Home care services seem to be continuously in the news. Mostly the coverage focuses on the struggle the sector is having to secure a sustainable future. But away from the headlines it’s clear that there is a continuing and growing need for home care services.

Some care homes are closing, social care budgets are tightening, and some service users are choosing to spend personal care budgets to help them continue living in their own homes. All of these factors, alongside the target to speed up the transfer of care from hospitals to care services, drive an increasing need for care at home.

It isn’t just the ageing population and the projected growth of conditions like Alzheimer’s that affect people’s ability to live completely independently. Many other people find that they need help to live independently in their own homes either in the form of care visits or live in care.

Care at home delivers vital support to people with mental health issues, physical disabilities and learning difficulties. The range of support offered is far wider than many people imagine, spanning everything from temporary re-ablement care for people recovering from serious medical conditions, to long term high dependency care.

The scope of the service is extremely broad and could include practical support to live independently as part of a community, help with personal care, dementia care and end of life care.

Care at home plays a vital role, not just in the context of social care but within the social fabric of the country. And it could do much more given the right support and funding. It’s time that role was more widely recognised and appreciated.

In some circumstances, home care can be more cost effective and better for the emotional wellbeing of service users than residential care, particularly when they are part of a supportive community of carers and neighbours. It’s hard to imagine a scenario where care at home doesn’t play an increasingly significant role in supporting people with additional needs at any stage of life.

It isn’t the best option for everyone but we believe strongly that it should be the needs and circumstances of each individual that determines the care they receive, rather than what is available or less expensive.

If you are currently considering the care options for your loved one and would like to discuss what would best suit their needs, contact Altogether Care. Our diverse range of care options can be tailor made to suit your individual needs, from care at home and live-in care to high end residential homes and specialist dementia care homes. Our experienced and caring team are here to help you, call 01305 300 161 or visit our website for more information.