Finding the right care

How to know what care you need

If you’re not sure where to start to get the right care in place, you can ask your local authority for help. Whatever your financial situation, the Adult Social Care team can help you to understand what type of care is the best fit for you.

Find out what care you need

Support to help you manage at home

A good first step is to think about the things you might be starting to struggle with at home. From jobs around the house to getting washed and dressed, care providers can support you to manage the essentials more easily and keep your quality of life.

Personal care means:

Washing
Dressing
Preparing medication
Getting out of bed
Using the bathroom

Home help means:

Cleaning
Gardening
Making the bed
Shopping
Paying bills and managing paperwork

Having experienced carers visit regularly or stay with you is a good way to get support while keeping your independence. Whether it’s help preparing meals, taking medication or just washing and getting dressed, you’ll be cared for where you’re most comfortable.

Visiting care

You can arrange for carers to drop by your home regularly through a care agency. When you first get in touch, they’ll meet with you to get to know your needs and set out a care plan that’s right for you.

Live-in Care

If you need support throughout the day and night but don’t want to move into a care home, live-in care could be a good choice. If you have a spare bedroom, a trained carer can live with you and be on hand. But it can be expensive, with fees often more than £1,000 per week.

If you’re looking more for domestic help around the home and don’t need a personal care specialist, a live-in Personal Assistant could be a more affordable option.
Care homes

If you need support 24 hours a day, it’s worth thinking about a residential care home. Moving into one can be a big upheaval but for many, it’s a positive choice. It’ll give you a bedroom of your own, regular meals and shared areas for socialising.

Nursing homes

If you have medical needs, a nursing home will offer the same services as a residential care home but with extra support from on-site registered nurses.
Temporary or respite care

Sometimes, short-term support is all you need. It’s called respite care. After a stay in hospital, spending a few weeks in a care home can help you to recover before you go home. Or, it’s a useful option for giving any unpaid carers who support you time to rest up and take a break.

Intermediate care from the NHS

If you’ve recently had a stay in hospital, the NHS or local authority may offer you temporary care to help you get back on your feet at home or in a care home. It’s free and usually lasts for up to six weeks, it can help to reduce the chances you’ll need to go back into hospital and help rebuild your confidence and live independently.
Housing with care

Designed to keep you living independently with extra support on hand if you need it, supported housing and retirement communities offer specialist housing with care available on site. Housing with care is a good alternative to a care home for people who just need a helping hand to keep an independent lifestyle.

Read more about Housing Options

Checking care providers

All UK personal care providers must register with their national care regulator. They must follow a strict code of conduct and have regular inspections of their service. Each UK regulator has a website where you can check individual care providers and see their latest inspection reports.

England – Care Quality Commission (CQC)
Wales – Care Inspectorate Wales
Scotland – Care Inspectorate
Northern Ireland – Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA)

Ask all the questions you want

It’s important that you’re totally comfortable with and know what to expect from your care provider, so ask as many questions as you want to. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Questions for care at home providers

What background checks do your carers go through?
Will I always have the same carer? What happens when they go on holiday or are sick?
How will the carer get access to the house if I can’t let them in?
What if I don't get on with my carer?
What's the hourly cost and does this go up on weekends/bank holidays?

Questions for care homes

Are there set visiting hours or can people stop by at any time?
What happens if my care needs increase?
Can I try the food before I decide?
How did your most recent inspection go?
How are you continually improving your residential environment?

Care Choices

Visit the Care Choices website to view or download their helpful checklists. These include key questions to consider when choosing a care service and cover care homes, dementia care, home care and more.

Care Choices Checklist

Care Concierge

If you would like some expert guidance on finding a new care provider, resolving a dispute or exploring funding options then you might benefit from talking with our Care Concierge team.