A A A

Login

our care members offer
professional care for your loved ones

In 1968 people aged over 60 years made up 18% of the population. By 2030, 25% of us will be over 60. The number of people aged over 75 has risen dramatically and is projected to increase by a further 60% by 2028.

Care at Home and Housing support services is a real option for people who need assistance with their social personal and healthcare to lead independent lives. Many people who use homecare do so as a real alternative to moving into a care home.

Starting to think about meeting your care needs can be daunting. SCAH aims to answer some of your questions about homecare and help you find out where you can get more information.

Why choose Care at Home or Housing Support?

Increasing personalisation of services is now the direction of travel for social work services. The population and policy expect it. Personalisation puts the person at the centre as a participant in shaping the services they get, and allows them to work with professionals and their carers to manage risk and resources.

Homecare, Care at Home & Housing support are just a few of the many forms of domiciliary care provided in the home by one or more Care or Support workers and if required Nurses to assist someone with their daily life.

Enabling people who need care to remain in their home helps maintain personal independence, comfort and contact with their local community. Homecare is flexible, with just the right amount of assistance at any one time.

Currently care may be funded from four streams

  • Assistance with personal care ➝ Free personal care monies
  • Practical support (housework, shopping etc) ➝ Housing support (Supporting people monies)
  • Day centre attendance ➝ GAE (mainstream social work budget)
  • Physiotherapy and overnight care ➝ Delayed discharge monies

Access to funding for Care Costs

Your local authority social work team are obliged to perform an assessment of your care needs if you request it. If they agree that you need care, they will undertake a financial assessment. Taking your income and savings - but not the value of your home - into account, the financial assessment will establish your eligibility to receive financial assistance from the state. Here in Scotland people aged 65 and over can access Free personal Care.

There are several ways that care can be funded and in some cases service users may be required to make a financial contribution to their package of care. The local council may provide the care themselves or purchase from a list of approved agencies i.e. SCAH members .

Alternatively, you or your family may choose to fund your care, without any public funding assistance. You may choose to use a local Care at Home / housing Support Provider or possibly employ someone yourself. If you employ your own care / support worker you should be aware of your potential obligations as an employer with regards to health and safety, training, pensions an minimums wages etc.

A small but growing number of people take up the option of using the Direct Payments Scheme, where it is available. Here your local Authority gives you a cash entitlement and you then take responsibility for organising your own care.

Remember you can also enhance the range of services provided by your local authority by purchasing extra help from a Care at Home or Housing support provider.

VAT is not usually charged on homecare services. However, it is important to know whether any fees quoted by providers include VAT or not.

Finding a Care at Home or Housing Support Provider?

A comprehensive list of Care at home and Housing Support Providers is included on this web site link ??????or by telephoning ????????.

You will also find Care at Home and Housing Support providers listed in Yellow Pages under “Nurses’ Agencies and Care Agencies” or “Homecare Services”. You will also find details on the Yellow Pages website.

In the Thomson Directory providers are listed under “Homecare Services or Home Help Services – Private”. Look out for the SCAH logo in adverts in both directories. Local Authority Social Services departments may be able to provide a list of their approved organisations in your area.

The Care Commission in Scotland can supply lists of providers in your area, along with copies of inspection reports:

Making Contact

You wish to email or telephone a few Care at Home /Housing Support providers, confirm that they are members of SCAH. Ask them to send you their brochure and price list and service user guide. Providers are focused to deliver a care service for your individual and particular needs.

If you think you may be entitled to help with costs or Free Personal Care you can contact your local authority Social Services department for assistance.

Questions to ask a Care at Home or Housing Support Provider

The following questions may help with the selection of the most suitable service:

 

 

  • Can you provide the care that I need, including meeting my personal individual needs and preferences?
  • How will you and your staff respect my privacy and dignity?
  • Have you provided care for someone with similar needs to mine?
  • How will you match the most suitable support / Care staff for my needs?
  • Is your organisation a member of SCAH, committed to complying with the SSSC Code of Practice?
  • Are you required to register with the statutory regulator the Care Commission and if so, are you currently registered?
  • Do you currently have any recommendations or requirements from your last Care Commission inspection report?
  • Have you had any enforcements from a Care Commission report
  • How many complaints have you had in last 12 months and how many of these where fully or partially upheld?
  • Is your organisation insured in order to protect staff who will deliver the service and my safety?
  • Do you interview all your care staff face to face before offering them work?
  • Do you obtain at least two written references from your care staffs’ previous employers?
  • Do all your care staff undergo an enhanced criminal record disclosure from Disclosure Scotland?
  • What sort of training do your care staff receive before they start working and during their employment?
  • What proportion of your care staff and managers has obtained a Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ)?
  • What proportion of your staff What proportion of your staff are working toward a qualification
  • Howe many have no qualification
  • If my care isn’t provided by my local authority, do you have a standard contract and service user guide that I can read before signing?
  • How do i contact the organisation during the day and outside office hours and in an emergency?
  • How many staff will be required to deliver my package of care
  • What happens if my regular member of staff is sick or on holiday?
  • What charges, if any, will I be expected to pay?
  • What charges, if any, will I be expected to pay if I am away or need to cancel my care at short notice?
  • What payment methods are available (cheque, direct debit etc)?
  • Are there any hidden extras in the prices you have quoted?
  • Is there an annual increase – how is this communicated ?

