Options Blackpool - A guide to care and independent living Winter 2017/18

OPTIONS A guide to care and independent living

Blackpool Winter 2017/18

Leaving hospital

FREE

guide

What’s next?

Together we care

CONTRIBUTORS: Alzheimer’s Society Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS FT NHS Choices

NHS Hospitals and services in Blackpool

FLEETWOOD

Newton House Mental Health Care 183 Newton Drive, Blackpool FY3 8NU 01253 304433

THORNTON-CLEVELEYS

POULTON-LE-FYLDE

BLACKPOOL

Blackpool Victoria Hospital 38 Whinney Heys Rd, Blackpool, Lancashire FY3 8NR 01253 300000

The Rowan Suite, Blackpool Centre for Independent Living, 259 Whitegate Drive, Blackpool, Lancashire FY3 9JL 01253 696 854

The locations on the map indicate where services operate out of.

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LYTHAM ST, ANNES

Contents The right place for your care ........................................................................................................................... 4-5 Leaving hospital..........................................................................................................................................................6-7 Intermediate care...................................................................................................................................................... 8-9 When you leave hospital.........................................................................................................................................10 NHS continuing healthcare...............................................................................................................................11-13 Personalised Care.................................................................................................................................................. 14-15 What is NHS-funded nursing care?.................................................................................................................. 16 Paying for your own care and support....................................................................................................17-19 Care services in your home...........................................................................................................................20-21 The Mobility Scheme................................................................................................................................................. 22 If you need medical help fast, but it is not life threatening – call 111.......................................... 23 Is your life affected by dementia? Alzheimer’s Society is here for you.......................... 28-29 The CQC Social Care Top Tips............................................................................................................................30 Useful contacts.............................................................................................................................................................. 31

Welcome and

introduction

This guide is intended to help you, your carer and your relatives understand how your local health services can help you after discharge from hospital. Also information to help you to live independently or access support and care services in your area.

OCTAGON DE SIGN & M AR K E T I NG LTD

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The right place for your care Your local hospital in partnership with other hospitals in the region, and your local authorities, Blackpool Borough Council and Fylde and Wyre Councils, recognise and support each patient to receive the right treatment, at the right place and by the right professional.

An acute hospital Trust is a hospital that provides consultant led health services within the National Health Service. Acute care is for patients who require emergency medical or surgical services within a hospital environment.

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides care for patients who require this level of care.

Hospitals are the right place to be when you are in need of specific medical or surgical treatment.

However, when your treatment has been completed, it is important that your stay is not delayed for the following reasons: ●

Beds are needed for people who are very unwell, and who may be waiting in the Accident and Emergency department for a bed to become available

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eople awaiting surgery, both P urgent and non-urgent, may have their operations cancelled if a bed is unavailable

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here is less risk of acquiring an infection T at home compared to busy public health buildings such as hospitals

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ome people find it harder to return home S the longer they stay in hospital.

It is good practice to start planning for your discharge as soon as you come into hospital or even before you arrive. This 4

means that we can begin to: ●

ssess what your needs are likely to be when A you are ready to leave

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I nvolve relevant staff who can help in meeting those needs (e.g. social worker, occupational therapist, physiotherapist, district nurse)

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ake arrangements for equipment or services M which need to be in place when it is deemed safe for you to be discharged

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ake sure that your carer is given any M information, help or advice that is needed to aid your recovery following your discharge.

All staff will work with you and your carer or relatives, as a team, in order to discuss your discharge with you.

Together we care We need to discuss any concerns you have at the earliest opportunity, e.g. your safety at home, managing your personal care or domestic arrangements, your ability to move around and any equipment you may need.

Some of the arrangements may include:

You will be given an expected date for discharge based on when it is expected that your treatment will be completed. It is important that everyone involved is aware of this date so that we can all work towards it, and so that the necessary arrangements can be made.

