Staying at home

If home is where you want to be, it is important that you and your carers have as much support as possible.

Caring can be hard work, both physically and emotionally. It is not always easy to ask for help, but getting support can make a big difference.

Support for carers

Carers may need to save their energy for the things that only they can do, such as spending time with you, talking to you and supporting you emotionally.

Where possible, practical tasks can be shared with other people or services.

Getting help at home

Your GP, district nurse, specialist nurses and social work services can tell you about the help and support available.

If you need equipment, such as a commode or specialist mattress, ask your district nurse or social services for advice.

You may also need to rearrange your home. For example, you may need to make a dining room into a bedroom so care can be provided on the ground floor and stairs can be avoided.

Practical support

Care at night may be available in your area.

Volunteers from local organisations may also be able to help. For example, they may be able to sit with you while your carer goes shopping, or they may be able to help with shopping.

Making a plan

You can make an appointment with your GP, district nurse or social worker to talk through what may happen and make a plan for dealing with emergencies.

They may also be able to refer you to other support services.

  • Ask how to contact the district nursing team.
  • Ask how to contact an out-of-hours doctor.
  • If other services are involved in your care, ask how to contact them at night or at weekends.
  • Keep important contact numbers somewhere easy to find.

Knowing who to contact

Knowing who to contact can help you and your carers manage most problems that happen at home.

Ask your general practice, district nurse or other care services for the correct local contact details.