Information regarding domiciliary care to help you find the best possible agency and carer for your family member.
In some regions of the UK, as many as 1 in 3 people are classified as elderly (over the age of 65) and that number is set to continue to rise. An ageing population means that there is a continual rise in the need for adequate care for those who need it. Care homes are constantly full and places are hard to come by in some areas. Statistics from The Live-in Care Hub show that most people don’t want to go into a care home if they become unwell or unable to care for themselves. So the places in residential care are often solely sought after because many people believe that care homes are the only option.
The good news is there is an alternative to residential care that is able to take the pressure to place the elderly in adequate care off the NHS, off the elderly person’s family members and off the care homes too, all whilst giving people an alternative to residential care which most people would prefer not to go into. The alternative is live-in care sometimes referred to as home care.
Live-in care is where a carer lives with the client in their home and provides them with dedicated care. It is also known as domiciliary care and carers can provide a wide range of services including personal care, help with dressing, washing and eating. They can also help with services like accompanying the client to appointments, medication schedules, gardening, pet care, cooking and even accompaniment on holiday.
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Finding Domiciliary Care: Frequently Asked Questions
You can easily find out about home care or domiciliary care for your family member – there will be lots of questions that you have to ask the potential agency but the first step is ensuring you have all the relevant information about your situation first. You should know about the care needs of your relative, including any specialist care needs for conditions like dementia. You should have an idea of any additional services you want like cleaning or pet care. A care assessment is a great thing to have before arranging care, as well as a meeting with the GP and a rough idea of the finances including the money that you have available for care (savings and any contributions from the government).
Once you have all the information you need, you should approach several live-in care agencies and consider asking them the following questions:
- How much training do your carers have
- How many carers would my relative have working with their needs
- Do you do a carer-client introductory session to see if there is a rapport?
- Are the carers insured?
- What are the services you provide?
- Do you provide specialist care services?
- Can you give me a transparent overview of costs?
- Are you registered to provide care services?
- Are your services available in my area?
The more you ask, the more information you will have to help you make the best possible decision on behalf of your loved one.
Domiciliary Care Is The Future Of Accessible, High Quality Care
Because of the rise in the elderly population and the shortage of elderly care home beds, live-in care and domiciliary services are the future of the care industry. With this kind of care your loved one can remain in their own home with independence and dignity, enjoying a great quality of life for their golden years.