What is care at home?

If you are elderly or disabled and need help and support with everyday tasks like feeding, bathing, toileting, getting in and out of bed, dressing and undressing, and want to remain in your own home, we may be able to help by providing a home care worker.

You or a family member should contact your local one stop shop to arrange a care assessment.

About the assessment

The assessment will identify what element of home care will best suit your needs. The information we gather during it will help us create a care plan which is designed to meet your needs and help you to stay as independent as possible, for as long as possible.

If you are in hospital the medical staff will ask a hospital social care worker to talk to you.

Do I need to pay for care at home?

After we complete a care assessment, we will arrange a financial assessment to work out if you need to pay and how much. We will also make sure you are receiving all the benefits that you are entitled to.

Who will provide my home care?

Your home care will be provided either by social services own home care service or by an independent organisation with which social services has a contract. This will be decided by the availability of home care workers in your area when your care plan is being arranged. The charges for home care are the same whichever organisation provides the service.

What if my needs change?

At some time you may feel that you need more or less care. If you contact your local social services office we will ask a social worker to visit you. We will then reassess your needs and where appropriate we will adjust the number of hours care you receive.

Further help

If you don't qualify for a care package you can employ a care worker through a private agency. Be careful to choose an agency registered and inspected by the Care Quality Commission.

Future Plans

The need for home care is increasing rapidly and we are currently reviewing how we can improve the service we offer. This information will be updated as these improvements are agreed.

For more information, please contact your local one stop shop.