WHAT IS CARE IN THE COMMUNITY?

At some point in our life, most of us will need to be looked after, and 1 in 8 of us will take an active part in the care of someone else for an extended period. For most of us it will be ageing that causes us to need for us to be looked after, but for others it will be a disability that we are either born with or acquire, for a few of us it will be a mental health condition which becomes critical from time to time.

Sometimes it is not easy to accept that we need to be cared for, but it should be reassuring to know that there is a small army of people, working in different ways and agencies who are there to support us when we need them.

These days people tend stay in their own homes and remain independent for much longer than they used to. Health, Social Services, independent care agencies and the voluntary sector work together to provide a huge range of facilities for the various needs of people who find it difficult to cope without support.

So if you get to the point where you need help what happens ? For those who us who have a family, our relatives and friends may want to take an active part in looking after us, but this is not something that everyone can do, and it is not everyone has a family that they can call on. Caring for someone on your own for an extended period often becomes exhausting and isolating. Even if family members are helping out, some additional help is often needed, and that is where community care comes in.

"Healthpoint" health information centre based at Poole Central Library hold a database of community facilities offering support. Lunch-clubs, befriending services and other voluntary services are all listed, and for many this type of community facility is all that is required to offer a little extra support. Other people who need a little more help, especially those who need personal care such as washing, dressing, bathing or help to make a meal will need to call on one of the independent care agencies or Social Services for help.

Social Services can provide:

• information about the range of care available in the statutory, independent and voluntary sectors
• carers that come to the home to assist with personal care (home care)
• day care service- for older people, people with physical or learning disability, those who have mental health conditions
• Respite- short term residential care, which allows the usual family carers to take a break
• short term respite provided within the home
  
• advice and provision of aids and adaptations to the home
• services to support friends and relatives who are caring

The first step to obtaining services of this type is to ask for an assessment. Assessments can be requested by telephoning the Social Services help desk on (01202) 633870/69/68.

When assessment is requested a care manager will arrange to call at the your home. Assessment involves the person who needs care and the care manager having a discussion about what services might be helpful and deciding how these can best be provided.

Once what is needed is agreed the care manager can arrange for services to be put in place. This process is called care planning and may involve utilising services from the statutory, voluntary and independent sector into a co-ordinated weekly plan that will help you to have the services and support which you need.

Care managers are also able to check that people who need to use services are claiming all the benefits which they are entitled to, which can often help with costs. Assessment for services is free but charges for other services is means tested and will be affected by the amount of capital that you have and/or your income.. When care is set up by Social Services, staff giving those services will have received training and have undergone police vetting.

Some people leave it too long before they ask for service. This often results in stress and strain for them family members who are helping to look after them. The best advice is to seek support and guidance from Social Services at the point you think some help is needed. The whole process from the first enquiry to Social Service through to service delivery is treated confidentially.

Val Mitchell
Carer Support & Health Liaison Officer
Adult Social Services
(Commissioning)

Borough of Poole, Civic Centre,
Poole, Dorset BH15 2RU
Tel: (01202) 261174
Minicom Tel: (01202) 261154
Fax: (01202) 261141

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