We’re all getting older and London is no exception. There are more older people living alone than ever before. By arranging for help at home an elderly person can extend their independence and continue to live safely in their familiar environment. This can improve quality of life and happiness.
Help at home takes different forms from intimate personal care to occasional help with shopping. It can range from a few hours a week to 24/7 365 days a year. We can arrange for the level of support needed to help you stay at home longer.
Why home help matters
London’s population is aging. The number of people over 64 is projected to rise by 64% by 2036 to reach 1.49 million (Greater London Authority). The London boroughs of Westminster, City of London, and Kensington & Chelsea have the highest number of older people (Trust for London).
These people need help to stay in their own homes. They can remain independent, with some support, for longer. This prevents them from having to move into a care home or nursing home environment.
Home help can take many forms. Some users want only a few hours a week of support to do things like grocery shopping, which can be heavy, to carry or laundry once a week. Others need more help around the home with daily meals or medication. The most intensive home help is personal care, where the person needs help with bathing, dressing and toileting.
How we help at home
Domiciliary care
We can provide general household support for a few hours a week. This usually takes the form of tasks like light cleaning, washing clothes and bedding, doing the grocery shopping and preparing healthy meals. Booking domiciliary care is easy, simply call our care team on 020 4548 9300.
Companionship services
Living alone is never easy and when you are older and less able to get around, it can become more difficult. Sight and hearing issues can affect driving ability, which prevents you from accessing local activities that are not easy to reach on public transport. Hundreds of thousands of people in the UK feel cut off, especially those over 75 (NHS). There is help available. Our companionship and befriending service can ease loneliness and improve quality of life. Our carers can visit and spend time with you in your home.
Shopping services
Sometimes all that is needed is a weekly shop, delivered to your door by a friendly face or unpacked for you and put away in the right place. We can provide a grocery shopping service for the elderly. We can also arrange accompanied shopping trips.
Medication management
Medication management is helpful when an older person is forgetful or chronically ill and unable to access medication easily. We can monitor the dose and delivery of drugs to prevent accidental use.
Personal care
Personal care includes all the everyday activities a person does. Examples are getting out of bed in the morning, putting on appropriate clothing for the weather that day, brushing hair and teeth, bathing or showering, and getting around the house if mobility is an issue. Personal care also covers going to the toilet or dealing with incontinence. Personal care can include monitoring if an older person is liable to wander and forget who they are or where they are.
Attendance allowance is available through your local council for people over state pension age who need personal care. We work with a number of London councils to arrange personal care for the long term or short term, for example when someone has just been discharged from the hospital.
Local councils may also be able to help with home adaptations to make it easier for you to cope at home. These can include ramps for wheelchair users, stair lifts to help you manage the stairs and grab rails for entries or bathrooms to prevent slips and falls.
How to arrange help at home
Arranging help at home has never been easier. Simply fill in our referral form or call our care team on 020 4548 9300. You can refer yourself, a family member, or a patient if you are a medical professional.
If you need help from the local council, request a needs assessment. The assessor will call you to assess which free or subsidised care you will qualify for.
Private home care providers
Using a private care provider like Jothno Care & Support allows you the choice of the level of service and the kind of service that you would like to support you in your home. We put together unique care plans for every individual user.
If you are self funding, help at home can be less expensive than a care home or nursing home, depending on the requirements. If you need help with finance for help at home, the advantage over residential care is that you are not required to sell your home to pay for care.
Choosing the right provider depends on your personal circumstances. We encourage you to consider whether you want to remain independent and continue to live in your own home or whether you would rather move into a residential care home where a communal daily routine is likely.
Consider how much care you are likely to need both now and in the future. It may be possible to live at home with support or you may need specialist medical care that is available in a nursing home.
Think about how much help you need at home. Will you need help with domiciliary care, general housework, personal care, medication, transport to community activities, companionship or help with shopping. Making a list will help you to decide how much help you need.
We can help you to assess your needs and wishes and we will put together a personalised care plan specifically for your requirements.
Help at home for the elderly
Help at home can support an elderly person to remain living independently for as long as possible. Tailored care plans can provide the care needed while still allowing individuality and can be a cost effective way to improve quality of life.