Home care can provide help with everyday living, make life easier to manage, plus really help psychologically with isolation and loneliness as well as more complex care needs.

If you think you or a loved one needs a hand, even with the smallest tasks, it may be time to consider some additional support.

Signals that highlight home care may be a benefit often start with the following:

• Loneliness, depression, or a lack of interest in day-to-day life.

• Difficulty coping with daily personal routines, such as washing, dressing, getting out of bed or out and about as well as daily activities.

• A desire to stay at home rather than move to a care home when additional help is required with daily tasks.

• Needing help with cooking, cleaning, personal hygiene, or even walking the dog.

• Struggling with the general running of a household or general daily tasks.

  It is best to get help as soon as you think it is necessary to ensure you or your family member remain safe living at home. Homes may also be able to be adapted to make the environment more suitable for a person struggling with mobility.

Here are the different levels with different levels of skills detailed in the next section:

Level 1 Companion Care – This type of care could include general companionship and company, drink/snack preparation, cooking, light housework such as washing and ironing as well as light cleaning. Companions may help with making appointments, answering phone calls, walking pets, shopping visits and errands, and offering support with going to social events and partaking in hobbies with the client. This level of care is often offered by Companion Carers.

Level 2 Personal Care – This type of care could include support with personal care such as showering, bathing, washing, shaving, and oral hygiene.  Assistance with getting dressed and eating and prompting medication. Personal care may also include assistance with toileting where a person can generally manage their own toilet hygiene but perhaps support with managing a commode or bottle emptying.  Clients requiring Personal Care support may have some short-term memory loss and possibly forgetfulness but can be left alone for short periods of time. This level of care is offered by Carers rather than Companion Carers.

Level 3 – Enhanced / Complex Care – This type of care is likely to include substantial help with all mobility including moving and handling, and may possibly require the use of a hoist or other equipment. Enhanced care may include full assistance with personal care such as showering bathing, washing, and dressing and full support with toileting and maybe bowel and urine incontinence. A client requiring this level of care may also need full commode or catheter support.  It may also be likely that a person needing Enhanced care cannot be left unattended for periods and would require constant supervision and night cover for full support. This is likely to include close supervision support during meals, eating, and drinking, and clients may need prompting with medication.  Enhanced or Complex care clients may have memory loss and perhaps be diagnosed with Dementia, Parkinson’s, MS, Alzheimer’s, or similar neurological degeneration. This level of care is only offered by Carers with specific experience.

COMPANION CARERS

Companion Carers may offer a lower hourly rate of pay. The responsibilities of a Companion carer are lower than other types of care, and they may not have as much experience or be as qualified as a Carer. Here are examples of some of the tasks COMPANION CARERS can support families with:

• Companionship and conversation​.

• Preparing meals and drinks.

• Help with light house-keeping​.

• Support with doing your shopping.

• Collecting prescriptions or pensions.

• Getting out and about, for example to a club or activity.

• Holiday companionship/help with travel.

• Reducing loneliness.

• Help with care for pets​.

• Accompanying you to certain appointments and running errands.

• Light gardening or supporting you to complete your household tasks.

CARERS

As well as all of the above tasks, here are some examples of tasks CARERS can help with. Carers may be more qualified with more experience, so a carer may be more appropriate to your situation if you have more substantial needs. Carers may help with:

• Getting out of bed in the morning and getting settled in the evening and ready for bed.

• Helping with personal care needs such as showering, eating, toileting and dressing.

• Reporting and monitoring any changes in a person’s condition​.

• Prompting to take medicines and manage specific conditions​ with support.

• Hospital discharge care​ (support at home to recover from an operation).

• Supporting mental well-being.

• Care for people with a physical disability​.

• Aiding, lifting, and turning incapacitated people​.

• Achieving a person’s maximum level of independence​ at home.

• Care for people with Dementia / Parkinson’s or other Neurological issues​.

• Respite care/relief care​.

• More monitored care where clients may need close supervision​.

• End-of-life care​.