When Does A Few Hours Of Help Become A Need For Domiciliary Care?

By Author: Jean-Marie
Total Articles: 24
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“Aging is not for the faint of heart ". That certainly is true when you talk to families seeing their parents grow older as well as older people themselves who are finding that tasks they once did without thinking are now harder to do.

Because of this many older adults start getting extra help around the house. This could mean hiring someone for an hour or two each week asking friends or relatives to help with grocery shopping or relying on family members for transport to appointments. At first this might be enough. However there can come a time when occasional help's not enough and more structured domiciliary care is needed.

The challenge is knowing when that time has come.

So when is domiciliary care needed?

In terms the main thing to look for is change and whether your loved one is still able to live safely and independently without regular help.

Increasing Loneliness and Isolation

Loneliness and being alone can have an effect on an older person's life. As people get older they may not move around much, children and grandchildren may move away and friends may pass away or not be ...
... able to socialize anymore.

Being alone can affect health and is also linked to worse physical health and a drop in ability to do things. This can create a cycle: less movement or ability can lead to more loneliness, which can then affect confidence and overall health even more.

If you see that your loved one is becoming more alone it might be time to go beyond help and think about a structured domiciliary care service. Trained and kind carers can offer help. Also be a friend and a companion.

Depending on what the person needs, domiciliary care can also help them go to events, appointments or community activities allowing them to stay connected with the people and things that are important to them.

Being alone can happen slowly. Your loved one may start pulling from social or religious gatherings to avoid going out after a fall or illness or simply lose contact with people who used to be a big part of their life.

No, the reason for seeing these changes early can make it easier to get the right help in place.

Reduced Mobility

Less movement is connected to being alone. The effect is much bigger. When someone moves less everyday things can be harder, like shopping, cooking, cleaning and moving safely around the house.

Less movement can also make it harder for someone to enjoy hobbies they used to love. Importantly it can affect their ability to live on their own and increase the chance of falling or getting hurt.

A clear drop in movement especially if it happens fast can be a sign that more help is needed.

One good thing about domiciliary care is that it can help people keep doing the things they like while reducing the risk of problems. For example someone who likes gardening may still be able to spend time in their garden with a carer to help if needed.

The goal is not to take independence but to give the right support so independence can be kept as safely as possible.

Worse Health and Healthcare Issues

Changes in your loved ones health are another sign that domiciliary care may be right.

This is especially true for people with term or ongoing health conditions where taking medicine right and on time is important for managing their health. If your loved one has just been diagnosed with a condition it might be a good time to think about whether more help at home would be good.

A sudden change in health is usually a sign that something needs more attention.

What about changes that happen slowly?

When your loved ones health seems okay it's still important to pay attention to changes. Listen when they talk about things like forgetting things, memory problems or trouble keeping track of medicine.

If they keep saying they forgot to take their medicine for example this could mean they are having trouble with tasks they used to handle on their own.

Small changes can be easy to miss. Noticing them early can help families get the right help before things get harder.

More Problems With Personal Care

Another sign that domiciliary care might be needed is when your loved one starts having trouble with care.

This can be hard to see because things like bathing using the toilet and getting dressed can feel private or embarrassing to talk about. However there are often signs that someone is struggling.

Your loved one might say that taking a bath or shower has become harder or you might notice changes in how they look and take care of themselves.

For example, someone who used to care a lot about their hair, shaving, makeup or clothes may start to pay attention. You might notice that clothes aren't changed often. Routines that were once important are disappearing.

Again the main thing is to look for changes from their behavior.

One change on its own doesn't necessarily mean that domiciliary care is needed. However several changes happening at the time may show that your loved one is finding daily activities harder.

Changes in Thinking and Personality

Changes in personality, mood or actions can also be worth watching.

You might see that your loved one is more angry, quiet or sad or that they don't seem like themselves anymore. Maybe the energy and personality that made them special is slowly disappearing.

If you often leave a visit feeling that something about your loved one has changed it's worth taking that feeling and paying more attention.

Course changes in mood or personality by themselves don't mean someone needs domiciliary care. However they can be a sign that something is affecting their well-being and that more help or professional advice may be needed.

Changes in thinking are especially important to watch. Problems with memory making decisions focusing or thinking clearly can affect a person's ability to live on their own.

While some changes in thinking happen as people get older a big or sudden change should not just be seen as part of getting older. If you are worried about changes in thinking it's important to talk to a proper doctor or healthcare worker.

Less Peace of Mind

Your own peace of mind can also be a sign that your loved one might be getting closer to needing more formal help.

If you find yourself always worrying about their safety wondering if they had a fall or feeling anxious about what might happen when they're alone it could mean that their independence is becoming harder to keep safe.

Your loved one might also start showing signs of confidence. They might become more worried about being alone or find more reasons to ask you another family member or a friend to come visit.

This can be a sign that they no longer feel completely confident managing life on their own.

Domiciliary care can give comfort to both the person getting care and their family. With the help in place your loved one can keep living at home while getting help where they need it most.

What to Do When Your Loved One Needs Domiciliary Care

If you have seen several of these changes and think your loved one might benefit from help and support the first step is to do some research and make a list of possible home care providers. We have a guide for choosing a dementia care provider here. Once you have some information the next step is to have a talk with your loved one about their needs and whether more help could help.

It is important to involve them in the decision as much as possible. All domiciliary care is meant to help their independence not take it away.

Once you agree that more help would be good you can call a domiciliary care provider to discuss your needs and start the process of checking and planning the care.

As always, if you have questions about home-based care or if you have a loved one who might need help [get in touch with us. We will be happy to talk through your options and help you understand what type of care could be right.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the important thing to look for in a home care provider?

There is not one thing that matters most but it is important to check that a home care provider is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) the group that checks health and social care services in England.

Mega Care has a rating with the Care Quality Commission showing that our service is doing well and meeting the CQCs expectations.

We are also TDDI accredited with the CQC. TDDI stands for Treatment of Disease, Disorder and Injury. You can find more about this on the CQC website.

2. What is the process of organising domiciliary care?

The process starts by getting in touch with a domiciliary care provider. Then we can set up a home visit and assessment to meet you and your loved one, learn about their needs and talk about the kind of support they want.

We can then create a care plan that is tailored to their needs, wants and goals. Once everyone agrees on the plan the care can start.

3. What happens if the care plan is not working for me?

Care plans need to be flexible and able to change. If your loved ones need change or if something in the care plan is not working, changes can be made.

The important thing is to tell the care provider if you think something needs to change. Our carers also keep an eye on the people they support. Can bring up concerns or suggest changes if they see any changes, in their needs or situation.

4. Do you provide domiciliary care throughout the UK?

We offer domiciliary care in parts of England but we do not cover every part of the UK.

Now we offer domiciliary care, including live-in care in Bedfordshire, Gloucestershire, Hertfordshire, Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire.