Switzerland ranked best place to grow older - where is UK?

I do find it an interesting assumption that people would want to live in the UK because that is where their children and grandchildren are. Very few of our friends have all their children in the UK and I don't know anyone who lives near all their children. Our son has been in Spain for over twenty years, we have been in France for ten, that seems quite normal to me. I am genuinely interested to know how people would react if their children moved abroad?
Living in the north of France, I can be with my daughter in the south of England in under six hours. We can watch UK telly, shop from Amazon, download books to Kindle, the Guardian is delivered to my iPad before most people in the UK are awake.
I sometimes think people think we are living in the foothills of the Himalayas with The Times delivered by special messenger once a month.

No mistake, I did, in the UK -where I lived for 40 years- where several family members worked in, with, for, many OAP homes- where mil and many relatives and friends, and friends relatives- had to find OAP homes and visit so many crying their eyes out at what they saw (and smelled)..

Of course I would never claim to know better than most GNeters the massive differences between OAP homes. My comment was made as I find it very difficult to believe that anyone in our age group who lives in the UK seems unaware of that. I am surprised no-one has come forward to confirm this- but I am quite sure most of them know, but choose not to say so, for whatever reason. Fact- nothing I can do about it, sadly.

I lived all my adult life in the UK until 6 years ago- I thought you knew that.

Oops sorry
I must have misunderstood you when you said

"I've visited 100s of care homes in the UK"

Alea, you are beginning to attack personally here. Several members of my family worked with a vast number of care homes, and with my mil, other relatives and friends and their relatives- became very aware of the vast differences, depending on means. This is not the case here. I am quite sure many other GNeters are also very aware of this- with all the awful and tragic cases in the Press and TV, no-one can be unaware.

I do think your nose is getting in the way now, sorry.

Am surprised to hear that lots of people retire to Australia, it is majorly expensive to do so, you need to prove you have enough money to pay for your health care etc before they will let you stay and if you already have health issues they reject you. We have family who sold up everything to retire over there as their son is resident in Perth, 3 months later they were back in the UK as both have serious health problems and their application was turned down. My daughter was over there and we considered it but would not have been able to put up a big enough bond as neither of us wanted to start working again

Of course not everybody ends their life in a care home. None of my or DH's grandparents did, neither of our parents or aunts or uncles did and why should we assume necessarily that we will?

I think sheltered accommodation is a wonderful advance but of course if you are within easy reach of your family (another reason for staying in the UK) it may be possible to retain your independence and remain in your own home.

Out of interest GJ why were you checking out hundreds of care homes?
And why assume you are the only one with your astounding admirable breadth of experience? We have SWs, Care workers, nurses, doctors, members with elderly parents all on GN, they just might know a bit about it too.?

Alea, I am sorry about your nose ... but if you didn't get my comment about the OAP care here in Switzerland being much more egalitarian, eg, the rich, poor and in betweem live in the same OAP homes, with the same quality of care- then I cannot understand why you are surprised at my comment. I've visited 100s of care homes in the UK, and the difference in quality of care and standards, mostly depending on your income and means- is vast. And it does make me wonder if anyone who is not aware of this has visited many care homes in the UK, yes, it does- I am sorry if it gets up your nose.

Wurzelernie - you're so right.

We lived abroad, in France, for ten years and had a very happy time. But gradually, we realised that we wanted to ''go home'' to England, to family and friends, to everything that is so familiar. So we came home, and home is where the heart is and mine is here in England. I love my country, it has its faults (where doesn't?) but it has everything I love and missed. And surely its one of the most beautiful places in the world.

Someone told me it costs 75,000 pounds a year to live in a Sunrise Home!

Well, I'm getting old. Fact.

Quick comment here - what's with all this "getting old" bit? I'm an elder, I reckon getting older is getting wiser, so I'm staying put.

Me and my hubby retired to Perth, Western Australia 7 years ago, to be with our three children and grandchildren, and it really is like living in paradise....apart from the fact that the 'wonderful' UK government (not) decided to freeze mine and my husbands state pension as soon as we left the UK, never mind that we have both worked and contributed all our working lives so that we would have decent pensions when we retired. If we had moved to America or several other countries in the world, our pensions would have been increased as if we were still living in the UK, but not in any Commonwealth Countries!! Thieving so and so's!!