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Transport home. Patients are normally expected to arrange their own transport

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uitable clothing and footwear if you are not S already using them in hospital

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Access to a key to your property

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Adequate food stocks

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Adequate heating in your home

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dequate support for your carer or A family members.

A supply of your current medication will be ordered from the Hospital Pharmacy and delivered to you.

If you have any questions or concerns about your medication please ask to speak to your pharmacist or a member of the nursing team. Relatives or carers coming to collect you can meet you or a member of the ward staff can escort you to the car park entrance.

Finally, we understand that any hospital stay can be stressful and we need to support you and your carer during your time in our care.

You can also help us by moving from hospital when you no longer need our services. We will discuss with you the sort of help you and your carer may need when you return home, to make the transition as easy as possible.

Your Hospital Discharge Coordinator is the member of the team who is available to meet you on the ward and, along with the ward staff will begin planning your discharge from hospital.

For most patients, being discharged from hospital to their home is straightforward. Some may need information and advice or may need the support of social services.

Some people have ongoing health and social care needs which require a more detailed assessment.

Staff from health and social care will work together to plan and deliver services to support such people after discharge.

This guide explains some of these processes and explains the role of the hospital and Social Care team in the hospital discharge process.

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Leaving hospital You will be transferred from hospital when your consultant led team decide that you are clinically ready to leave hospital and that you no longer require an acute hospital bed.

For the majority of patients, you will go home from hospital with no additional support required. In some cases you may require some extra support to regain your independence. Your hospital team will help you, your family and carers to access these services if you need them.

Your safe and timely transfer from hospital will also allow new patients who need acute hospital treatment to be admitted without delay.

We fully support your transfer out of hospital for the following reasons: 1. To support you to regain your independence 2. S ome people find it harder to return home the longer they stay in hospital 3. Acute beds are needed for people who are very unwell, and delays in transfer may result in patients waiting in the Emergency department for a bed to become available.

4. A lthough we work hard to ensure the highest standards of care there is a risk of acquiring infections in hospital. Leaving hospital as soon as you are fit and safe to do so means this is less likely and reduces the risk of any complication.

Your Hospital Team A Multi – disciplinary team which may include Hospital Discharge Coordinator, Consultant team, Matron and ward nurses, Therapists, and Social Workers will begin to plan your transfer from hospital as soon as you are admitted.

This team of clinical experts will explain their key roles to you if they are involved in your hospital care.

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Together we care The Assessment Process The assessment process will start with discussions with you and your family/carers. This process of information gathering and clarification of the situation will indicate which members of the multi disciplinary team need to be involved in your assessment.

The team will work with you and your relatives/carers to: â—? Identify care needs to ensure they can be met following your discharge â—? Provide you with information about services that could support you as you are discharged from hospital.

Therapies You may be referred to a therapist to assist in planning for your discharge from hospital.

This could be any of the following; a dietician, occupational therapist, physiotherapist or a speech and language therapist. They will discuss with you and assess what you are able to do; and what you might need more help with. They will then discuss with you what treatment, help or support is available to improve your independence.

The therapists will discuss with you and the other members of the hospital team their findings and together with you and your family make a plan for your discharge from hospital.

Out-patient appointments If your Doctor needs to see you in an outpatient clinic to review your progress following discharge, you will either be given a note of your appointment before leaving the ward or be notified by post. If you find that you are unable to make that appointment after discharge please let the appointments office know so that we can reschedule the appointment and offer your time to someone else.

(Telephone number is on the appointment card)

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Intermediate care Across Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre, we have access to services called Intermediate Care.

These services can support people who no longer require acute care, but still require some further support to ensure they are able to function with their daily activities.

This period of intermediate care can provide rehabilitation from Therapy staff or a period of reablement prior to returning home. Your hospital Team will work with you to assess your level of need and which intermediate care service would suit your needs should you require it.

All patients who no longer need acute care but cannot return home and do not require specialist care are eligible to enter the intermediate care pathway if they meet the following criteria: ●

Over the age of 18

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Resident of Blackpool, Fylde or Wyre or

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Registered with a Blackpool, Fylde or Wyre GP.

