Preparing for the Start of Home Care
Deciding on home care is a big step; you’ll want to know that the people coming into your home are going to respect your environment and support the way you wish to live. In addition, you and your loved ones will want to be sure that only carers who have been thoroughly screened and referenced are coming into your home, which is why we take our responsibilities as an employer and care provider so seriously.
Initial Assessments and Care Planning
Call our team of experts so that they can answer all of your questions and explain your options for care. Your local care manager will then be in touch to arrange a free assessment and to discuss your home care needs.
Meeting Your Care Team
You’ll then meet members of your local care team who will design your package of care and ensure that your care plan includes all of the necessary details. They’ll also check your home is suitable for a carer to work in.
Setting Up Your Home for Care Services
Your home is important to you, but we must also be sure that it’s safe for our carers to work in. That means we’ll want to check that they have space to carry out their duties, and a bedroom to themselves if they’re living in.
Day by Day Overview of the First Week
Your first week of receiving care will be a transition period for you. We understand that it may feel strange having someone you don’t know coming into your home at first, but believe us – they’ll quickly become the friend you never knew you needed.
Day 1–2: Introductions, Routine Building, and Adjustments
There is no ‘one size fits all’ process for receiving care. We’ll arrange it based on the care you choose. The process will also differ depending on whether you are receiving visiting or live-in care, but every type will include some level of handover.
Day 3–5: Establishing Comfort and Trust
Our care team in your area will work hard to make sure you’re comfortable with the carer who comes to your home. They’ll quickly get to know you and make sure that your routine is always followed as closely as possible.
Day 6–7: Monitoring Progress and Making Changes
One of the best things about having a carer supporting you at home is that they can monitor any changes in your condition. This is reassuring to both you and loved ones who are further away and don’t see you very often.
Common Emotions and Challenges
Whether you choose regular visiting care or around-the-clock live-in care, you’ll be supported by carers who have your wellbeing at heart. They’ll support your emotional as well as physical health, making sure you have regular company and get used to having someone else in your home with you.
Adjusting to Help from a New Person
Our carers are knowledgeable and experienced. They understand that your home is your own and that some people are resistant to care at first, however, with the support of your local care team, you will quickly become comfortable with your carer in your home.
Navigating Privacy and Independence Concerns
Some people worry that their home won’t feel like their own anymore when a carer is coming in, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Our carers are very discreet and they will maintain privacy boundaries and respect your home as you wish them to.
Supporting Emotional Well-Being for You and Your Family
Avoiding loneliness and isolation is key to emotional wellbeing, and our carers will ensure that you have as much company as you would like. They’ll also assist you to enjoy what the community offers and get out and about in the local area.
The relationships I establish with my customers are very rewarding. I love the fact that the care I provide makes my customers’ lives a little easier."
George, A Helping Hands carer
Maximizing the Benefits of Home Care
To get the most out of your care experience, it has to be a two-way process. Your carer will always follow your support plan to ensure that your wishes are followed; however, it’s essential that you or your advocate communicates with your care provider as well. This ensures that you always remain at the centre of your care experience.
Communicating Openly
At Helping Hands, we encourage our customers to tell their carers if something isn’t right, but our carers are also on hand to notice if your condition changes. If you’re unable to communicate traditionally, our carers will learn your alternative methods for communication or even devise one that works well for both of you.
Staying Involved in Your Care Plan
Your carer will always encourage you to remain engaged with your care plan, as that’s the way you remain at the centre of the care you receive. If something isn’t working for you, we design your care so that it’s fully flexible to your ongoing needs. It’s reassuring to know that if your condition changes, your care plan will too.
Support You Can Rely On with Helping Hands
Helping Hands have been delivering exceptional care since we were established in 1989, so that’s decades of experience helping people to live as independently as possible in the homes they love. Founded by Mary Lee, a social worker who saw that home care was severely lacking in quality, we grew steadily and now have 155 branches across England and Wales.
We’ve never lost sight of those family values we began with, however, and we work tirelessly to ensure that all of our local care teams are offering consistently high standards of care, fully regulated by the CQC and CIW.