This is ridiculous! What makes you think you're the only person to know anything about care homes in the UK or anywhere?
You may be right, but your patronising question "I do wonder how many care homes some of you have visited in the UK" simply gets up my nose.

Beppu in Japan would be my choice, in an Onsen with some Sake!

You can be very rich and have diabolical care in a care home in any country as far as I can see. There are only about 5 million people in Switzerland so it really wouldn't take much effort to have good care for that small number of people. It is very expensive to live in Switzerland and however nice people are you really do have to be rich to live there. People go to other countries but then suddenly realise how good our health care is and suddenly come rushing back. Yes I know there are pockets of bad care in the uk but I have families in both countries and have experienced healthcare(theirs) in both and I know where I would prefer to be old.

I so agree with Alea. I'm happy where I am, and where my children and grandchildren are. Plus I love the seasons (weather an' all!) in England.

I am sorry Alea, but I thought my earlier post made it quite clear- that people who have money in the UK can have access to excellent OAP care homes, and others cannot, far too often.

'The elderly who have no money will be looked after in exactly the same way as those who do not, in the same OAP homes (there are a few very posh ones in areas like Montreux and StMoritz for the billionaires, of course). In my valley, we have 7 OAP homes, and they all provide the same quality of care for all- some is paid by the State, some privately- and it is totally confidential. And yes, people have to sell their home and use up savings for elderly care- and then the State picks up the tab.'

people in care homes here are not 'segregated' in excellent, good, indifferent or diabolical' care homes, depending on how much money they have got.

Why would those of us who live in the UK not know, GJ?
I would imagine many, many of us do indeed have personal experience of care homes. Your point is?

I do wonder how many care homes some of you have visited in the UK- some are excellent, some are ok, some are poor, some are diabolical...

My first thought in answer to that absent was "here here". But then, I guess, we are not one of the pensioners living on the edge through lack of money and other life circumstances.

While I feel that dignity in death and being able to choose my own time is important, far more important is how I live into my old age. I want to be with my daughter and grandchildren and rejoice that they want me to be with them. That pretty much cancels out any disadvantages about pensions, public transport and any other issues. I'm not ready to pop the bucket yet!

SineDie - your link talks about the Switzerland of the past ... which, yes, was still very rural and poor until the late 19C and even way beyond the First WW. And yes, we did get the vote very late- so late that I already lived in the UK by then. My Canton and Geneva gave the vote to women quite a bit earlier for local affairs quite a bit earlier. Having lived 2/3rds of my life in the UK, and now back 6 years in Switzerland- I can assure you things have changed massively. I am also fortunate to live in the French speaking area, right on the French border- and people here have a much more open and modern attitude to women than in some of the central Switzerland Kantons (Canton in FRench, Kanton in German) - and where indeed, despite the amazing scenery I would NOT wish to live even now. Great for holidays though!

Switzerland is much much more egalitarian, be it about schools, health care and elderly care. The elderly who have no money will be looked after in exactly the same way as those who do not, in the same OAP homes (there are a few very posh ones in areas like Montreux and StMoritz for the billionaires, of course). In my valley, we have 7 OAP homes, and they all provide the same quality of care for all- some is paid by the State, some privately- and it is totally confidential. And yes, people have to sell their home and use up savings for elderly care- and then the State picks up the tab.

It is a shame when people make comments about something they know so little about. I've live in the uk 39 years, spent my youth in Switzerland for 19, and now back for 6- and have contacts with most parts of UK and Switzerland. As said, apart from the right to self determination at the end of life, I personally would be very happy in either country- a big part of my life being in the UK. If Dignity in Dying succeeds today in the House of Commons- it would make it a lot easier for me to go back to UK at some point - Switzerland is way ahead on this point, and it is something I feel very strongly about, that what happens to me at the end is MY choice, and nobody elses.

Actually Alea I don't think the food in France is better, it is stuck in a time warp imo.
But most Brits abroad still watch English telly.
We have one family with grandchildren in the UK and one in Spain so can't identify with that bit of your post!
We live in France, which has good things and some not so good things - but is very much home.
I think as someone said upthread, the problem with these surveys is that there are so many variables and it depends on individual circumstances.

Like your post Alea 20.19.