mental illness and retirement or care housing

[mypip]

hello, do any readers have experience of chronic mental illness and moving to and living in retirement or extra care housing? I consider this for myself and as I approach 60 and being single.

[dangermouseisace]

I don't think extra care housing would be appropriate unless you have very high care needs- they are usually used as an alternative to residential care homes. Most people in there are very elderly and have high personal care needs/dementia. At 60 you'd be likely to be rather out of place, particularly if you are independent.

What sort of things are you likely to need help with?

[NolongerAnxiousCarer]

The best people to talk to about this is social services, they will be able to look at all your care needs mental and physical and explain what support options there are available to meet those needs. You should be able to access social services through your local gateway to care.

[mypip]

i was considering extra care or retirement housing for my elderly mum and myself together, but also if I was living on my own as I suffer a long term mental illness unfortunately- maybe they accept people like me and provide some care for difficult spells and a regular social life of sorts, though yes I'd be rather young at 60. I could enquire at different places and with social services. for a long while we look after each other at our home ok, though we're both poorly at times.

[NolongerAnxiousCarer]

In my experience social services prefer to support people to stay in their own homes for as long as possible, but they will be the best people to advise.

[mypip]

thankyou, i may well ask social services about this, see what they advise.

[mypip]

may I ask also if any reader has experience of going into care or retirement housing being older with a mental health condition, did it go well?