becomes unavoidable — talking about future care for loved ones.
A home care provider is encouraging people to use Mother’s Day as an opportunity to check in with older relatives and start discussing support earlier, rather than waiting until circumstances force urgent decisions.
Helping Hands Home Care, which operates four branches across Devon in Exeter, Plymouth, Topsham and Torquay, provides in-home care to more than 15,000 people across England and Wales. The organisation says families frequently delay discussions about care until support becomes urgently needed.
To coincide with Mother’s Day on Sunday, March 15, the provider has produced a practical guide titled “Starting the care conversation”. The guide aims to help families feel more confident about raising the topic of additional support and encourages people to begin thinking about care earlier, rather than waiting until a crisis point.
With many families gathering to celebrate Mother’s Day, the occasion can also offer an opportunity to notice how relatives are coping at home.
Common signs that someone may benefit from extra help include struggling with everyday tasks such as cooking meals, keeping the house tidy or attending appointments. Other indicators may include missed medication, increasing isolation, or changes in appetite, mood or confidence.
The guide also includes advice from the organisation’s care team on how families can approach the subject. Recommendations include choosing a calm and private moment to talk, keeping discussions open and collaborative, and focusing on maintaining independence.
Cheryl Douglas, head of quality at Helping Hands Home Care, said:
“Mother’s Day is a time to celebrate the important role mums, grandmothers, and guardians play in our lives, but it can also be an opportunity to pause and check in on how they are really doing day to day.
“Conversations about support are rarely easy, particularly when someone has always been independent.
“However, starting those discussions early can help families feel more prepared and ensure loved ones remain living well at home for longer.”
Cheryl added that many families later say they wished they had raised the subject sooner.
“We often speak to families who say they wish they had talked about care sooner.
“Planning ahead allows everyone to explore options calmly, understand what support might look like, and make decisions together rather than during a stressful situation.
“Our guide provides clear advice on how to go about doing that, and we would encourage people this Mother’s Day to think about starting that conversation in plenty of time so that everyone is prepared when any important decisions need to be made.”
The full guide is available at Difficult Conversations: Talking About Care | Helping Hands Home Care.
Another version of the guide can also be viewed at https://online.flippingbook.com/view/9712704/
Helping Hands Home Care supports families in more than 150 communities across the UK, offering services ranging from assistance with daily routines and medication to companionship and live-in care.
