About Oxmoor Care Consultancy

Holly’s story

When I was at school, one of my teachers said to me: “You should go into nursing, Holly, you’d be

really good at it.”

Back then I had better ideas. If I couldn’t play hockey for England, then I wanted to take on the

family farm. But after a few years working in interior design, I took up a job as receptionist in a care home. My old teacher must have known something though, because, after gaining the necessary

experience, I quickly rose through the ranks to become manager of the home.

From there I took on a number of care home manager roles for Southern Cross and Barchester, until

my whole life changed with the birth of my first child. At this point, working long and unsocial hours as a care home manager no longer seemed quite so appealing.

As it happens, during my time as a home manager, I often found myself being asked for advice about care by all sorts of people. And I thought, why not do this for a living.

So back in 2016, I set up my new business from my kitchen table and called it Oxmoor Care Consultancy, named after the family farm. I also realized at this time how little help and support was readily available for people needing care – or rather for their families, who were the ones having to deal with everything. Having had all that experience running care homes, I realised how well placed I was to help people in this situation.

Outside of work, I am married, with two young children, while also looking after a menagerie of animals. So, with running Oxmoor Consultancy as well, I seem to be busier than ever – but I can’t complain.

Holly

"Holly is extremely knowledgeable on everything to do with care"

What we do

Helping to ensure you receive the best possible care for your needs in later life

With all the medical advances made over the years, the good news is that we are all living longer these days. The bad news is that we are, as a result, having to live with various conditions towards the end of our lives for longer than we did in the past. And worse still, we are having to pay more and more for our care when the time comes.

So planning ahead is vitally important – whether, for example, putting in place Lasting Powers of Attorney (Property & Financial Affairs and Health & Welfare) or ensuring that financial resources are available to fund long-term care.

Like it or not, many of us will need some form of care in the later stages of our lives. If we are fortunate, this may be provided by a family member, but at some point that may no longer be possible.

Often the solution can be domiciliary care – meaning you will be able stay at home, while receiving external support. This could range from one visit per week right through to 24/7 ‘live in’ care. Alternatively, the solution may be sheltered accommodation or assisted living. While for others, the best option might be a care home – for example, if nursing care is required or if more advanced dementia is involved.

Whatever the need, Oxmoor Care Consultancy can help across a multitude of situations. For example:

Finding a suitable care home
Advising on the pros and cons of the various care options available – eg care home vs care at home vs assisted living
Helping to ensure that the quality of care being provided is matching up to the agreed, required standard
Providing information on all the costs associated with specific care options
Helping to explore and to secure all the funding options which may be available
Looking at all the available care options associated with staying in your own home
Advising on Continuing Healthcare – eg whether you are likely to qualify for free care, and how to go about securing it.
Carrying out mental capacity assessments
Helping with specific advice where dementia is involved
Finding suitable respite care
Helping to create a funeral plan

Who we do it for

Individuals

Sometimes individuals looking for advice on care approach us direct. It may be that they don’t have any relatives who might normally do this on their behalf. In these situations, we can and do provide help – for example, applying for and securing Attendance Allowance, or finding the right care solution.

Family Members

More often, there are family members who come to us on behalf of a relative needing, or already receiving, care. In these situations we start by gaining a clear understanding of the relative concerned – their needs as well as those of the family, before making detailed recommendations.

Solicitors

We frequently work with solicitors where they are acting as professional deputy or attorney for a client in care. In particular, we are able to carry out ‘one-off’ assessments, or regular monitoring, of such clients – whether they are living in a care home or receiving care in their own home.

Financial Advisors

We are affiliate members of the Society of Later Life Advisors (SOLLA). As such, for people needing financial advice relating to their care needs, we work with a number of suitable financial advisors, who can help to provide clear advice and support in relation to funding.

Testimonials

Here is a selection of the comments people have made about us.

'Oxmoor Care Consultancy were outstanding in the work they did, helping to get Continuing Healthcare funding for my father. They knew exactly what to do all the way through the complicated process, and were highly professional and understanding at all times. In addition to obtaining full funding for my father, they went to great lengths to ensure that the care provided precisely matched his needs.

I would recommend Oxmoor to anyone needing advice and help with care.'

Mark B

'Holly is extremely knowledgeable on everything to do with care, and provides support in the most empathetic and understanding way.

Trying to find the right care for a loved one is one of the most heart wrenching experiences you can ever go through. Holly will most certainly help smooth the way and alleviate some of the heartache.

I couldn’t recommend her highly enough.'

Julie B

‘Oxmoor Care Consultancy did an excellent job, carrying out a very thorough assessment of the care being provided to my client – so good, in fact, that I am now using them on a regular basis.’

Solicitor

Why we recommend SOLLA advisors

We are often asked by clients if we can provide financial advice with regard to care funding. Whilst we are happy to explain how care fees work and what options are available for financial support, we are not qualified financial advisors.

The Society of Later Life Advisers (SOLLA) was founded in 2008 as a not for profit organisation, to meet the needs of consumers, advisors and those who provide financial products and services to the later life market.

Financial advisors who pass the criteria to be an accredited SOLLA advisor are, by definition, highly qualified in terms of being able to provide expert advice to self-funding individuals and families.

When asked by clients for financial advice on the funding of long-term care, we will always recommend an accredited SOLLA advisor. We ourselves hold affiliate membership of SOLLA.

SOLLA is committed to:

Promoting and raising awareness amongst consumers, their families and professional advisors of financial issues faced in later life

Building relationships with both statutory and voluntary agencies, charities, housing and social care providers, financial services firms and those organisations who are involved in the financial wellbeing of those in later life

Raising the standards of practice of those engaged in advising older people by promoting the highest levels of professionalism in financial advice

Identifying and developing best practice by provision of high quality training and the distribution of the latest information and know how in later life issues

Acting as a source of technical excellence for later life advisors

Actively inputting into legislative and policy changes and contributing to debates on policy