When should you start thinking about homecare?
Published: 12/03/2019
An awful lot of people think that when you start a care package it is the end of a person’s independence. This, however, is a misconception – a little help and support at home can really help improve a person’s independence and enable them to stay at home for longer. It is often better to get that support in place earlier rather than later so you can adapt more easily to changing situations as they occur.
At Right at Home we broadly tend to receive 2 types of enquiry. The first type is where something serious has happened, such as a bad fall, or a person is in hospital and is being discharged and requires a relatively large amount of care. Often, in these situations, we are asked if we can start the care package immediately. Although it is often tough to get everything in place, we will always try to put a package in place as soon as possible.
The second type of enquiry is where a family has noticed that a loved one might require minimal assistance at home now. The family typically wants to get something started so they have peace of mind about the future. In this scenario there is typically no rush to get things in place and it is usually a few weeks before we start the care package. Once the support is in place then a family then knows it has a support network which it can rely on. As care needs change, the family can then increase or decrease the hours as and when needed.
We often find there is some resistance to receiving assistance when care needs are minimal, however, this resistance does not usually last long once our care package starts. When day-to-day tasks are becoming a real challenge, people are often struggling just to get through the day. A little help here and there can go an awful long way to enabling people to enjoy their later years. It also gives family members peace of mind that someone is regularly checking on their loved one.
If you would like to discuss starting a care package with Right at Home Stevenage, Letchworth and Hitchin then please call the office on 01462 559159.
