What is adult care at home?
Adult care at home is support for people aged 18 and over who need help with aspects of daily living because of a disability, illness, health condition, injury or changing circumstances.
The support someone needs can vary considerably. For one person, it might mean help getting ready for work, preparing meals or getting out into the community. For someone else, it could involve regular personal care, medication support and assistance with mobility.
Homecare can be arranged on a temporary or ongoing basis and can range from individual visits to more substantial support depending on a person’s circumstances.
The purpose of our adult care service is not to take over the things you can do for yourself. It is to provide the right help in the right areas so you can retain choice, confidence and control over your daily life.
Who can benefit from adult care?
There is no single reason why someone may need care at home. We support adults with a wide range of circumstances, including people who:
- Live with a physical disability
- Have a long-term health condition
- Need support with mobility or personal care
- Are recovering from illness, surgery or an injury
- Need help maintaining everyday routines
- Would benefit from companionship and social support
- Need assistance accessing work, education or their local community
- Require additional support while a family carer takes a break
- Have care needs that have gradually increased over time
Whatever has led you to consider care, we focus on understanding how you want to live and where the right support could make everyday life easier.
What can adult care include?
Your care is shaped around your individual circumstances, so you only receive the support you actually need.
- Personal care
Sensitive assistance with washing, bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting and other personal routines, always provided with respect for your dignity and privacy.
- Medication support
Depending on your assessed needs, a carer can provide appropriate medication support to help you manage your medicines safely and consistently.
- Meal preparation
Support with planning meals, preparing food and drinks and maintaining regular eating routines while taking your preferences into account.
- Mobility and getting around
Practical assistance to help you move around your home safely and, where required, support with appropriate mobility equipment and transfers.
- Help around the home
Everyday tasks such as light housekeeping, laundry, changing bedding, shopping and collecting prescriptions can be incorporated into your care.
- Companionship
Having someone there for conversation, shared interests or simply company can be an important part of care. Our carers take time to build genuine relationships with the people they support.
- Getting out and staying connected
Care does not have to stop at the front door. We can help you attend appointments, meet friends and family, pursue hobbies or take part in activities within your community.
- Work, education and volunteering
For adults who are working, studying, training or volunteering, care can be planned around these commitments and provide practical support that helps you participate as independently as possible.
Care built around the life you want to lead
Good adult care is about much more than completing a list of daily tasks.
We want to understand what a good day looks like for you. That might mean being ready in time for work, continuing to cook your own meals with a little assistance, meeting friends each week or simply having more confidence moving around your home.
Your routines, interests, relationships, communication preferences and personal goals all help shape the way your care is delivered.
This person-centred approach reflects recognised standards for adult social care, which place people’s physical, mental, emotional and social needs, along with their choices and aspirations, at the centre of care planning.
Flexible adult care when you need it
Care needs are rarely identical from one person to the next, so we offer different ways of receiving support.
- Visiting care
A carer visits you at agreed times to provide the support set out in your care plan. Visits can be arranged around important parts of your routine and can vary in frequency according to your needs.
Visiting care can work well when you are largely independent but need assistance with certain activities or at particular times of day.
- Respite care
Respite care provides temporary support when your usual care arrangements change or a family carer needs time away from their caring responsibilities.
It can also provide additional support following a period of illness, injury or another temporary change in circumstances.
- Live-in care
If you require more consistent support at home, there are options depending on your exact needs. Where care is needed around the clock, this can be provided by a small team of Prestige Nursing & Care carers working on a rotation.
Supporting younger adults to live independently
Adult care is not only for older people.
Younger adults living with a disability, long-term condition or the effects of an injury may require support while also wanting to study, work, socialise, travel and make their own choices about daily life.
Our approach focuses on providing assistance where it is needed without unnecessarily limiting independence.
That could involve helping someone prepare for college or work, supporting access to social activities, assisting with personal routines or helping develop greater confidence with everyday tasks.
Care can also be reviewed as circumstances, abilities and personal goals change.
Care that can adapt as your needs change
The amount of help you need today may not be the amount you need six months from now.
Some people use adult care for a relatively short period while rebuilding confidence or recovering from illness. Others need ongoing care that develops over time.
We regularly review the support being provided so that your care continues to reflect your needs. Where appropriate, we can also work alongside relatives and other professionals involved in your health and wellbeing.
This means support can increase, reduce or change without losing sight of what you want to achieve.
When more specialist care is required
Some adults have complex or interrelated health needs that require clinical interventions and specialist oversight in addition to everyday homecare.
Prestige Nursing & Care also provides a dedicated Adult Complex Care service for people who require this higher level of nurse-led support. This includes care for people with chronic or life-limiting conditions and those who require specific clinical interventions.
Our approach to adult care
Why choose Prestige Nursing & Care for adult care?
Prestige Nursing & Care has provided homecare across England and Scotland for over 80 years. When working with us, you can expect:
- Fully managed care
We provide a fully managed homecare service, giving clients and families ongoing support from experienced local care and clinical teams rather than leaving them to manage the care arrangement themselves.
- Nurse-led clinical support
Our registered nurses provide clinical oversight, assessment, care planning, competency assessment and ongoing support for carers delivering specialist care at home.
- Care tailored around you
Your care plan is built around your health needs, routines, preferences and personal goals rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach.
- Trained and supported carers
Carers delivering specialist clinical care receive appropriate training and ongoing support, helping them provide care safely and confidently.
- Responsive local care teams
With local teams across England and Scotland, we can work with families and healthcare professionals to arrange appropriate support and respond as care needs change.
How much does adult care at home cost?
The cost of adult care varies according to the amount and type of support you need.
Factors such as the frequency and length of visits and the overall level of care required will influence the cost of your individual care arrangement.
Before care begins, we will discuss your circumstances and assess the support you need so that an appropriate care plan can be developed. Depending on your circumstances, you may be entitled to financial support towards the cost of care. Local authority support is generally subject to an assessment of your care needs and financial circumstances, while some people with significant ongoing healthcare needs may qualify for NHS-funded care.
Arranging adult care at home
Getting started begins with a conversation.
Contact your local Prestige Nursing & Care team and tell us a little about the support you are looking for. We can explain the options available and discuss the next steps for assessing your individual care needs.
From there, we can develop a care arrangement based around your routines, priorities and the level of assistance you require.