Care at home

Care at home, or home care, is what we call the range of support you may need for daily living to enable you to continue living at home. This includes help with tasks like washing, dressing, eating and taking medication.

Do I need care at home?

If you, or someone you know, has difficulty with tasks around daily living, we can work with you to assess what needs you have and whether they can be met by a care at home service.

How does care at home work?

If you are assessed as needing some form of care at home, you will automatically be referred to our Reablement Team. This is a Council service of occupational therapists and home care workers. We aim to support people to regain confidence and skills around daily living.

The Reablement Team will agree with you what goals or outcomes are to be achieved and work intensively with you, for up to 6 weeks, to achieve these goals.

Following your reablement programme, the level and type of support you require may have changed.

Usually people have regained skills of confidence to such an extent that they require less or no ongoing care, although this isn't the case for everybody. We will review what level of support you need with you and agree what ongoing care is necessary. This will then be delivered by our care at home providers.

Will I be charged for this service?

You will be asked to complete a financial assessment and be advised of any charges which are applicable.

If you are 65 and over personal care at home is free of charge.

Non-personal care tasks may be chargeable.

If you are under 65 charges may apply. 

For further information:

• Paying for care

I think I need this service. What do I do?

You can request these services online and someone will contact you to assess your needs.

• Apply for adults and older people social care services

Or you can contact us at the Adults and Community Care team, one of the contact officers will take your details.

You will be offered a visit to assess what difficulties you have with everyday tasks before a visit from the Reablement Team.

If you are in hospital, staff will contact the Social Work centre to make a referral to the Reablement Team for you.