Intermediate care is provided under Health and Social Care joint Commissioning arrangements and is free of charge whilst you are on the intermediate care pathway.

People may enter onto the intermediate care pathway following an episode of acute care for a further short period of recovery and reablement. This can benefit patients and enables a more accurate assessment of your ongoing care needs prior to returning home or before long term care is considered.

Aiming to get you home The aim is to help you to relearn daily living skills so you do not need long-term support or go back into hospital.

You need to know what you want to achieve and how this 8

will be done to establish your reasons for going into Intermediate Care. The multidisciplinary team assessment will help you make this decision. First route out of hospital should always be your own home. If this is not possible, then Intermediate Care aims to get you home and to eliminate dependency on long term support. ●

The Assessment & Rehabilitation Centre - ARC

The Assessment & Rehabilitation Centre (ARC) is based in a quiet residential area of Blackpool and offers social care rehabilitation for people who need a short period of intensive support in a 24-hour setting.

Eligibility Support is accessed via an assessment by one of the Hospital Discharge Team and is available for residents of Blackpool.

Type of Support Both social care and health professionals work to provide individually tailored support programmes for anything from a few days to six weeks to help people maximise their independence.

The ARC will help you try new ways of doing things, build up your strength, resilience and confidence and support you in accessing support solutions when you move on from our service.

The team involves rehabilitation support workers, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, falls prevention workers and nurses, who all work together to identify goals to promote independence.

At the end of your stay you will be given the information you need to make informed long term decisions about ongoing support at home.

The service is regulated by the Care Quality Commission.

Thornton House: Thornton House is owned by Lancashire County Council and managed by Care Services. It is registered to provide care for 44 older people with varying needs of care and support, including specialist dementia care.

All residential and domiciliary services provided by Care Services are registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and comply with Lancashire County Council’s preferred provider requirements.

support services such as Community Matrons, District Nurses and Community Therapists if you require this over a longer period. The team will liaise closely with your GP if required.

The team, depending on your needs, will visit you once home for up to seven days to support you.

Family and carers involved in your care will also be supported where appropriate.

Patients suitable for Rapid Response team will be offered the service if the Hospital’s clinical team feel it is appropriate for you.

Our commitment to you ●

atients should receive the right P treatment, at the right place and by the right professional

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e place a high priority on keeping W your stay in an acute hospital bed to a minimum

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nce your consultant led team assesses O that you are medically fit for transfer, we will aim to transfer you from hospital on the same day

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ou will be transferred from the Y Blackpool Teaching Hospitals Trust when you are ready to leave hospital as there are more appropriate services and facilities available to you

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e will aim to transfer you from hospital W before 10am on your day of transfer and if you require transport, we will arrange this for you.

Residential Rehab: This service provides residential care with specialist support to help individuals regain capacity and independence as far as possible in their own home with or without direct therapy involvement.

The service can be up to 6 weeks and is available for people who are resident in Fylde & Wyre. Access is via assessment from the Hospital Discharge Team or your Social Worker.

Rapid Response Team: This is a team of experienced nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, social workers and clinical support workers. The services main role is to prevent hospital re-admission and to facilitate an early and smooth discharge home.

This is achieved by continuing your care at home in the first instance and by referring on to other

Useful contacts;

Alzheimer’s Society ● Age UK ● Carers organisations ● Healthwatch – Blackpool and Lancashire ●

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When you leave hospital It is important to know that the majority of patients will be transferred home directly from hospital.

If you no longer require consultant led care and there is a delay in the start of your care package or preferred community based

placement, you cannot choose to remain in an acute hospital bed.

You will be transferred to a bed within a non hospital setting (within 48 hours) whilst this is arranged.

We will only transfer you when the appropriate placement has been identified and confirmed.

Giving the hospital feedback Our Trust is committed to listening and responding to the views of our local population. Whether you are a patient who has received treatment with us, a carer, or an interested member of the public, it’s important you tell us what you think about our services - good and bad. So we know what we’re doing right and what we could do to improve.

