FINDING AND ARRANGING CARE AT HOME
As the far-reaching benefits of care at home become better understood, more and more people are choosing to receive care in their own homes, as opposed to moving into a residential or specialist healthcare setting.
When choosing home care, it is important that you are well-informed so the right decisions are made for you and your family. At Prestige Nursing & Care, we have been helping families up and down the country to make the right choice about their home care options for over 75 years.
Our expert home care services are flexible and built around your lifestyle. Whether you need a helping hand a few times a week or daily, complex care at home to support a health condition, we can provide a care package tailored perfectly to your needs.
WHEN SHOULD I START CARE AT HOME?
It can be difficult to know when a loved one could benefit from home care. When safety becomes an issue or a family caregiver is feeling burnt out, the need for home care might be obvious. But if you have an elderly loved one who lives alone, the signs may be more subtle. Leaving the decision for too long can leave you vulnerable to an emergency situation.
Here are some signs that you should consider arranging care at home:
- You’re having trouble with your daily routines. You may find it difficult to keep up with your personal care routines, and household tasks or getting around your local community.
- You are a family carer in need of respite. Care at home care provides a well-deserved break for family carers or in an emergency situation to take over the duties of an existing carer.
- If you have mobility issues and are prone to falling. Home care has been proven to minimise falls and accidents and help avoid unnecessary hospital admissions.
- You could benefit from consistent companionship. If you feel lonely or socially isolated, our carers can provide the support of a trusted companion.
- You’re a young adult that needs extra support. Young adults with autism, learning disabilities or other support needs can benefit from the support of a professional care team.
RESPITE FOR FAMILY CARERS
We know through our experience of supporting families nationwide that caring for a family member or loved one can take its toll on the family carer. Whilst family carers consider it a privilege to look after a loved one, there are many reasons why they need to take regularly scheduled breaks.
Increasing care needs can escalate quickly and lead to the family carer feeling overwhelmed with the task of caring. It may also be that a family carer is happy to provide some aspects of care but would like support with others.
Some family carers may also be mature themselves, which impacts their ability to care. They may have work and life commitments that mean professional care and support are needed. We adopt a partnership approach to working with families and provide the much-needed support to ensure their own health and well-being are maintained.
Having a competent and compassionate carer who truly understands the needs of not just the person receiving care but the needs of the wider family really does provide peace of mind and reassurance for everyone.
HOW WILL MY CARE AND SUPPORT BE FUNDED?
When arranging care at home, you will need to consider how to pay for the care you need and whether there is any funding available to you.
If you have an identified healthcare need, you may be entitled to healthcare funding through your local Integrated Care Board (ICB) or, depending on your financial circumstances, you may qualify for all or part of social care funding. There may also be other Government funding that you may be able to access.
Here is an easy step-by-step guide you can follow:
- Arrange for a care needs assessment
Talk to your GP or local community health care team. They will be able to advise on the type of funding you may be entitled to and how to access it. If you are seeking funding through your local ICB or social services team, you will need to have an assessment of your care needs, which will determine the level of funding you may be entitled to.
- Choose your care provider
Should you qualify for Government funding or funding from your ICB, you will have the option to choose a care provider yourself and manage the care arrangement through a personal budget and direct payments or they can do this on your behalf. It is worth considering that if they organise and pay for your care package, they will typically have a list of providers they work with, so your choice of provider will be limited to those on their preferred supplier list.
We have many years of experience working with Case Managers, commissioning teams, local authorities and other professionals involved in procuring specialist home care to provide the right care at the right time, for all of life.
- Self-funding care
If you do not qualify for any funding, you will be required to pay for some or all of the care yourself. This is known as self-funding care. There are many options as to how you can finance care yourself. There are care fee insurance policies that could pay your care fees over the longer term. It is always prudent to seek independent financial advice before you commit to any such policy.
