Welcome to the first of a regular column where I plan to cover topics of interest to a wide range of people. Care matters, but it can be a bewildering subject for many. Whether you have current need for care or are thinking ahead to a time when you or a loved one may need a bit of help or support, I hope you will find this column helpful.
If you are researching options for a family member, friend, or neighbour I will share lots of helpful advice and resources that you should tap into. And if you are a carer or considering a career in care, I hope you too will find the column of interest.
I am the owner and managing director of Right at Home Reading & Wokingham District, the local branch of a leading UK network of 65+ quality home care providers. I will share ideas and information about Care, with a focus on “domiciliary” care which has grown rapidly in popularity as a flexible cost-effective and attractive alternative to residential nursing or care homes.
When I made the decision some years ago to open my own care company after seeing first-hand how different approaches to care affected family members (both receiving care and working in care) in different ways, I was determined to build a quality care company that I would be proud to recommend to my own family and friends.
A good thing to have come out of the horrendous Covid-19 pandemic has been a wider public appreciation of the role of Social Care keyworkers, who have been an important support for the wider NHS as well as the people they have been directly caring for. Social Care done well relieves pressure on the NHS in normal times too of course – attentive well-trained caregivers with a diligent support structure backing them up can provide a highly effective “early warning system” for the NHS. Working in partnership with GPs, Pharmacists, District Nurses etc, we find it’s possible to catch many medical issues before they result in hospital stays, expensive, intrusive and time-consuming medical treatment. And thus, contribute to the health and well-being of our clients.
Lots of topics then for future issues, but today, I thought I’d recap on what Home Care is, the types of services available, and how this approach to care is attractive to those reluctant to leave their home or for whom residential care is an unnecessary step at this time.
Put simply, Homecare is a service where carers visit your own home and provide the support you need to live independently and safely there. For some that may be one or two visits a week, for others, several visits a day, or even live-in care. This is both flexible and cost-effective because the number and frequency of visits, and their duration, can be tailored to your needs and preferences. The overheads of home care agencies are lower than that of care homes (no large expensive buildings to purchase and maintain), so the overall costs of the care are typically lower too.
Many Right at Home clients start with us long before there is a need for what many people think of as “care”. They are perfectly capable of looking after themselves day-to-day, but perhaps find a certain aspect of life more difficult than they used to be. This is why companies like ours offer a very broad range of services, from light housekeeping and help with weekly chores like shopping; someone to have a chat or go on trips out with; help with medication; as well as things like help with dressing, washing and other aspects of personal care. More on all that in a future issue. Meantime, stay safe…
Kevin
Kevin Lancaster
Right at Home Reading & Wokingham District
