You have decided it is time to explore having care at home for yourself or a loved one. Your needs might be immediate, or you may be researching to prepare for later in your life. Either way, making the decision might be challenging and this blog is here to help you make a more informed choice.

SureCare Wycombe & Chiltern can help you with day-to-day tasks such as shopping, cleaning and other errands as well as personal care which includes medication support, private hygiene and toileting.

What is Home Care for the elderly?

Home care is a service that enables individuals who need support to remain in their own home and maintain their independence. This is increasingly the preferred option for many as it brings a range of benefits including living in the comfort of your own home, freedom for people to visit as you wish and much more.

Home care covers a broad range of services such as hourly visits, night care, respite care and live-in care. In all cases a care assistant will visit you at a time that you prefer whether that be every day, or once a week.

The number of visits will depend entirely on your needs and preferences. We always carry out a full care needs assessment prior to commencing a package of care and will offer advice as to what we feel is the appropriate level of care that is needed for each individual.

For someone living with Alzheimer’s disease, or even just frailty, staying in their own home and continuing with familiar routines and in a familiar environment is reassuring. In dementia care, it is also important for the care recipient to be as familiar as possible with their care assistant.

How does it work?

SureCare Wycombe & Chiltern know that each individual is unique, they will have their own preferences and their physical needs will vary. We always tailor our home care packages to the requirements of the person we care for.

In order to fully understand a person’s requirements, we will carry out a full care needs assessment of the person. When we have a clear picture of the type and amount of support needed, we will offer our advice for what we feel is the appropriate level of care. We will then draw up a care plan which is created with the client being at the heart of it. The plan is drawn up with input from the client and family members and agreed prior to commencement of the care package.

We always place emphasis on person-centred care and make sure that our care plans are completely customised. The care package will focus on the client’s needs and preferences and outline how they want to live their life.

The care plan will evolve and change over time as other aspects change. For example, a person’s physical condition changes which may mean that a higher level of care becomes necessary.

In addition to assessing you or your loved one’s needs, we will also carry out a risk assessment of the place where care will be provided. This assessment, known as an environmental risk assessment, will highlight any risks to the client or care assistant that need to be addressed prior to the commencement of the care package.

From full live-in care to just one 30-minute visit per day or anything in between, the level of care will be agreed.

Your care assistants

Our care assistants are carefully selected for their caring nature, compassion, honesty and reliability. Your safety is our concern, so all care assistants are fully DBS checked. They will receive comprehensive training and shadowing sessions prior to providing care to clients in their homes.

We know the importance of continuity of care and aim to keep the number of care assistants visiting to a minimum to build the familiarity between our team and clients.

As well as the agreed tasks within the care plan, we encourage plenty of social interaction between care assistants and clients. Having a chat and a cup of tea is often what clients look forward to most.

Having regular care assistants can be reassuring, especially to those with dementia who may become very anxious and unsettled if strangers attempt to help them with their personal care needs.

What if my needs change?

SureCare Wycombe & Chiltern recognise that when you have a long-term support package in place your needs or wishes may change over time.

A key advantage of home care is that it is so flexible. If you require more care, are recovering from an illness or if your care needs decrease, we will thoroughly re-assess the care and support provided to ensure it meets your needs.

We will document any changes to your care plan during regular reviews and ensure the care provided is personalised to you.