Funding for Home Care

Info on Funding Home Care

How do I access domiciliary care for a loved one?

If you have a family member, loved one or it could even be yourself who suffers from a debilitating health condition or is simply struggling to look after themselves at home, it can be stressful and exhausting. Making the decision to access home care is an especially important choice for the prospective service user.

Here is a comprehensive guide on how to access domiciliary care for you or your loved one.

There are various levels of home care, depending on the intensity and frequency of support required. Care packages are tailored to aid people with mobility problems, dementia-related illnesses and those needing shorter-term respite care. Services provided include daily tasks such as washing and bathing, preparing meals, and getting in and out of bed.

Domiciliary carers can also perform other tasks, such as house cleaning and taking you or your loved one to a day centre to ensure that they are not constantly isolated at home. You can also access other support, such as having adaptations made to your home which will make life easier for the service user. Stairlifts and seats in the bathtub or shower can be exceptionally useful for someone with limited mobility, increasing their safety and putting your mind at rest with aided confidence when bathing or showering.

All New Beginnings will not only provide active help but will also offer advice on matters such as accessing further help from voluntary organisations and charities, identifying home hazards and organising home repairs necessary for safety and security.

Generally, the process begins with a free assessment. This can be undertaken by your local council or All New Beginnings if you choose to fund the care privately. You can find the link to your local council’s website here. The assessment is not means-tested and can be accessed by anyone who needs help or has a loved one who needs help. However, as long as you or your loved one has the necessary capacity, they must agree to the assessment too. The adult social care department of your council will organise the time and date of the assessment.
This assessment often includes a home visit but can sometimes occur over the telephone or over the internet. It will be conducted by a social care professional to talk to you or your loved one and evaluate the level of need. They will appraise several factors, including physical and mental health difficulties and emotional and social needs. They will take into account the wishes of you or your loved one and talk to you too if you are their carer. The assessor will also liaise with other health professionals who are familiar with your relative, such as doctors or nurses.

Following the assessment, the council will develop a care plan in writing to arrange the necessary support that you or your loved one requires. If it is decided the necessary requirements are not met to receive home help, your council can also advise you about other options for home care.

A financial assessment is an integral part of the care assessment process to assess a supported person’s ability to pay/contribute towards their services or personal budget and will take account of evidenced income, savings, capital and specific household expenditure.

You will not be required to make a contribution toward personal care such as help with bathing, dressing, feeding, continence management and meal preparation.

http://careinfoscotland.scot/topics/how-to-get-care-services/assessment-of-your-care-needs/

Self-Directed Support (SDS), sometimes known as personalisation, gives you and your family more choice and control over your care. It also means that we will work with you to create a flexible and individual care package to meet your needs.

https://www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/info/200221/children_and_families/985/self-directed_support

https://careinfoscotland.scot/topics/how-to-get-care-services/self-directed-support/what-self-directed-support-can-be-used-for/