Support available in your home
There are a range of support services and equipment available to help you maintain your independence and live safely at home.
- Care at home
There are a number of Home Care providers who can help you with daily tasks, for example, help with washing yourself or preparing meals, to enable you to continue living as independently as possible in your home.
The Council’s People First website includes information about Home Care Providers including a directory of local home care providers.
For more information and guidance visit the Support in your home pages on People First website.
- Reablement - short-term support
Reablement is a short and intensive service, usually delivered in your home to those who would benefit short-term support:
- people recovering from an illness or injury
- people with disabilities
- people who are frail
It is often delivered after discharge from the hospital but may be provided whilst you are in the hospital or at home.
Reablement’s is to help to carry out daily tasks to restore or improve your independence. It concentrates on helping you regain lost skills as well as gain new ones. Restore your confidence at home following a crisis (for example, being in hospital).
It is rehabilitation for up to 6 weeks, based on individual needs. Provided by several professionals from both Social Care and Health services.
Not everyone is eligible for reablement.
- People First website
We know that it can be difficult finding out what all these organisations are. That’s why we have created the ‘People First’ website. People First is Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster City Council’s information and resource directory. It has been designed to help you find information on a whole range of health and social care topics, including:
- Health and wellbeing
- Looking after someone (being a carer)
- Money and legal matters
- Being at home
- Work and learning
- Staying safe
And much more. It also provides information on local groups, activities and services within both Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster communities.
The site is updated regularly with new services, activities and events, and topical information and advice.
- Equipment to help you at home
A common problem for many people is that they find it increasingly difficult to do the things they used to do at home. If you find that you are having difficulty with day-to-day activities such as for example:
- Having a bath or a shower
- Getting around your home
- Going up and down the stairs
Specialist Equipment and adaptations to your home could help you live more independently and confidently. To encourage you to feel safer, and help you get out and about.
There are many types of equipment that might help, such as:
- Bath seats
- Trolleys for carrying things around your home
- Raised toilet seats and commodes
- Specially adapted beds and chairs
- Grab rails around your home to help your stability
AskSara provided by the Disabled Living Foundation is a quick and easy-to-use online ‘guided’ service that enables you to find out what equipment may benefit you, and where you can try it, and buy it locally.
Visit the AskSARA website for information on what help is available to assist you.
- Occupational Therapy from the Council
You could have complex needs and you may benefit from having an assessment from the Occupational Therapy (OT) service. They help people of all ages overcome the effects of a disability. By illness, ageing, or accident to carry out everyday tasks or occupations.
The service can recommend appropriate equipment and adaptations to individual needs to help live at home. There is a wide range of equipment available from the Council.
Visit the People First website for information on equipment help at home.
Visit the People First website for information on maintaining or adapting your home.
- Community Alarm Service
Community Alarm is a 24-hour service that provides help if you need to contact someone quick in case of an accident or emergency.
The alarm system is installed in your home using a telephone unit. You operate the alarm when needed by pressing a button:- either on a pendant worn around your neck or
- on the telephone unit
Which sets off an alarm in the control centre.
The control centre staff will then be able to talk to you wherever you are in your home, even if you have fallen. You do not have to lift your telephone handset or touch the phone at all. If you cannot speak, they will still be able to identify you and provide help.
They then contact family members or other people who may have keys to visit you and provide support.Visit the People First website for information on the Community Alarm Service.
- Telecare
Telecare is a range of gadgets designed to prompt and assist you with your everyday activities. Such as reminding you to take your medication or to alert you if you have left your bathroom taps running. Some of this equipment can also alert our Community Alarm Service control room.
Telecare equipment includes:
- Fall sensors to identify if you or your loved one has fallen
- Wandering systems to identify if you or a loved one has wandered away from home
- GPS devices – tracking systems that can identify where someone is
- Bed, chair, and floor sensors to identify if you or a loved one is moving about regularly at home, and where
- Epilepsy sensors to identify if you or a loved one has had a fit
Visit the People First website for information on gagdets to keep you safe.
Last updated: 12 October 2020