As a values-based, family feel private home care service, we believe that the more engaged, involved, and listened to all family members are, the better we can picture the individual’s care needs. This augments our ability to deliver truly personalised, added-value, compassionate care that ensures the person has the right balance of independence, emotional support, and practical help.
Care services often impact a wider group far beyond the care recipient. If you have a loved one in need of care, are worried about the comfort of a relative in older age or have concerns about how to protect a partner with declining cognitive health, this article explains your involvement and why family care support is so important.
Home Care Practical Support for the Whole Family
In the majority of cases, the care support we provide isn’t organised by the care recipient but by their loved ones. Families speak to Guardian Angel Carers in a broad array of circumstances where they recognise that a much-loved relative or parent cannot cope alone, does not wish to relocate into residential care, but doesn’t have the level or extent of support they need.
It is also very common for families to experience a range of emotions when organising care. It is normal for family members to tell us they:
- Feel guilty or upset about not having the capacity to manage their caring responsibilities and provide around-the-clock support.
- Are worried about the times when they leave a loved one alone, even if their relative insists they are fine and well.
- Want the peace of mind that if anything were to happen, such as a fall, somebody would be on hand to offer reassurance, help and emergency support.
Families often seek extra support to ensure their loved ones receive the best care possible.
Putting the right care in place is step one, and the ideal approach is collaborative, where our dedicated care managers consult with everyone involved in the individuals care, be that their GP, a discharging hospital, family caregivers and loved ones, healthcare services and community support teams.
This depth of discussion and ongoing updates when care plans need to change, means that all parties are up to date and fully informed and know how to get in touch if they need to log a change in health, behaviour patterns, or routines our carers need to adapt to.
We do not underestimate the benefits families experience when they can check in, request an update, or log into a care planning portal and see that their loved one has had a great day, enjoyed a nutritious dinner, and is tucked up in bed, ready for a new day.
What Is a Family Care Focused Home Care Support Package?
Part of the reason home care supports all family members is that, without a professional support service, family caregivers are often responsible for looking after the health, happiness, and well-being of a vulnerable, unwell, physically disabled, or frail relative.
Statistics from Carers UK show that there are around five million unpaid carers in England and Wales alone, which can include children or carers who themselves are experiencing ill health or declines in their ability to work or look after their self-care due to the physical, emotional and time-based impacts of providing care.
Carers of all ages might be looking after an elderly relative such as a parent or grandparent, a child or adult child with a disability, or a partner – and caring for somebody you love can often be more difficult and complex than for a trained, qualified and experienced carer.
We often signpost families to resources about how mental health problems and changes in cognition mean the behaviour and interactions they have with loved ones suffering from degenerative conditions may change since we appreciate that these can often be distressing.
Specialist home care services like respite care, ongoing visiting care or more involved overnight and live-in care have to work around the family or a partner just as they must be suitable for the care recipient and uphold their right to autonomy over the types of care they would like, or the specific routines and tasks they’d like to be supported with.
Creating bespoke, informed care plans that consider all family members’ needs, priorities, and privacy is ideal, where trusted, familiar carers slot into the family schedule and offer just the right level of assistance to add value to the lives of all concerned.
The Benefits of Holistic Home Based Care Support
As anybody who has experienced home care will know, the companionship and comfort a carer provides are often as important as personal care, domiciliary care around the home, pet care and practicalities such as medication reminders, help attending appointments and managing grocery shopping and meal preparation.
Holistic care looks at the wider overview of why a person needs care support, in which areas, and how that assistance should be structured to improve or maintain quality of life.
Wherever possible, our local home care branches look to select a specific carer or team of carers with shared interests. This can be a great help for a care recipient who might, for instance, need help walking a much-loved pet or want a carer who can help with mobility but is also happy to watch their favourite show or help them with crafts and hobbies.
Great home care takes care of all the person’s needs, keeping them active and engaged, ensuring they remain part of the local community, and never need to give up activities or social groups that bring them joy and happiness—regardless of their age, mobility, or health.
By engaging with families and keeping everybody firmly involved in the care planning process, we can allocate the right resources, listen to any concerns or insights, and keep those important connections and lines of dialogue open.
To learn more about home care support, family involvement in care planning, or the types of specialist care services we offer, you are welcome to contact Guardian Angel Carers or your nearest local branch manager at any time.