TYPES OF HOME CARE SERVICES
Home care services can be provided in different ways depending on your care and support needed. Our trusted and established home care services can be provided in the following ways:
- Hourly care or visiting care for people who need support with daily living tasks or clinical care at certain times during the day. Care at home can be provided from visits of 30 minutes to as many hours/visits throughout the day as required. One day or several days of the week, depending on your care and support needs. For those who have complex needs, hourly care can be provided over a 24-hour period.
- Respite care for those needing a short-term arrangement after hospital discharge to rehabilitate or when a family carer needs a break from their caring role. It is also an ideal service for families who wish to assess whether care at home is the right care choice for them.
- 24-hour care is support that covers you throughout the entire day and night, ensuring you always have the care you need. A small team of reliable carers will care for you on a rotation to ensure you get the right care, at the right time.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A CARE PROVIDER
When choosing a care provider, there are several factors that are worth considering:
REGULATED SERVICE PROVIDER OR AGENCY
It is important when considering a home care provider that you recognise the differences between a regulated service provider, whose service is registered and inspected by the Government and an agency, which is unlikely to provide a regulated service, and whose carers will be self-employed.
There are four care regulatory bodies in the UK:
- Care Quality Commission (CQC) in England
- Care Inspectorate in Scotland
- Care and Social Services Inspectorate in Wales
- Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority in Northern Ireland
QUALITY ASSURANCE THROUGH REGULATED SERVICE PROVISION
Prestige Nursing & Care is not an agency. Unlike a home care agency, we provide a fully regulated home care service, which means our clients, their families and our professional partners can be reassured that the care and support we provide is of the very highest quality.
Our service is inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in England and the Care Inspectorate in Scotland. We are proud that 96% of our inspected services in England have been rated as providing a ‘Good’ service, with 4% rated ‘Outstanding’.
FULLY MANAGED SERVICE OR INTRODUCTION AGENCY
When arranging care at home, you will need to consider how much involvement you want in managing the care you receive. With a fully managed service, you benefit from carers who are employed, expertly trained and receive high levels of management and clinical oversight.
If you choose an introduction agency, the carers are self-employed and once introduced to you, they will need to be managed, supervised and paid for by the family. If they need time off or a holiday, you will need to arrange cover. This is not always easy and can cause issues with continuity of care for you or your loved one. We know many families like the peace of mind and reassurance that comes from knowing their loved one is getting quality and continuity of care that comes from using a fully managed service provider.
THE VALUE OF RECOMMENDATIONS
Many families who are arranging care at home for a loved one for the first time will seek recommendations from those they know. It is also worth consulting your local authority social services team to see who they consider to be a reputable provider, as they will have vetted providers to meet essential standards of quality and compliance.
There are also rate and review websites that cover care providers in the UK. Homecare.co.uk and NHS Choices receive online reviews from those who have used provider services and the UKHCA (United Kingdom Home Care Association) will also have a list of reputable providers for you to choose from.
ARRANGING CARE AT HOME CHECKLIST
Once you have decided on the type of provider that would best meet your needs, it is prudent to contact several home care providers to get an understanding of the care and support they provide, as well as how they operate, to make an informed decision.
- Can you meet my care needs? Do you provide complex care or support for dementia?
- When were you last inspected? What is your current rating?
- How do you recruit your carers or care assistants? What checks do you do?
- Do you train your carers or care assistants? What training do they receive?
- Are your carers or care assistants employed or self-employed?
- Do you provide nursing care should I need it?
- If something goes wrong, who do I call?
- Do you have local support?
- How do you match the carer or care assistant to my needs?
- What is the process for setting up a care package?
ARRANGE CARE AT HOME
Arranging care at home is simple with Prestige Nursing & Care – just follow these steps:
- Speak our friendly team
Call us on 0808 239 1525 and one of our expert care advisors will provide you with all the information and guidance you need.
- Schedule a home assessment
One of our trusted care advisors will meet with you and your family to discuss your care needs and how we can provide bespoke home care.
- Begin care
You will be expertly matched with one of our professional carers so care can begin.