Adult Care Plans
What is an Adult Care Plan?
An adult care plan is a document that is personalised to your own needs. It will contain detail on the specific care needs you have and how these are going to be met.
You will have a needs assessment conducted by your local authority which will reveal the help you need to continue living comfortably at home. Your circumstances are unique to you, so it’s important that you receive the care you want and that will be best suited to you.
Care plans can include various types of support, such as personal care services, household support, equipment and adaptations, and more. They are essential for ensuring that individuals receive consistent, safe, and personalised care throughout their lives.
Adult Care Plan Example
An adult care plan will contain every aspect of your daily needs and long term goals. This includes:
1. Personalised Care
Detail about your physical, emotional, and social needs, also known as holistic support.
2. Review Schedule
This schedule is to review the care plan regularly and check it still meets your needs.
3. Direct Payments
How you are meeting the costs of your care, such as personal budgets or privately funded.
4. Communication
How questions or concerns can be raised and how to make a complaint if needed.
Why Should I Have a Care Plan?
Having a care plan means that your care will always be tailored to you. Your needs can only be met if the people caring for you know what you want and what conditions you’re living with. Having a care plan also means that your personal wants for your care can be noted before your condition deteriorates to a time when you’re unable to communicate.
For people living with life-limiting conditions such as dementia, this can be essential so that their needs are recognised even when they’re unable to verbalise them.
What Does an Effective Care Plan Include?
As well as information about your condition, the type of care you require, and any medication you take, your care plan will also contain:
1. Dietary information
Any special diet that you need to follow, and any allergies you have.
2. Favourite foods
What you like and don’t like to eat for your meals, portion sizes etc.
3. Hobbies and interests
How you like to spend your days, activities, interests, and hobbies.
How Can I Create My Own Care Plan?
The best way for you to be involved in creating your own care plan is to communicate your wants and desires for your care. It’s important that you and the people caring for you:
Understand the Purpose
So that everyone on your wider healthcare team is on the same page. It’s important that everyone involved in your caregiving is privy to the same information and are all singularly focussed on your wellbeing.
Gather Key Information
Your name, date of birth, contact details, emergency information, medical history, daily routine, and the contact details of your support network. This could be family, friends, or medical and support staff.
Identify Your Needs and Goals
Outlining medical conditions, therapies and treatments that you receive, including mental health support. Also crucial connections in your community, and setting achievable personal goals.
Plan the Support
Most crucially, who is going to provide your support? How often are they going to come to your home? How are they going to support you, and what would happen in any kind of emergency, i.e. who should be contacted first.
Make It Person-Centred
Ensuring that your own words are used to express your wishes to highlight what matters most to you. This could be practical, emotional, spiritual, or social needs. Your choices should always be respected.
Review and Update Regularly
Your plan should always have a review date that shouldn’t be allowed to be exceeded. Care plans need to be reviewed regularly to ensure that the plan is still fit for purpose and suited to your needs.
Fully Regulated By The CQC / CIW
Being fully regulated by the Care Quality Commission and the Care Inspectorate Wales, means:
Consistent, high-quality care
You can trust our care services
We hold ourselves up to regulation
We offer a transparent service
Adult Care With Helping Hands
By coming to Helping Hands, you’ll be supported by our experienced local care managers and carers. We’ll identify your care needs and build you a package of support that will encompass what you’d like to achieve in your daily life. We’ll provide consistent, safe and personalised care for as long as you need us, supported with a care plan tailored to you. Because we only provide care in our customers’ own homes we’re expert in knowing how best to support people in the place they love the most.
Talk to our friendly customer care team today, pop into your nearest branch, or arrange a callback for a time that suits you.