There are several ways in which you can give us your feedback including The Friends and Family Test - Before you leave one of our sites you may be asked to fill in a very short survey called the ‘Friends and Family Test’ which asks if you would recommend our services to a friend or relative. You can also fill in this survey on our website or via telephone as long as it’s within 48 hours of your discharge.

Spot surveys Patient experience volunteers may approach you on the wards or in day clinics to find out if you are satisfied with your care so we can address any concerns you may have whilst you’re still receiving treatment.

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Postal surveys - A paper questionnaire may be sent to you at home shortly after an inpatient stay, an outpatient appointment, an A&E attendance or a home visit. It will be sent with a free post envelope to return it to us.

Via staff: if you have a concern request to speak to the service or ward manager or the matron for the area if you are in hospital. For out of hours concerns please call the Trust switchboard on 01253 300000 and ask for the out of hours matron.

Via telephone: Contact the Patient Relations Team on 01253 65 5588 / 5589. The team offer impartial advice or support relating to any aspect of your care and deal with any concerns or complaints the Trusts receives.

Write in to: The Chief Executive, Trust Headquarters, Second Floor, Blackpool Victoria Hospital, Whinney Heys Road, Blackpool, FY3 8NR. If you’re writing in with a complaint please list the areas of concern you wish us to investigate.

Digitally: members of our patient experience team can visit you in hospital or in the comfort of your own home to capture your experience on camera.

Contact 01253 306374 for further details.

Together we care

NHS continuing NHS continuing healthcare, also known as “fully funded NHS care”, is free care outside of hospital that is arranged and funded by the NHS. This means that you will receive care and support to meet your assessed needs at no cost to you.

Where can NHS continuing healthcare be provided?

NHS continuing healthcare can be provided in a variety of settings outside hospital, such as in your home or in a registered care home.

Eligibility for NHS continuing healthcare NHS continuing healthcare is for adults. Children and young people may receive a “continuing care package” if they have needs arising from disability, accident or illness that can’t be met by existing universal or specialist services alone.

To be eligible for NHS continuing healthcare, you must be assessed by a team of healthcare professionals (a “multidisciplinary team”) as having a “primary health need”. Whether or not someone has a primary health need is assessed by looking at all their care needs and relating them to: ● what help is needed ● how complex these needs are ● how intense or severe these needs can be ● how unpredictable they are, including any risks to the person’s health if the right care isn’t provided at the right time Your eligibility for NHS continuing healthcare depends on your assessed needs, and not on any particular diagnosis or condition. If your needs change then your eligibility for NHS continuing healthcare may change.

You should be fully involved in the assessment process and kept informed, and have your views about your needs and support taken into account.

Carers and family members should also be consulted where appropriate.

A decision about eligibility should usually be made within 28 days of it being decided that

healthcare

the person needs a full assessment for NHS continuing healthcare.

If you aren’t eligible for NHS continuing healthcare, you can be referred to your local authority who can discuss with you whether you may be eligible for support from them. If you still have some health needs then the NHS may still pay for part of the package of support. This is sometimes known as a “joint package” of care.

NHS continuing healthcare assessments Clinical commissioning groups, known as CCGs (the NHS organisations that commission local health services), must assess you for NHS continuing healthcare if it seems that you may need it.

For most people, there is an initial checklist assessment, which is used to decide if you need a full assessment. However, if you need care urgently – for example, if you’re terminally ill – your assessment may be fast-tracked.

Initial assessment for NHS continuing healthcare The initial checklist assessment can be completed by a nurse, doctor, other healthcare professional or social worker. You should be told that you’re being assessed, and be asked for your consent.

Depending on the outcome of the checklist, you will either be told that you don’t meet the criteria for a full assessment of NHS continuing healthcare and are therefore not eligible, or you will be referred for a full assessment of eligibility.

