Bluebird Care Birmingham East addressing widespread lack of preparedness 

A Birmingham care provider is supporting a national campaign encouraging families to discuss care arrangements earlier, after research revealed widespread unpreparedness for later life.

Bluebird Care Birmingham East has joined the awareness initiative after new findings showed 65% of UK adults have no care plan in place. 

Nearly half admitted not knowing where to begin, whilst almost a quarter expect to sell their homes to cover costs averaging £200,000 per person over a lifetime.

Broadcaster shares personal care experiences

The campaign features broadcaster Si King, who cared for his mother with Alzheimer’s disease and supported his friend Dave Myers during serious illness.

“Care is something most of us avoid thinking about until life forces the conversation,” said King. 

“I’ve seen first-hand how quickly everything can change, and how little we often understand about care until we’re right in the middle of it.”

Strong preference for home-based care

The research highlighted clear preferences, with 73% favouring remaining at home or with family rather than moving to residential care.

The home care provider, which helps people maintain independence in their own homes, has launched free resources, including a Good Care Checklist to help families understand quality care standards and navigate the system confidently.

The initiative aims to address the gap between people’s wishes for home-based care and the lack of advance planning.