What is enhanced care?
Enhanced care offers more supervision, attention and support to someone who may be a risk to themselves or others.
According to the NHS, enhanced care is a closer level of supervision used when staff have risk assessed the potential harm to your relative or the person you care for, or the risk to others. This means that they will be closely observed to maintain their safety, privacy and dignity. Enhanced care at home provides all the medical support as our nursing care but with an increased level of attention to limit any potential risks. This could be if someone has dementia and may be confused or if someone is likely to have trips or falls. Our enhanced care provides expert support to vulnerable people so that they can continue living life to the fullest in comfort and dignity.
How does enhanced care differ from traditional home care?
Enhanced care is a higher level of supervision and care than traditional home care.
Enhanced home health care can offer the same as traditional home care services but with 24/7 supervision. It supports medication administration, catheter and stoma care, non-invasive ventilation care and PEG feeding, amongst much more. Traditional home care can offer housekeeping, meal preparation and general companionship. While enhanced care offers this too, it also offers a heightened level of nursing care and around-the-clock support to limit any risks from the person receiving care. Depending on how high or low the risk factor is, enhanced care provides observation for someone who may be distressed and agitated or have a disability which impairs their ability to keep themselves safe.
Enhanced care differs from traditional home care as it:
When may you need an enhanced home care service?
Below are a few examples on when arranging enhanced care might be a great option for you.
Post-surgery
If you’ve just recovered from surgery, then enhanced care can help you get back on your feet. Research has shown that the earlier a person gets out of bed and starts walking, eating and drinking, the shorter their recovery time will be.
Complex medical conditions
Enhanced care can help with many disabilities and conditions such as autism, Down’s syndrome, epilepsy and severe mental health disorders such as anorexia, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.
Old-age
Enhanced care can help with age-related frailties by offering 24/7 support. They may be prone to trips and falls or are living with dementia which can cause confusion and some risk factors such as signs of aggressive behaviour.
Disability
Some disabilities come with complex behavioural needs and enhanced care can help monitor these. Some people with certain disabilities like autism or Down’s Syndrome may need a higher level of care than traditional home care.
End-of-life
End-of-life care or palliative care can be supported with enhanced care to provide a high level of comfort and symptom relief for someone receiving care in their final days. It can assist in creating a dignified and pain-free environment within their own home.
Rehabilitation
If you’ve recently had a spell in the hospital, enhanced care offers rehabilitation support at all times to ensure that you are provided for. Enhanced care can supervise any progress or decline and focuses on engaging with you and your needs.
What are the benefits of enhanced home health care?
Enhanced care can provide expert nursing care that tailors to you and your unique needs while implementing an increased level of supervision and support. The benefits of enhanced home care include:
Explore today with Helping Hands
At Helping Hands, we pride ourselves on our ability to be adaptable to your needs. We can offer care as a live-in, visiting or respite basis.
Visiting care
Live-in care
A fully regulated home care provider
Here at Helping Hands, our service is regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and the Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW)
This means we need to consistently meet high standards and are monitored by our regulators.