Being referred for a full assessment doesn’t necessarily mean that you will be eligible for NHS continuing healthcare. The purpose of the checklist is to enable anyone who might be eligible to have the opportunity for a full assessment.

The professional(s) completing the checklist should record written reasons for their decision, and sign and date the checklist. You should be given a copy of the completed checklist. You can download a blank copy of the NHS continuing healthcare checklist from GOV.UK. >> 11

NHS continuing Full assessments for NHS continuing healthcare are undertaken by a “multidisciplinary team” made up of a minimum of two health or care professionals who are already involved in your care. You should be informed who is co-ordinating the NHS continuing healthcare assessment.

The team’s assessment will consider your needs under the following headings: ● behaviour ● cognition (understanding) ● communication ● psychological/emotional needs ● mobility ● nutrition (food and drink) ● continence ● skin (including wounds and ulcers) ● breathing ● symptom control through drug therapies and medication ● altered states of consciousness ● other significant needs These needs are then given a weighting marked “priority”, “severe”, “high”, “moderate”, “low” or “no needs”.

The multidisciplinary team will consider: ● what help is needed ● how complex these needs are ● how intense or severe these needs can be ● how unpredictable they are, including any risks to the person’s health if the right care isn’t provided at the right time If you have at least one priority need, or severe needs in at least two areas, you should be eligible for NHS continuing healthcare. You may also be eligible if you have a severe need in one area plus a number of other needs, or a number of high or moderate needs, depending on their nature, intensity, complexity or unpredictability.

In all cases, the overall need, and interactions between needs, will be taken into account, together with evidence from risk assessments, in deciding whether NHS continuing healthcare should be provided.

The assessment should take into account your 12

healthcare

views and the views of any carers you have. You should be given a copy of the decision documents, along with clear reasons for the decision.

You can download a blank copy of the NHS continuing healthcare decision support tool.

Fast-track assessment for NHS continuing healthcare If someone’s condition is deteriorating quickly and they are nearing the end of their life, they should be considered for the NHS continuing healthcare fast track pathway, so that an appropriate care and support package can be put in place as soon as possible – usually within 48 hours.

Care and support planning If you are eligible for NHS continuing healthcare, the next stage is to arrange a care and support package that meets your assessed needs.

Depending on your situation, different options could be suitable, including support in your own home and the option of a personal health budget.

If it is agreed that a care home is the best option for you, there could be more than one local care home that is suitable.

Your CCG should work collaboratively with you and consider your views when agreeing your care and support package and the setting where it will be provided. However, they can also take other factors into account, such as the cost and value for money of different options.

NHS continuing healthcare reviews If you are eligible for NHS continuing healthcare, your needs and support package should normally be reviewed within three months and thereafter at least annually. This review will consider whether your existing care and support package meets your assessed needs. If your needs have changed, the review will also consider whether you are still eligible for NHS continuing healthcare.

Refunds for delays in NHS continuing healthcare funding CCGs should normally make a decision about eligibility for NHS continuing healthcare within 28 days of getting a completed checklist or request for a full assessment, unless there are

co

ontd.

circumstances beyond its control.

If the CCG decides that you are eligible, but takes longer than 28 days to decide this and the delay is unjustifiable, they should refund any care costs from the 29th day until the date of their decision.

If your CCG decided that you weren’t eligible for NHS continuing healthcare, but then revised this decision after a dispute, it should refund your care costs for the period between their original decision and their revised decision.

If you are not eligible for NHS continuing healthcare If you are not eligible for NHS continuing healthcare, but you are assessed as requiring nursing care in a care home (in other words, a care home that is registered to provide nursing care) you will be eligible for NHS-funded nursing care. This means that the NHS will pay a contribution towards the cost of your registered nursing care. This is known as NHS-funding nursing care and is available irrespective of who is funding the rest of the care home fees.

NHS England has issued guidance on how people can be compensated following eligibility disputes and delays in receiving NHS continuing healthcare.

Frequently asked questions about NHS continuing healthcare I have a local authority support package that works well. I am now eligible for NHS continuing healthcare – will my support package change?

