Personalised care that keeps your loved one safe and comfortable at home.

Find out how to set up care at home package for your loved one, including funding options. Professional care at home from Medway Care Services.

Knight Frank estimates that, by 2050, an additional 350,000 adults will require a care bed in the UK, and that existing care home beds will be full by 2030.

With such shortages affecting our aging population across the country, care at home is becoming the better option for many families.

There are many benefits to care at home: you pay for the services you need, when you need them, and your loved one can stay in their comfortable home environment for as long as possible.

Whether you’ve just started to consider home care, or you’re feeling overwhelmed with all of the information out there, we’re here to help.

Here is our step-by-step guide on exactly how to set up care at home for your loved one.

1. Assess Your Requirements

The first thing you need to do is decide what level of care your loved one needs.

There are a few different questions you need to ask yourself in this initial stage:

What do they need help with?

Everyone’s level of independence is different.

Your loved one may need help with daily tasks such as washing, dressing, and eating, or they may simply require transport to appointments, some companionship in the afternoon, or assistance with medication management.

We recommend making a list of all the things your loved one needs assistance with, as you can then discuss each task in detail with a care at home provider.

Is complex medical care required?

Care at home can be delivered by either a professional carer or a qualified nurse. Which one you require will depend on the medical needs of your loved one.

A nurse, for example, can provide a range of complex services, including:

Wound care and dressings
Catheter care
Stoma care
PEG feeding
IV drug administration
Injection administration
Palliative care medication
Specialised pain management
End-of-life care

How often will care at home be required?

Finally, you need to decide on the ideal frequency of care at home visits.

The beauty of care at home is that it can be set up to suit your requirements. Whether you need occasional check-ins, daily support, or even a live-in carer, a package can be set up to ensure your loved one stays safe and happy in their own home for as long as possible.

2. Request a Local Authority Assessment

Once you have decided on the level of care required, you need to contact your local authority’s adult social care services department for an initial assessment.

Your GP or district nurse can also arrange this for you, or you can use the mygov.scot website to quickly find contact information for your local council.

This assessment is performed free of charge, and will evaluate your needs and the support required, before providing recommendations for local care providers.

Additional recommended support services can include:

Community alarms
Telecare
Delivery of meals (hot or frozen)
The installation of safety equipment, such as handrails and shower seats.

You can find out more about the assessment on the Age Scotland websit e.

If you prefer, you can also choose to contact a private care provider directly.

3. Determine Your Funding Options

At this stage, a financial assessment will also take place. Depending on their financial situation, your loved one may be able to get funding that contributes to the cost of their care at home package.

The cost of care at home in Scotland largely depends on the amount and complexity of the care required. According to the NHS, home care costs from £15 - £30 per hour.

Care at home can be funded through a range of sources, including self-funding, local authority funding, and local government grants.

Personal care - such as help washing, dressing, and getting in and out of bed - is usually delivered for free, regardless of financial status.

Keep in mind that if you choose to hire a home care provider directly and your council funding doesn’t cover the total cost, you will need to top up the remaining amount with your own money.

4. Choose a Care Provider

This step is the most important: choosing an appropriate care provider for your loved one.

Alongside the list of recommendations from your local authority, you can:

Research local care providers online;
Ask your GP for advice;
Speak to friends and families to gain recommendations.

Using an agency is typically the most convenient way to arrange care at home. The agency will employ and manage carers for you, ensure carers are suitably trained, and also find replacement carers in unforeseen circumstances such as illness so there is no interruption to your service.

When selecting a care at home provider in Scotland, make sure they are fully regulated.

The quality standards for care at home are set by the Care Inspectorate (Scotland). This body regulates and inspects care providers to ensure they meet specific criteria for safety, effectiveness, and responsiveness. To do so, they visit care services, speak to care users, examine all policies and procedures, and analyse performance.

Providers are legally obligated to follow their guidelines for care delivery, staff training, and management.

Alongside checking a home care provider’s Care Inspectorate registration, you should read their reviews and request references for other service users to get an unbiased view of the experience they provide.

5. Design a Care Plan

Once you have chosen the provider for your needs, they will carry out their own assessment to create a care package for your loved one.

This plan will include the responsibilities of the carer, the frequency of care, the cost of care, and a contingency plan for emergency situations, such as hospital admissions.

The most important thing about a care plan is that it is flexible. Ensure your provider will conduct regular reviews of the care plan so that changes can be made if necessary.

Your care provider should also provide regular updates, and recommendations if they feel the service should be adapted.

Hopefully, this guide has helped you understand the steps you need to take to set up care at home for a loved one.

At Medway Care Services, we offer person-centred care at home services across Edinburgh and The Lothians that prioritise dignity, compassion, and comfort.

Our care plans are designed by experienced nurses, who will strive to match your loved one with a local carer who shares their interests. Each of our carers is subject to PVG checks and must undertake extensive training before their first shift.

If you would like to find out more about our services, please get in touch.

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