Is Home Care support right for you or a loved one? We answer your frequently asked questions.

How do you communicate with my family?

We know that keeping in touch with family and friends is important, and together with your family we will look at a range of possible ways to help you stay connected. We have many different options – from phone and email to setting up a private Facebook group where family members and Wellbeing Support Workers can interact.

Our Wellbeing Support Workers use a secure app on their phones to note key information and to ensure consistency between visits. For example, what medication has been taken, a food preference or an activity the person we support is interested in. A family version of the app is available, at no extra cost, which lets authorised members of the family see notes from our visits to your loved ones. If you feel this would be right for your family, please discuss it with a member of our team.

What if I want to cancel my membership package?

You can cancel you monthly package at any time (and for any reason) by giving us two weeks (14 days) notice.

What if I need to cancel visits?

If you do not need our services for an entire week or more, we will not charge for you that, as long as you let us know at least two weeks in advance. We do not reimburse you for cancellations of less than one week, except in the case of an unplanned hospital admission. In the case of cancellation for shorter periods than a week, we will do our best to offer you a longer visit at another time, or on another day, if the schedule of our Wellbeing Support Workers allows it.

How do you recruit and train Wellbeing Support Workers?

We recruit people with great values, and train them to have the right skills to support you in the way you want to be supported. Everyone follows a three month initial training and observation programme, exceeding the care certificate requirements. This means that all our Wellbeing Support Workers can confidently and competently deliver the support you need, and work together as a supportive and effective team. Our Wellbeing Support Workers are Dementia Friends, and gain their level 2 qualification in medication.

We believe training and learning should continuously take place, and it’s important that our teams are always developing and are up to date with the latest practices. Therefore, should you require support for a particular health or mobility need we would source appropriate professional training, in order to support you safely. We follow a safe recruitment process, including DBS checks.

How many Wellbeing Support Workers will visit?

You will see different Wellbeing Support Workers from the same small, local team. You will have all of their names and pictures printed as part of your Welcome Pack, and you’ll be notified in advance of who is visiting you on a given day and time. If you have any issues or are not getting along with an individual Wellbeing Support Worker, please contact us to share your concern, and we will do our best to accommodate your preferences.

How long are the visits?

We know what has to be achieved during each visit, but our priority is achieving a positive outcome for you rather than watching the clock. Your Care and Support Plan with give you a detailed list of the number and purpose of visits, as well as estimated minimum and maximum times for different types of visits. Short visits are to make sure someone is washed, dressed, and comfortable, and preparing and serving a meal. These visits are estimated to be around one hour. Longer visits, for example for social activities and housekeeping are estimated to be between one hour and three hours. We don’t do visits lasting under an hour unless specifically agreed in the care plan.

What if my needs and aspirations change?

We will review the number and length of visits you get every month, and we will discuss changing your package if you need more or less support from us.

How much does a monthly membership plan cost?

Following a free initial conversation with our Trusted Assessor at your home, we will offer you a customised monthly membership with the number of visits and outcomes you’d like to achieve. We use the number of visits and services provided to calculate the right membership price for you, at a competitive rate.

Where can I find your CQC Report?

Our Thames Valley teams (including Abingdon, Oxford, Witney, Wantage and Henley-on-Thames) have been rated as Good by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), and Outstanding for our service response. You can read the report here and view our profile on the CQC website.

Our North East teams (including Durham, West Northumberland and South Northumberland) are registered with the CQC and we are currently awaiting inspection. You can find our details on the CQC website. We continue to work closely with the CQC, whilst ensuring we provide outstanding care to those we support.