Domiciliary Care

This is for clients who need help occasionally throughout the day or night but not continuously. We will visit you in your home to discuss your needs prior to placing a care assistant with you. (Plymouth and South Hams only) A Service User Care Assessment and Care Plan is produced through consultation with each client to ensure we gather accurate information about care needs, wishes, preferences and personal goals.

Most of our clients need help during the day to aid getting up, washed and dressed in the morning or visa versa at night for example. Some may just need help preparing meals and may like some company while they eat. Each client is individual and will be treated as so.

We have a flexible night care service if this is required, you can choose from one of the following:

• Awake
  This service is for clients who need frequent attention during the night.
• Sitting
  This service is for those who may need some assistance in the night and your domiciliary carer will expect only to be called periodically during the night.
• Sleeping
  This service ensures that you are not left alone during the night.

If you choose the sleeping service, you will be expected to provide a bed for the domiciliary carer.

See examples of domiciliary clients below.

Mrs J is 62 years old and lives alone. She is recovering from a stroke and has left-sided weakness. We help her first thing in the morning and last thing at night, seven days a week, with washing and dressing. She has meals on wheels. This care is on-going.

Mr B is 41 years old and lives alone. He is left-handed and has a broken left wrist; he is unable to cope right-handed. Our carers visit him 3 times a day to help with general living and food preparation, but not with his cooking as he enjoys doing this himself. This is just for a few weeks until his wrist has healed.

Mrs C is 80 years old and lives with her husband. She has dementia, is forgetful and tends to wander off if left unattended. We visit her for 2 hours, twice a week while her husband goes shopping and has a break.

Mr S is 55 years old and is a tetraplegic. He has domiciliary care for 3 hours a day and a live-in carer. We provide all aspect of personal care, housework and meal preparation for him and we help him maintain a good social life.

Miss N is 23 years old and is disabled from the waist down after a motorbike accident. She requires personal care for 3 hours per day and has regular visits to the hospital, for which we accompany her.

See also our Clients' Frequently Asked Questions page

For policies relating to Domiciliary Care see our Service Users' Guide