What are home care agencies?
Home care agencies are private companies that offer care services to the elderly or disabled in their own home.
What are home care services?
Home care services include:
- Personal Care, which includes help with personal hygiene.
- Help getting out of bed and dressed.
- Meal preparation.
- Medication prompts.
- Help with household chores.
- Social trips and companionship.
What does home care mean?
A carer visits a client’s home to an agreed schedule to provide care and carry out support tasks.
They can fulfill personal care and general household duties. The level of care provided depends on the individual needs and agreed care plan. It can range from social trips and housekeeping to high dependency, intensive personal care.
Home much does a carer cost per hour?
Private care – through a CQC regulated company – costs around £15 for a 30 minute visit.
If you employ a carer directly – i.e. not through an agency – costs can range between £10 – £14 per hour. However, you will need to arrange for holiday cover, insurance and pension payments. You will also need to think about cover for illness and ensure the carer is DBS checked and licensed with the local authority or regulator.
Home Care Funding Options
You may be eligible for state funding that will contribute to this cost. Contact your local social services department – they will carry out an assessment of your care needs.
If your local authority then agrees you need care, they will assess your finances. They will determine how much care will be funded by the state, and whether you need to contribute too. If your needs meet the national eligibility criteria, the law requires that it must ensure that these needs are met.
If you’re eligible for funded care, your local authority will point you towards their nominated care provider. They may also recommend a local service.
Personal Care Budget
If you are entitled to it, your local authority will sometimes pay what it can fund for you directly into your bank account. This is referred to as a ‘Personal Budget’ or ‘Direct Payment’ and you can use it to pay for care yourself. This gives you more control over your care and allows you to buy care services from your preferred provider. If you can’t manage your Direct Payment yourself, you can choose to have it paid to a family member or friend. They then take on the responsibilities for you.
Find out more at:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support/assessment-care-needs/
Find out about more about the home care services Deckchair Care provides.