What is homecare?

Homecare, or domiciliary care, is the additional support an individual receives from a professional paid carer, either:

• in their own home, or
• to help them get out and about in the community.

In Tower Hamlets, our vision is to enable residents with health or social care needs to:

“live in the place we call home with the people and things that we love, in communities where we look out for one another, doing things that matter to us.”

Homecare helps you continue to live in your own home, by providing, through a personalised care and support plan, high-quality services that promote:

• individual goals
• independence
• wellbeing, and
• dignity.

Your care and support plan should reflect your exact needs to ensure that your support is focused entirely on you, the individual.

Where required, homecare can complement other care you receive, to support you to develop your personal strengths and maintain your independence. However, it may not always be appropriate. A care and needs assessment will determine how best to meet your needs and look at what support is around you.

Who is homecare for?

Anyone can benefit from homecare at any point in their lives. It is available to everyone regardless of age or circumstance, including:

• older/frail people
• adults with learning disabilities
• adults with mental health support needs
• adults with physical and sensory impairments
• young people at transition into adulthood
• children with disabilities.

Professional carers can also provide respite care to unpaid carers who need to take a break from the daily care of a loved one.

Why homecare can help you

Homecare can be flexible, offering different levels of care. It can be short term, for example, if you are recovering from an accident or illness or long-term depending on your needs.

Paid carers can help with a range of tasks, including:

• shopping and meal preparation
• household tasks
• helping you to get around your home
• helping you access services in the community
• personal and continence care
• managing medication
• clinical care, including catheter and stoma management and PEG feeding.