If you or a loved-one is struggling to cope with day-to-day tasks at home, such as washing, dressing, medication or getting around the house, support from a home care service can keep you at home living independently.

Home care, otherwise known as domiciliary care, home help or homecare, can be provided by CQC-registered care providers, self-employed people, or informally by family, friends and neighbours.

It covers a wide spectrum of support, from 15 or 30 minute visits through to 24/7 ‘Live-in Carers’. Sometimes your local council will contribute to the cost, and we’ll discuss that later in this article.

Home care is unlike health care in the UK, in that it is not universally ‘free at the point of use’. Although there are national regulations around what councils need to provide to their residents, there is no central National Care Service, although that has been discussed previously.

Organising care at home might be beneficial if you or a loved one are:

• Finding it difficult to move around your home on your own
• Struggling with daily routines like washing and dressing
• Not keeping up with medications due to memory issues, confusion or physical difficultie.
• Having difficulties with tasks around the home like cleaning, laundry, organising shopping, etc.
• Wanting to stay in your own home, rather than move into a care home.

Home care providers can help with a wide variety of tasks, including:

• Getting out of bed in the morning.
• Washing, bathing and dressing.
• Personal care such as toileting or helping with incontinence pads.
• Grooming, such as hair care, skin care, oral care etc.
• Preparing meals and drinks.
• Ordering, collecting and administering prescribed medication.
• Doing your shopping.
• Getting out and about, such as to clubs, friends and appointments.
• Getting ready for bed.
• It’s worth mentioning that personal care and medication administration can only be done by home care services registered with the Care Quality Commission – the regulator for social care in England. You can find a list of registered providers on their website.

And/or ‘Home Help’ which, often covers domestic tasks that you might be needing help with, such as cleaning, laundry, gardening, shopping etc.

There are some tasks that home care services can’t provide to their clients without specialist training and expertise. These are generally invasive procedures and include:

• Toe nail cutting
• Ear stringing
• Removing or replacing catheters
• Bowel excavations
• Bladder washouts
• Lifting from the floor unaided

Apply for home care services from the Council
If you want help from the Council regarding your home care services, you can apply for a needs assessment. Councils have a legal obligation to provide you with a needs assessment, even if you are not eligible for funding.

The Council will meet you to discuss:

• What routines you can do yourself at home?
• What you can do with some help.
• What help you feel is needed.
• What help can be provided.

If the council can help arrange and pay for your home care, they:

• Discuss on the phone or meet with you.
• Agree on a care and support plan with you.
• Work out how much the care and support will cost.
• Work out how much, if anything, you will pay towards it.