Thinking about the future :/

[JennyWescott]

when is it too soon to start putting money aside for the possible chance of needing care when you are older? Seems like a morbid thought but the last thing i want is to not have money when i am older and need care. I want to have the choice of where i go into care, if i do that is? Thats my dilemma.. do i assume that i will?

Sorry for the ramblings, it's just something thats been on my mind!

What a sensible post. The problem is you have no idea what is going to happen. When you are young and fit, it is hard to imagine that you will be unable to stand on your own two feet. So I think the sooner you start saving the better.
There are two schools of thought. If you have no savings and have nothing, the government will step in but as you say you will have no choices either.

We have several old folks on the go who are teetering on the brink of needing care. This is their story ( and ours as we are fully involved in supporting them)
They have money because they have property, and they are in their nineties. The two women cannot do anything for them selves now. One has her husband taking up the role of carer and they have someone in once a day to get her up and washed and dressed. That costs £14 a day.

He feeds her during the day and gets her into bed. They pay for a cleaner and he does the shopping. They pay some one to do the washing and change their bed. Around £50 a week. They have a lifeline which costs about £ 18.00 a month. Because if one falls they can't get each other up. We take up the slack, paper work, hospital appointments, sorting out general stuff.

The other one is in Hospital at the moment. We own her house but she has money. She is going to be discharged shortly and she will have about six weeks free and then will have to pay for care. All her savings will go on paying for carers to come in four times a day. If necessary we will we pay as well. We and other siblings take up the slack, paying bills, dealing with day to day running of someone's life etc.
Getting free care is almost impossible if you have any assets at all.
So my advice is start saving.