Frequently Asked Questions

Also known as home care, this service involves a carer coming to a client's home to provide them with clinical assistance and support. 

Find out more about  domiciliary care in London.

There are numerous kinds of domiciliary care that care clients can benefit from:

• Companionship
• Housing support 
• Live-in care 
• 24-hour care 
• Nursing care

Find out more about our full range of home care services in London.

There are several benefits that people can enjoy when receiving domiciliary care:

• Familiarity of surroundings 
• Maintenance of independence 
• Personalised care plans 
• One-to-one support 
• Greater family inclusion

Given that older people live and remain mobile for longer, home care is the perfect alternative to residential nursing care. In addition, the ability to maintain independence and personally manage the care they receive allows home care clients a greater amount of freedom regarding their support.

Some of the considerations to make when thinking of home care as an option include the variety and price of services in your local area. You may also want to consider how many family members live locally to help and, of course, the client's overall preference.

As a general rule, home care services will include:

• Bedtime assistance 
• Help with toileting and ablutions 
• Running general errands 
• Helping with chores around the house 
• Meal preparation 
• Mobility assistance 
• Pet care

This is the first thing you should consider when arranging home care. Depending on your location, the price of home care services will vary. On average, however, you can expect to pay around £20 -£30 per hour for these services. Prices will also vary on holidays or weekends.

To arrange live-in care for someone, it will cost around £900 - £1,400 per week. Of course, this is just a starting price, and depending on the services required, this price may rise. However, depending on the amount of savings you have, your local council authority may be able to pay for your live-in care for you.

It is possible to get home care for free. If you enquire with your local council authority, they will conduct a means test to see how much of your care you will be able to cover. If you do not have enough savings to afford home care for yourself, your local council will cover the costs.

There are several forms of benefits you can claim to help with your home care costs. The three main benefits that you can claim include:

• Attendance Allowance 
• Personal Independence Payment 
• Carer's Allowance

If you have capital in an amount between £14,250 and £23,250, including any income and savings, you will have to contribute to your home care payments while receiving financial help. If you have savings in an amount above £23,250, you will have to pay for all of your home care yourself.

You can care for a loved one with dementia, but it is best to ensure that you have the appropriate support. Dementia is a challenging condition to manage, and you should ensure that:

• You check which benefits you qualify for 
• You register with your GP as a carer 
• You arrange for a carer's assessment 
• You take any applicable training courses

On average, once a person has been initially diagnosed with dementia, they will live for another 10-20 years.

At some point in the progression of someone's dementia, there will come a time when they require 24-hour care. Especially in the mid-to-late stages of Alzheimer's, the patient will require 24-hour, around-the-clock supervision.

Find out more about Alzheimer's care and Dementia Care in London.

A physical disability is any condition that limits a person's physical mobility, stamina or dexterity. This includes MS, respiratory disorders, brain or spinal injuries, hearing and vision impairments, and many more.

Find out more about physical disability care at home.

There are many things to consider when caring for someone with a disability. These include:

• Reaching out to other carers for advice 
• Taking mobility assistance training courses 
• Getting care help when you need it 
• Questioning other healthcare professionals involved in the disability care  
• Ensuring that the activities the person living with a disability wants to do are accessible 
• Helping the person living with a disability to remain active

The ultimate aim of providing disability care is to mitigate the limitations that someone's disability has over their life. People with physical disabilities can lead full and active lives once their routines and activities have been adapted to their disability.

Depending on your personal preference, you can receive end of life care at your own home, in a residential nursing home or a hospital. Your care needs may also dictate where you receive your end of life care.

Find out more about  end of life care at home.

Several healthcare professionals may be involved in a person's end of life care. These can be:

• District nurses 
• GPs 
• Hospice carers 
• Counsellors 
• Chaplains 
• Physiotherapists 
• Occupational therapists

and more besides.

Palliative care is a specific form of end of life care. When a person has a life-limiting illness, palliative care aims to make the time they have left as comfortable as possible.

Find out more about  palliative care at home.

Much like end of life care, palliative care is provided by a wide range of professionals. Depending on the life-limiting illness that the client has, care organisers may choose to employ specialist consultants to assist and advise.

End of life care can begin whenever a person requires it. For example, they may have a life-limiting illness and are only expected to survive for a few days, months or even years. End of life care can also be arranged for those who have suffered a recent injury or have been living with lifelong, chronic conditions that have recently grown worse.

One of the most important things you can do when caring for someone with MS is to educate yourself about the condition. This way, you will fully understand the limitations inherent with the condition and know best what form of care to provide. You may also wish to network with other MS carers for helpful advice and even consider hiring additional care support. It would be best if you also remembered to give yourself plenty of time to rest and recuperate.

Find out more about  multiple sclerosis care at home.

As a cerebral illness, MS affects a person's vision, balance and mobility. But, aside from the physical limitations, like any other chronic illness, MS can also be detrimental to people's mental health. While it is essential to eat healthily and take regular exercise, it is just as important to maintain a healthy mental outlook and promote emotional wellbeing.

As a person's joints deteriorate, their mobility and dexterity will naturally deteriorate also. Therefore, when caring for a person with arthritis, most of the support they will need involves these limitations. However, it is also important to allow the person to carry out the tasks they can do. This will help them maintain their independence and confidence in their abilities, ultimately boosting their emotional and mental wellbeing.

Find out more about  arthritis home care services in London.

There are several different types of arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Each person will suffer from a different form of the condition and to different severities. Some people may only suffer from minor limitations, while others will have their mobility affected significantly. Therefore, it is essential to know precisely how the condition affects them, specifically when caring for someone with arthritis.

Symptoms of arthritis include: 

•  Painful or stiff joints 
• Weakness in the muscles and strength 
• Reduced mobility 

There are several exercises that people with arthritis can perform to improve their mobility and dexterity. Despite their condition, doing these exercises can vastly improve the lives of people living with arthritis. They include:

• Stretches 
• Walking 
• Yoga or Tai Chi 
• Pilates 
• Water exercises 
• Cycling 
• Hand exercises

There is no cure for Parkinson's disease today, but there are several treatments, therapies and medications that can improve the life of someone living with the condition. 

These management systems can help to limit the effects the illness has on someone's life. A person with Parkinson's disease can remain in the comfort of their own home as long as they have the proper condition management and support in place. 

Find out more about  Parkinson's Disease home care services.

The motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease begin to show when at least 60% of the brain's dopamine-producing cells are damaged. 

Dopamine is the chemical used to transmit information through the brain, and as the disease progresses, the brain will eventually stop producing dopamine altogether. This leads to movement problems, including tremors, slowness, stiffness and balance issues.

The first thing to bear in mind is that you should be patient when caring for someone with Parkinson's disease. Tasks will take longer to complete given the movement issues, and you should try not to rush the person or become frustrated. 

It would be best if you also had realistic expectations of the person's abilities not to push them to do impossible things for them. Of course, it is always important to take some time out for yourself when caring for someone else.

Reablement care is a form of short-term, temporary care required by people who have recently been in the hospital. This can be due to an illness or injury, and the carer provides support and assistance while the person recovers.

Find out more about  reablement home care services in London.

While you are in the hospital, the people overseeing your recovery will assess your case. Once this has been completed, they will arrange the care services you need on your behalf. Once this course of care is finished, your carers will complete another assessment to see whether any continued care is required.

Once your initial course of care is finished, your carers, family, and anyone else involved in your care will complete another assessment to see whether any further care services are required.