Only a third with elderly parents discuss future care needs

Only a third of those with elderly parents have discussed their future care needs and options of long-term care, according to new research.

The research from community website engagewithyou.com shows only a third have had the ‘big conversation’, even though more than 70 per cent are already providing regular support.

More than one in two (55 per cent) said they would talk about the future needs of their parents and care when the time came to do something, suggesting many will be forced to react to events rather than plan ahead for them.

Twenty-three per cent said their parents were too proud to ask for help and 15 per cent were worried they might upset their parents if they brought the subject up.

Fourteen per cent didn’t think it was for them to start the conversation and nine per cent admitted they had put it off as it would upset them too much to raise the issue.

Karl Elliott, director for the engage with you community website said: “With an ageing population, care provision for the elderly is becoming one of the big issues of the day. For some time the default setting on this issue has been debate over care homes, but our research among British adults shows that for the majority it simply isn’t a choice or an option.

"Across Britain today around seven in 10 adults are providing regular help to elderly parents and around one in four give a level of support that effectively classifies them as carers, whether they define themselves as this or not.

"Whilst it is good that so many adults are supporting their elderly relatives it is a huge concern that so few have sat down and had the big discussion on the future, putting a long term care plan together that is practical, workable and affordable.”

Research showed those with busier lives were less likely to have had the care conversation.

Forty per cent of adults with no children claimed they had discussed a care plan with their elderly parents, this fell to 26 per cent for couples with two or more children. Part time workers (42 per cent) and those not working (44 per cent) were also more likely to have discussed a care plan than busy, full-time workers (32 per cent).