homecareagency

There comes a time in the life of a senior when they will need help with certain daily activities. One of the best ways to address this is through arranging home care services for them. This is a special service, which is essentially a professional carer coming to visit the senior in their own home. It is the ideal option in case the person has a special condition like Alzheimer’s or dementia. 

This sort of service, referred to as live-in care or home care, is all about meeting the needs of the individual in their own home. Based on the area, the service costs differently. The council may or may not be able to contribute to the cost. It comes with a great deal of flexibility. The care plan can be changed and switched to make for the best possible comfort for the person and their changing needs. The service may be permanent, 24/7, or perhaps be arranged for a few days a week. 

There are many benefits to home care:

• It is very flexible. A home carer can assist with many tasks, including personal assistance, housekeeping, pet care, helping the person get about, monitoring the person’s symptoms, shopping and cooking, etc. 
• It can be easily changed. Depending on the changing needs of the person, a home care plan can be altered and upgraded at any time. 
• No need to leave the home. This is perhaps the best benefit of home care service. It enables the person to stay in the home, maintaining familiarity within the same environment they have grown used to. 
• Professional care. A home carer is a person who knows how to address the needs of the senior. They can help them with many tasks around the home. 
  
  

Getting help from the local council in the arrangement of the service 

Before the council can help out, those that need the aid should prepare a needs assessment. This is a document needed to assure the council that the person is eligible for getting help in the form of home care. When that eligibility is confirmed, the council can then recommend a provider of care services, and will also help pay for them. If the person is not eligible for getting help, the council will recommend help sources from the community. Families that want to arrange private care can also benefit from the needs assessment. This is useful to the agency and the carer because it presents essential information on what kind of service they need to focus on. 

Paying the cost of home care 

Based on the circumstances of the person in need of care, the council may or may not contribute to paying the cost of home care service. With a needs assessment showing the need for care, the council will help. They take into consideration the income and savings of the person, all of which go into a financial assessment for the council. They will then move to determine a care plan for the person, after having established the needs and how they can meet those needs through home care. There is the option to get the personal budget through direct payment. In this case, the person can arrange the care however they like. 

How to find a local care agency? 

• Through the NHS 
• Through the social services department of the local council 
• Through the Care Quality Commission – that is where every home care agency needs to be registered 
• Through the UK Homecare association
  
  
  

© Home Care Preferred