There can be slightly more risks at home, but many people find the stress of hospital or residential care is a much more significant factor in their decision to have home care.

A risk assessment is part of your care package, where we look together at all likely risks and how to avoid them. We ask our clients to provide a signed DNR form, and ensure that everyone is familiar with any emergency procedures. Your carer is a trained First Aider, able to deal with emergencies until paramedics arrive.

Yes indeed. If you are planning a holiday in the future (or simply trying to work out how you could have one!) or looking ahead to a time when you may need professional care in your home for a family member, it is always good to contact us for a visit, to put plans in place for later on.

We can keep the care plan on file for you, so that it can be activated when the time comes. This is also helpful if you think you might need help in an emergency. It pays to be prepared!

There is no charge for our initial visit and discussion with you, and a draft care plan can be made which will be activated as soon as you require our services.

Our hiring process is meticulous - all care workers are interviewed personally by our recruiters, and character and previous work references are taken up. We apply for a DBS check before staff are permitted to work with our clients, and all staff undergo our induction training programme to obtain basic certification (the Care Certificate, which ensures that carers are competent across 15 standards) and have an introduction to our company and sign our value statements before shadowing another member of staff for a further two weeks.

We continue to supervise, mentor and foster continuing personal development (CPD) amongst our staff team, throughout their association with us, and update our staff training at the appropriate times and offer specialist training if required. Our staff are encouraged and supported to work towards the NVQII and NVQIII Diploma in Health & Social Care to further their skills. They will also undergo medication training, moving and handling, hoist training, Dementia training, and First Aid training, palliative care, abuse, infection control, pressure sores, food hygiene and safe food preparation, learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, mental health awareness, whistleblowing, among other vital courses so as to better cover our client needs.

Our carers undertake further courses to ensure their services are effective and that they are confident in their role. We continue to update their skills with further learning and refresher training but the qualities we look for in our carers, no matter how qualified they might be, are compassion, empathy, patience, kindness, adaptability and a good character above all.

We want to push the boundaries of care by delivering the very best standards possible, therefore our policies as a company are to keep ourselves current with best practices and emerging trends in care.

Our activities are overseen by the Care Quality Commission and we partner with East Sussex County Council and NHS Sussex.

We have a robust complaints and customer care procedure, and encourage our clients to get in touch with us if they have any comments or complaints, being assured of our prompt attention to their concerns at all times.

During our recruitment process and our client assessment procedure, we hope to identify all areas of interest for a good match between client and care giver bearing in mind that your home is your sanctuary and of course you would only invite people who’s company you enjoyed, and were efficient. Of course, there are occasions when things do not work out as expected, for whatever reason and this is very rare, however it does occasionally happen and be assured that we can deal with any problem for you.

Therefore, we encourage all clients to be completely open and honest about their feelings and if you feel at all unhappy about a particular care giver in your house, in the first instance a quick telephone call directly to our management team to discuss your issues discreetly and confidentially will be sufficient for us to ascertain the problem and find a mutually acceptable solution, which may mean substituting the care giver for a more acceptable one.

To save embarrassment, at all times, please contact our management team for any issues rather than complain directly to the care giver.

Our client care plans are totally confidential between ourselves, the caregiver and yourself and you may ask to inspect or change details on them at any time.

In our office all client and staff details are kept under lock and key and our care givers sign a confidentiality agreement when they work for us.

Our privacy policy is detailed on our Policies section, and we invite you to read it.

Most clients telephone us in the first instance, to make an appointment, or you may choose to email us brief details of your situation, and what you think you need.

We will make a mutually acceptable appointment for one or more our management team to meet at your home, plus any family members, friends, or your chosen Advocate, if you feel you may need help to make your decisions and feelings known.

It will be helpful to discuss any visits you have made to doctors, therapists, and any information you have had from them will be valluable to know.

Our managers will assess your home situation and any equipment that you may have in the home, and we may suggest other equipment or supplies that would make your life easier and more independent. You can tell us what and how much you would like your carer to do, and discuss any routines you would like honoured, any social activities, etc.

We will then produce the care plan which will have a full list of your medication, and a medication sheet, diary pages for carers to complete at each visit, your health details, contact details for your next of kin, family members, and plans for activities, notes for your care givers, details of how to gain access to the building, and many other important details.

Your health and safety is our first priority at all times and you may, for example, require a hoist or moving and handling equipment, so that you can be moved safely by our carers. Once these are in place, and you have agreed with the plan of care, we can arrange your first visit from your new care giver.

At any time, you can call our managers to discuss and make amendments to your care plan.

On average, domiciliary care, also referred to as hourly care, with carers going in and out of your home on an agreed schedule, is priced at 28 per hour. Requiring such care for five hours a week would amount to 140 weekly and 607 monthly. Live-in care, another widely utilised home care service, averages 228 daily.

The cost of home care in the UK is not fixed and can vary based on the care type and intensity, the duration of service needed, and the geographic location.

We can provide you with a detailed breakdown of home care expenses for various services, including information on self-payment and available financial aid.

Opting for home care offers the advantage of remaining in the familiar setting of one’s own home while receiving necessary assistance with everyday activities and personal care needs, to assure your independence and safety. It stands as a preferred choice over residential care homes for many people, as their life does not have to radically change.

In the UK, funding for home care can come from various sources depending on individual circumstances.

Your local council may provide financial assistance if a care needs assessment indicates eligibility. This financial assessment, or ’means test’, considers income and capital but not the value of one’s property.

For those with capital over 23,250, care costs must be self-funded, while those with capital between 14,250 and 23,250 may receive partial support, contributing a tariff income based on their capital.

Additionally, benefits like the Personal Independence Payment and NHS-funded nursing care may be available for eligible individuals. It’s also worth noting that from October 2025, a cap on care home fees in England will be introduced, ensuring no one pays more than 86,000 in care costs over their lifetime.

For more detailed information, consulting with local authorities or financial advisors is recommended to explore all available options for funding home care.

To be eligible for local council funding for home care in the UK, individuals must undergo a care needs assessment conducted by the council to determine the level of care required.

If the assessment identifies eligible care needs, a financial assessment or ’means test’ is performed, considering income and capital but excluding the property value.

Eligibility for council funding requires having less than 23,250 in savings, known as the upper capital limit.

Those with capital above this threshold are considered self-funders, while those with capital between 14,250 and 23,250 may receive partial support, contributing a tariff income based on their capital.

Additionally, the local council may cover care costs if the individual is ’ordinarily resident’ in the area, meaning their established home is there.

It’s important to note that specific benefits and allowances may not be considered in the means test, and individuals should consult with local authorities or financial advisors for a comprehensive understanding of the funding options available to them.