Unlike the NHS, the elderly care industry doesn’t operate on a free basis. The fees, either within a care home or home care, can be so expensive it makes your eyes bulge. Those lucky enough to have money saved up for such a scenario are grateful that their elderly loved one can be looked after without the anxiety of finding the money to pay for a service. However, for most it is a stressful process to fund eldercare. Many, who can’t easily afford eldercare services, will have to leave their career to take on the care responsibilities themselves.
Therefore, it is no surprise that more and more people are seeking discounts for carers over the last few months. The cost of living crisis hasn’t just pinched the pockets of everyday working people, but even taken the shirt off their backs. There is only so much local councils can advise on funding eldercare, so many employees are scrambling to find any discounts they can. Who could blame them? Whilst there is no surefire way of securing discounts for eldercare, as every organisation has different benefits, here are a few options to consider on your search.
Flexible Hours
Those that simply can’t pay for eldercare in any form might find it useful to talk to their employer about flexible hours. Whilst this is not a discount on care, working flexible hours can greatly benefit your work-life balance. Taking a morning or afternoon off per week, might give you that extra time to provide caregiving responsibilities for your loved one without the need for a paid eldercare service. This obviously has a huge caveat depending on your loved one’s care requirements, but starting this flexible conversation with employers is a strong start.
Salary sacrifice
A salary sacrifice is an agreement between an employee and employer to lower salary in return for a non-cash benefit. This may seem counterintuitive, less monthly income to pay for the care your loved one needs, however, this benefit can give an employee support in a number of facets. If negotiated with the employer, the salary sacrifice could grant you the option of care vouchers which gives a meaningful discount on eldercare. The salary sacrifice benefit could also be part of a dedicated eldercare support and guidance service. Which brings us nicely to…
Seniorcare by Lottie
Seniorcare by Lottie is the UK’s leading employee eldercare benefit solution. Once it has been implemented into an organisation, Seniorcare provides a range of services to help employees understand, find and, in this particular circumstance, fund care. With a friendly team of Care Experts, we can provide all the guidance and support to help you find the perfect care for your elderly loved one and save thousands in the process. We can also explore a range of options for organisations to utilise care vouchers to help their employees also save money on care.
This is not an easy stage of life to say the least. It comes with a host of difficult conversations and decisions. Attempting to cope and carry the strain on your own can have many negative effects. So whether it’s a 20 minute phone call or a 6 month comprehensive care plan, Seniorcare by Lottie is here to help every employee elevate later life.