    SCAH believe that a Service User, should have an option to choose and retain a provider of their choice for as long as is required. To achieve this and create the desired mixed economy of care in the delivery of services will require to explore new commissioning models based on partnership and delivery of personalised services; more effective partnership working between commissioners and providers; and effective joint working to address the needs of people who use services.

     

  •  

    main service provision key

    click mouse on an icon to see services

    Housing Support Provider

    • General counselling and support including befriending, advising on food preparation, reminding and non-specialist counselling where this does not overlap with similar services provided as personal care or personal support.
    • Assisting with the security of the dwelling required because of the needs of the service user
    • Assisting with the maintenance of the safety of the dwelling
    • Advising and supervising service users on the use of domestic equipment and appliances
    • Assisting with arranging minor repairs to and servicing of a service user's own domestic equipment and appliances
    • Providing life skills training in maintaining the dwelling and curtilage in appropriate condition
    • Assisting the service user to engage with individuals, professionals and other bodies with an interest in the welfare of the service user
    • Arranging adaptations to enable the service user to cope with disability
    • Advising or assisting the service user with personal budgeting and debt counselling
    • Advising or assisting the service user in dealing with relationships and disputes with neighbours
    • Advising or assisting the service user in dealing with benefit claims and other official correspondence relevant to sustaining occupancy of the dwelling
    • Advising or assisting with resettlement of the service user
    • Advising or assisting the service user to enable him or her to move on to accommodation where less intense support is required
    • Assisting with shopping and errands where this does not overlap with similar services provided as personal care or personal support
    • Providing and maintaining emergency alarm and call systems in accommodation designed or adapted for and occupied by elderly, sick or disabled people
    • Responding to emergency alarm calls where such calls relate to any of the housing support services prescribed in the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 (Housing Support Services) Regulations 2002, in accommodation designed or adapted for and occupied by elderly, sick or disabled people
    • Controlling access to individual service users' rooms
    • Cleaning of service users' own rooms and windows
    • Providing for the costs of resettlement services
    • Encouraging social intercourse, and welfare checks for residents of accommodation supported by either a resident warden or a non-resident warden with a system for calling that warden where this does not overlap with similar services provided as personal care or personal support
    • Arranging social events for residents of accommodation supported by either a resident warden or a non-resident warden with a system for calling that warden

    Care at Home

    providing a non-personal Care and Support service

    • Cleaning
    • Basic Housework
    • Shopping
    • Washing Clothes/Laundry
    • Lighting Fires
    • Paying Bills
    • Collecting Pensions
    • Ironing
    • Escort Work
    • Meal Preparation*
    • Other
    • * Meal Preparation can be either domestic or personal dependent on level of disability. The position of the council, as supported by COSLA, is that meal preparation is only considered to be a personal task where the client requires the combination of meal preparation and assistance with feeding. Otherwise it is considered to be a domestic task.

    Care at Home

    providing a personal Care and Support service

    • Washing
    • Using the toilet
    • Dressing
    • Feeding
    • Sitting service
    • Administration of Medication
    • Bathing
    • Getting in & out of Bed
    • Ted Stockings
    • Continence Care
    • Personal Help
    • Meal Preparation*
    • * Meal Preparation can be either domestic or personal dependent on level of disability. The position of the council, as supported by COSLA, is that meal preparation is only considered to be a personal task where the client requires the combination of meal preparation and assistance with feeding. Otherwise it is considered to be a domestic task.

    Care at Home

    providing an Enhanced/Intensive Complex Care service

    • Oral Hygiene
    • Specialised Diet
    • Continence Care
    • Catheter Care
    • Peg Feeding
    • Stoma Care
    • Double Handling
    • Use of Hoists
    • Nebuliser
    • Rehabilitation
    • Renal Assistance