The Care Compass^®

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Navigating Dementia & Later-Life Care Together

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Welcome to The Care Compass

Whether you’re worried something isn’t right or you’ve just had a diagnosis, you’re in the right place. Tap the wheel to choose the stage that fits where you are now.

You don’t have to navigate it alone.

Our guidance sits alongside advice from your GP, care team, social worker or hospice, never in place of it. It can help you ask clearer questions and feel steadier about what comes next.

Listed on Leeds City Council’s Leeds Directory and Bradford Council’s Connect to Support

Explore the Journey

Why this exists

For Mum and Dad, and every family like ours.

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Steve's mum and dad on their wedding day — Mum and Dad, on their wedding day

My mum lived with dementia. My dad lived with a terminal illness. When it all started, all we were given was a leaflet.

What followed was months of phone calls to different services, forms with no guidance, words I’d never heard, and no clear answers about funding or what came next. Nobody sat us down and told us what mattered, or where to turn.

If you’re reading this, you might be there right now.

The Care Compass is the guide I wish we’d had for them. Free, in plain English, for every family on the same journey.

— Steve, their son

Read our full story →

Start here

Start with what’s happening. Choose the situation closest to yours.

🔍We think a loved one may have dementia→ ❤️We’ve just had a diagnosis→ 🚑A loved one has fallen→ 🌀They’re suddenly more confused or unwell→ 🕊Someone has just died→ Free calculator£How much could care actually cost?Get a rough estimate in 2 minutes — no adviser, no sales call, no email needed→

Show 10 more situations ↓Show fewer ↑

🧭I’m not sure where to start→ 🗂️We’re trying to plan ahead→ 📈Their needs have increased, or they’re coming home from hospital→ 🏡We’re looking at care homes→ 🍽️They won’t eat→ 😔I’m exhausted caring, and need a break→ 🏠They want to stay at home→ 📆They’re under 65 — is this still for us?→ 🚗Should they still be driving?→ 🕯️They may be nearing the end of life→

Finding it hard, not just practically?Guilt, money, work, family, looking after yourself. Start with what feels hardest today.

60-second video

The Care Compass in 60 seconds. Every stage, and the free tools to help you act.

No sound needed: words on screen

Read the 60-second overview instead

Why we exist: when Mum was diagnosed, then Dad, both times all we were given was a leaflet. So I built what we wish we’d had.
Stage 1, Diagnosis & Understanding: what happens after a diagnosis, and who can help.
Stage 2, Planning Ahead: power of attorney, money, and the conversations to have early.
Stage 3, Living Well at Home: staying safe and well at home, and support for you too.
Stage 4, Increasing Care Needs: falls, hospital stays, carers and assessments.
Stage 5, Care Home & Funding: choosing a home, who pays, and settling in.
Stage 6, End of Life: comfort, palliative care, and what to expect.
Stage 7, Bereavement & Moving Forward: what to do after a death, and looking after yourself.
Plus free tools: a 20-page booklet, a care cost calculator, money help, a sudden change checker, a CHC toolkit and a local support finder.
Free. Plain English. From real experience. www.thecarecompass.uk

Cover of the free booklet A Quiet Place to Start

Free booklet A Quiet Place to Start Feeling like this is a lot? All seven stages in one calm, printable 20-page guide. Get the free booklet →

Free tools

Practical help. Tools for the things families actually need to do.

🔧Real tools, not just readingSudden changes, local support, money worries›

Check a sudden change, find support in your area, or work through money worries — built into the site, free.

£Money you may be owedPIP, Attendance Allowance, Carer’s Allowance and more›

PIP, Attendance Allowance, Carer's Allowance, Pension Credit, and more — gathered in one place. Some of the UK's most under-claimed benefits, explained in plain English, whatever stage you're at.

See Money & Support →

📖More than the wheelGuides that cover every stage›

Some guides sit across every stage, not just one — Power of Attorney, benefits, legal planning and more. Browse the full library any time.

Browse all 150+ guides →

Are you the one doing the caring?

You matter too. Your rights as a carer, a carer’s assessment, money you may be owed, and where to find support for yourself.

Support for you →

Kind words

What people are saying. Kind words shared with us, with permission.

Such an incredible resource. So many people have to navigate these situations with limited emotional or practical support. It's like a hug and a ‘how to’ guide all wrapped into one!

Katie Wheeler, Facebook review

This is a fantastic source of information… everything you need all in one place. When you are handed the diagnosis that is literally all you are given… I really wish The Care Compass was around a few years ago.

Lisa Doughty, Facebook review

Read Lisa’s family story →

Absolutely brilliant. Very well thought out and serves a purpose.

Olivia Bell (helped her mum navigate her grandmother’s dementia)

It organised what feels like such a complicated topic into clear areas and order. I’d recommend it to anybody trying to make sense of what to do next.

Dom Sheffield