If you think you, or someone you know, is starting to need some help with day-to-day activities such as meal preparation, getting washed and dressed, medication or companionship, this guide will help you through the process.
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Although a lot of people aren’t eligible for social care support due to either not having high enough care needs, or having assets of over £23,250 (in England, 2021/22), councils are obliged to provide a free assessment, and might be able to support you to stay at home.
It is worth going through the process, as at least you are ‘in the system’, and they might be able to signpost you to other relevant services or support.
If you are entitled to support because your needs meet the threshold and you have assets of less than £23,250, you can choose whether to get the council to organise the care they think you need, or to use the equivalent amount of money in a ‘personal budget’, which you can then use to organise the care you need, which can include working with a company like GoodOaks, topping up the personal budget to meet the extra costs.
Although the assessment is often thought of as the care provider learning about you, it is a chance for you to get to know them, and to make a decision as to whether you’d like to work with them. Some important questions to ask would include:
Remember that this meeting is no-obligation, and you do not need to go with the first provider you meet. Care is so important that you need to be sure and confident in the integrity and professionalism of your provider.
The care agency will work with you to create a care plan, which will outline what the ‘package of care’ looks like. This might be a schedule of care visits throughout the week, as well as exactly what the care professional will do at each visit. This is a collaborative, two way process that should put the client and their family right at the heart of the planning process.
It is also a living document, in that it will constantly evolve and change alongside your needs. Care agencies will regularly review the care and make adjustments when needed.
