Personal Care & Support at Home
Needing help with personal care can feel like a big step.
Personal care that respects the person
For someone who has always managed for themselves, accepting help with something private can take time. Our approach is to understand what the person can do, where they need support and how they would like that support to be provided.
Personal care might mean help with showering or bathing, getting dressed, using the toilet, continence care or getting ready for bed. It might simply mean having a care worker nearby so that someone can manage something safely for themselves.
We encourage people to keep doing what they're able to do for themselves, with a care worker there to help with the parts that have become more difficult. Helping someone stay as independent as possible is at the heart of how we provide personal care.
For some clients, it's more about making life a little easier. A weekly bath or shower with some help can feel like a real treat, and it saves their energy for the things they'd rather be doing.
The aim isn't to take over. It's to provide the right amount of help while protecting dignity, choice and independence.
Finding what works for you
There isn't one correct way to provide personal care.
Someone may want a care worker close by while they shower but prefer to manage as much as they can themselves. Another person may need considerably more physical assistance. Someone living with dementia may need more time, reassurance or a particular approach before they feel comfortable accepting help.
Our care workers get to know what works for each person. Sometimes they'll find that a different approach, routine or way of doing something works particularly well. They share this with the office team so that the care plan can be developed and the rest of the care team knows what has worked.
Care plans aren't set in stone. They develop as we get to know the person and can be updated as their abilities, needs or preferences change.
“They are always very cheerful and bright and make me feel ready for the day ahead.”
From our client survey
When someone is reluctant to accept help
It's very common for families to contact us because someone needs support but is reluctant to accept care.
We take time to understand what the person is comfortable with and what approach might work for them.
Sometimes it works better to begin with something they are happy to accept – perhaps companionship, help with a meal, an outing or a small amount of practical support – and allow a relationship to develop.
As trust builds, someone may become more comfortable accepting personal care later.
Some people can be more resistant to personal care. If an approach isn't working, our care team can share ideas and try something different. A different time of day or a different approach can sometimes make a difference. In other situations, another care worker may simply be a better match.
Sometimes starting small is better than waiting for a crisis.
Support with mobility and equipment
Personal care and mobility often go together.
Depending on the person's assessed needs, our trained care workers can help with mobility and transfers and use equipment such as hoists, standing aids and other moving and handling equipment.
Where someone needs more physical support, two care workers can attend together.
As a person's needs change, we can work alongside occupational therapists and physiotherapists to make sure their mobility support continues to be safe and appropriate. This might include changes to equipment or to the way someone is supported to move safely at home.
For more complex physical needs, see Complex & Changing Needs →
Continence, catheter and stoma care
We can support people with continence needs as part of their personal care and provide agreed catheter and stoma care.
The person's needs and usual routine are discussed during the assessment and included in their care plan.
Our experienced care workers know what to look out for and raise concerns if something doesn't seem right. Depending on the concern, this might mean contacting the GP, community nursing team or another health professional so that the person can be assessed and the right treatment or support put in place.
Leg care
Our care workers can provide agreed support with compression stockings and leg wraps where these form part of the person's care plan.
If we notice changes or have concerns, we can contact the relevant health professional so that the problem can be assessed and the right treatment or support put in place.
The right amount of help as things change
The amount of help someone needs can change.
Someone may need more support for a while because they are unwell, have had a fall or are recovering from a hospital stay. As they recover, they may be able to start doing more for themselves again.
Our care workers notice those changes. If someone is managing more independently, we'll encourage that rather than automatically continuing to do things for them simply because they have needed help in the past.
Equally, our care workers may notice that someone is finding it harder to get washed or dressed, move around safely or manage other everyday tasks. They may also notice changes in the person's health or general wellbeing. They'll let the office team know so that we can talk things through with the client and their family and make any agreed changes to the care package.
Sometimes that means more help. Sometimes it means less. The important thing is that the care continues to reflect what the person needs now.
Familiar care workers
When someone is receiving personal care, being supported by people they know and feel comfortable with can make a real difference.
We aim to provide a familiar team of care workers who get to know the person, their routines and how they prefer to be supported. Someone receiving several visits a day will naturally need a larger team than someone receiving occasional care, but we still aim to provide continuity and familiar faces.
When arranging care, we consider the person's needs and the experience and competencies of our care workers, but we also think about personality, communication and individual preferences. A good match is about more than simply being able to carry out the care required.
We can't promise the same care worker for every visit, but we do understand how important familiarity can be, particularly when somebody is receiving personal care.
If something isn't working, please let us know so that we can look into it.
Talk to us about personal care
If you're considering personal care for yourself or someone else, get in touch and talk through what help may be needed. If you decide you'd like to explore care further, we can arrange a free, no-obligation assessment.
Once care has started, please keep talking to us. If needs, routines or preferences change, clients and families can call or email the office to talk things through. We can then agree any changes needed and develop the care plan as the client's needs evolve.