Carer/Home Help
It can be difficult to take care of yourself and your home with a chronic condition, so you might need help from someone else.
Getting loved ones to help out is ideal, whether they live with you or if not, they are willing to come over to give your home a quick hoover or change your bedsheets.
Unfortunately we sometimes don’t have someone who can help us or is able to. Perhaps due to being too busy or having health conditions themsevles.
Here we will cover both homecare from a paid carer and that of home help. They cover different types of help, you might need just one or both of these.
For more information, any questions or advice please go to our forum.
If you know of any websites that could added or find links that aren’t working please contact us.
Paid Carer/Homecare
Having a paid carer can be short or long term, from only an hour a week or for several hours a day. This type of care is known as homecare or domiciliary care. If you want to get help from a paid carer your local council can arrange homecare for you if you’re eligible for it (start by asking for a care needs assessment) or you can arrange your own.
You might also consider home adaptations, household gadgets or equipment to make life easier. Some of which are listed our Mobility & Home Aids page or you could always go to our forum to see what others are using or ask for help/advice on this.
A paid carer can visit you at home to help you with all kinds of things, including:
- Getting out of bed in the morning
- Washing and dressing
- Brushing your hair
- Using the toilet
- Preparing meals and drinks
- Remembering you to take your medicines
- Doing your shopping
- Collecting prescriptions
- Getting out (for example to our monthly meet-ups)
- Getting settled in the evening and ready for bed
Home Help
Home help is slightly different and means day-to-day domestic tasks you might need help with. Great if you are able to care for yourself but struggle with your home.
The tasks you might need home help for:
- Cleaning (including putting on clean bed sheets)
- Doing the washing up
- Doing the laundry
- Gardening
You might want some home help instead of or as well as homecare.
Most councils do not provide home help. But you can contact a charity such as the British Red Cross or a local Age UK to see whether they can help (it may not be free).
Paying For Homecare & Benefits That Could Help
Depending on your circumstances, your local council may contribute to the cost of homecare or you may have to pay for it yourself. If your needs assessment recommends homecare, you may get help with the cost from the council.
What you’ll contribute depends on your income and savings. The council will work this out in a financial assessment (means test) for social care. If the council is paying for some or all of your homecare, they must give you a care and support plan. This sets out what your needs are, how they will be met and your personal budget (the amount the council thinks your care should cost).
You can choose to receive your personal budget as a direct payment each month. This gives you the control to employ someone you know to care for you at home rather than using a homecare agency, though you’ll then have responsibilities as an employer.
If you’re not eligible for the council to contribute to your homecare costs, you’ll have to pay for it yourself.
Check if you’re eligible for benefits. Some, such as Attendance Allowance and Personal Independence Payments, are not means tested and they can help you meet the costs of homecare. Check out our Financial Support page for information on various benefits.
Choosing A Paid Carer
There are two main ways of getting a paid carer, one use a homecare agency or two, employ your own carer.
Homecare Agencies
Homecare agencies employ trained carers and arrange for them to visit you in your home. You may not always have the same carer visiting your home, though the agency will try to match you with someone suitable.
Costs: It costs from £15 to £30 an hour for a carer to come to your home, but this will vary depending on where you live. If you’re paying for yourself, the agency should be able to give you a clear price list. They’ll send you a monthly bill for your homecare.
Questions To Ask The Agency:
- What charges, if any, will I be expected to pay?
- What services are charged as extras?
- Have your paid carers looked after someone with similar needs to mine?
- How will you choose the most suitable paid carer for me?
- Will the paid carer agree to visit in a specific time slot? And will they tell me if they’re delayed or running late?
- What sort of training do your paid carers get?
- If I’m paying for my own care, do you have a standard contract I can read before signing my own?
- If the council is contributing to my care can I see a copy of the contract they’ve signed with the agency?
- How can I contact your agency during the day, in an emergency or outside office hours?
What To Expect From Agency Carers:
- Homecare agency carers should treat you in a respectful and dignified way.
- Knock and ring the front door bell and announce their arrival before coming into your home
- Bring an identity card
- Know where your keys are kept if they’re not in your home
- Keep any entry codes to your house confidential
- Know what to do if they cannot get into your home
- Know what to do if you’ve had an accident
Finding A Local Agency: There are four ways of doing this. One, go to the National homecare provides page on the NHS. Two, check your local council for information on the homecare agencies in your area. They may have a directory of homecare agencies on their website. Three, find homecare agencies on the Care Quality Commission (CQC) website. All homecare agencies must register with the CQC. It can give you the latest inspection report on an agency. Finally four, find local homecare on the Homecare Association members’ website.
Employing Your Own Carer
Instead of using an agency, you can hire your own carer, sometimes called a private carer or personal assistant. If you employ a paid carer, you have the legal responsibility of an employer. This includes arranging cover for their illness and holidays.
There’s advice on employing private carers in How to choose a home care service on the Which? website.
Further Info & Help
Independent Age: Advice about getting help at home
CQC: What to expect from a good homecare agency
AGE UK: Information on personal care at home
Homecare.co.uk: Reviews for home care