When & How to Plan for Later Life Care

While some people put it off because it feels uncomfortable, it’s worth remembering that the earlier you plan, the more choice and control you hold on to.

In this guide, we offer informed and encouraging advice around when and how to plan for your later life care. Our goal is to help you approach the process with confidence, and to provide the peace of mind that comes from knowing the right plans are in place for the future.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

• Why does later life care planning matter? And why now?
• What does later life care planning actually involve?
• When is the right time to start planning?
• Key decisions to consider in your later life care plan
• How to talk about care planning with family

Why Does Later Life Care Planning Matter? And Why Now?

Decisions made under stress or even in crisis are rarely the most considered, and planning ahead means you have a greater ability to choose what your care looks like. Without a plan in place, decisions can too easily become shaped by circumstance rather than personal preference, creating unnecessary stress for both you and those close to you, instead allowing them to be involved to a degree that feels helpful and appropriate.

With over 3.3 million people aged 60 and over in the UK needing help with essential everyday tasks in 2025, planning for later life isn’t about expecting the worst. Rather, it’s about putting a plan in place so you are better positioned to make the most of whatever life brings.

What Does Later Life Care Planning Actually Involve?

Another reason that many people avoid later life care planning is lack of clarity about what the process entails. In this section we outline the key areas that comprise later life care planning.

Understanding Types of Care Available

A wide range of care options are available, ranging from support provided in your home, to full-time care in a dedicated facility. Most people will require different levels of support over time, meaning that having a plan in place helps you to manage these transitions more effectively.

Read our Retirement Living Options Explained guide to find out more about what’s on offer, and who each is best suited to.

Financial Planning

Understanding how later life care may be funded is an important part of planning ahead. Depending on individual circumstances, funding can come from a combination of personal assets, savings, investments and, in some cases, means-tested state support.

For many people, housing wealth is a primary contributor to funding later life care, with pensions, other savings and investments also contributing.

Read our guide to Downsizing in Retirement to find out how to unlock housing capital.

Legal Arrangements

Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a legal document giving nominated people the right to make decisions on your behalf. There are two types:

• Health and Welfare LPA covers decisions about care, medical treatment, and wellbeing
• Property and Financial Affairs LPA covers decisions about money, property and financial matters

Both are intended to let your loved ones make decisions if you are no longer able to do so. LPAs must be put in place while you have mental capacity to consent to the process, and leaving it too late can place restrictions on the help that your loved ones are able to provide.

We recommend consulting a solicitor to discuss the process for putting LPAs in place.

Housing

Deciding where to live in later life is a significant decision. It is worth considering not only whether your current home suits your needs today, but also whether it is truly designed to support the lifestyle, comfort and ease of living you may want in the years ahead.

As we age, new considerations become relevant. For example:

• Does your home have sufficient accessibility provision? Are there stairs? Is the bathroom equipped with grab handles? Are doors wide enough for wheelchairs?
• Is the location conducive to independent living, or to support when it becomes necessary?
• What is the maintenance burden like? A large garden, for example, can quickly become a source of stress rather than pleasure as your mobility declines
• Is the location well suited to long-term independent living? Proximity to shops, healthcare, transport links, green spaces and social opportunities can all make everyday life feel easier

Often the cost of adapting is greater than you might initially think, meaning you need to consider carefully whether moving to a purpose-built environment makes more sense.

When is the Right Time to Start Planning?

The honest answer is earlier than you think - ideally before health concerns arise, so that a plan is in place when needed. Often life moments present a natural opportunity to begin thinking about later life planning: this can be a significant birthday or retirement, for example, as well as a health scare that brings things into focus.

A key thing to keep in mind is that planning doesn’t commit you to anything, and doesn’t sacrifice your independence. Rather, it gives you options and involves you in deciding what the care process might look like, rather than letting circumstances decide for you at a later date.

Key Decisions to Consider in Your Later Life Care Plan

We’ve prepared this checklist of things to consider as a useful tool when starting to think about your care plan. The list is not exhaustive, but should function as a good starting point:

• Have you made or updated your will?
• Have you set up both types of Lasting Power of Attorney?
• Do you have a clear picture of your financial position and the costs of potential care types?
• Have you discussed your wishes with family or close friends?
• Have you determined whether your home is suitable for your current needs, and potential future needs?
• Have you explored care options available in your area, or elsewhere if your later life plans include changing location?

How to Talk About Care Planning with Family

Beginning conversations about later life planning is often the most difficult part of the process. Remembering that the purpose is to communicate your wishes and values with the aim of preserving autonomy and ensuring future decisions reflect the life your loved one wants to lead.

It may be the case that your family is thinking about your later life care too, and that someone taking the initiative by raising the topic will help everyone to feel relief and shared focus.

Rest assured that once the conversation starts, concerted movement and familial support very often follows.

How Auriens Integrates Care into Independent Retirement Living

We’d love to show you how later life at Auriens works - please contact our team to learn more about what life here could look like for you or your loved one.