The right time is when the person’s needs can no longer be met safely or adequately in their current environment. Common triggers include a significant increase in care needs that exhausts family carers, repeated safety incidents such as falls or wandering, an inability to manage personal care, or behaviours that are distressing and difficult to manage at home. There is no definitive checklist. The decision is often reached gradually after a period of struggling rather than at a single obvious moment. A care needs assessment by the local authority can provide an objective view and open the door to funded support.