If you are concerned about changes to your care package because of a move to NHS continuing healthcare, your CCG should talk to you about ways that it can give you as much choice and control as possible. This could include the use of a personal health budget, with one option being a “direct payment for healthcare”.

If you’re still not satisfied, you may want to complain.

Can someone refuse an assessment for NHS continuing healthcare? If they do refuse, will they be able to get services from their local authority?

An assessment for NHS continuing healthcare can’t

be carried out without someone’s consent, so it is possible to refuse. However, if they do refuse, although they will still be entitled to an assessment by the local authority there is no guarantee that they will be provided with services. This is because there is a legal limit on the type of services that a local authority can provide.

If you refuse to be assessed for NHS continuing healthcare, the CCG should explore your reasons for refusing, and try to address your concerns. If someone lacks the mental capacity to consent to or refuse an assessment, the principles of the Mental Capacity Act will apply and in most circumstances an assessment will be provided in the person’s best interest.

My relative is in a care home and has become eligible for NHS continuing healthcare. The CCG says the fees charged by this care home are more than they would usually pay, and has proposed a move to a different care home. I think a move will have a negative effect on my relative. What can we do?

If there is evidence that a move is likely to have a significantly detrimental effect on your relative’s health or wellbeing, you should discuss this with the CCG who will take your concerns into account when considering the most appropriate arrangements.

If the CCG decides to arrange an alternative placement, they should make efforts to provide a reasonable choice of homes.

Is it possible to pay top-up fees for NHS continuing healthcare?

No, it is not possible to top up NHS continuing healthcare packages, like you can with local authority care packages.

The only way that NHS continuing healthcare packages can be topped up privately is if you pay for additional private services on top of the services you get from the NHS. These private services should be provided by different staff and preferably in a different setting.

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Personalised care If your local authority agrees to pay for some or all of your home care needs, it must offer you choice over how to meet your needs – this is known as personalisation of your care and support.

A good assessment of your needs will help you begin to think about the kinds of things you may want to do to meet you care and support needs. Following this, you will be involved in planning out how you would like to meet your needs, and be given a personal budget, and can choose to take a direct payment.

Self-directed support through good planning, personal budgets and direct payments is often called “personalised support” or “personalisation”.

It gives you choice and control over how your needs are met, and enables you to do the things you value the most.

Personal budgets A personal budget is the amount of money the local authority allocates for your care, based on its assessment of your needs.

You can be put in charge of this “budget” either by telling the local authority how you would like it spent, or by the council giving you the money so that you can directly pay for your own care (a direct payment).

It could also be given to a separate organisation (such as a user-controlled trust) that will spend the money on your care as you see fit, if you prefer. These are commonly known as Individual Service Funds.

Additionally, you can choose a combination of the above (for example, a direct payment with some council-arranged care and support), often called a mixed package.

Direct payments Direct payments give you the most control over your care, and mean that if you are unhappy with the services you’re getting, you can decide to change who gives you the care services without the process of going through the local authority.

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However, with this freedom comes the responsibility of accounting for how the budget is spent to ensure it is meeting your needs, and additional responsibilities if you decide to become an employer and hire a personal assistant with your direct payment.

The Money Advice Service has a guide to using direct payments.

What does personalised support mean for me?

Personalisation means that you will have to spend some time and effort thinking about your care and support needs, the outcomes you wish to achieve, and how you may want to meet your needs.

Depending on the choices you make, there may be some additional responsibilities. For example, if you decide to request a direct payment to cover the cost of homecare, you could use the payment to hire an individual, giving you the responsibilities of an employer.

Alternatively, you could hire careworkers through an agency, which removes the legal obligations of being employer, but may potentially add costs and may remove some of the benefits of having the same person provide your care.

Read more about how to choose care services.

How does personalised care and support work?

You and your social worker or care manager will work together to create a care and support plan. This plan details your care and support needs, and will be used to work out the value of your “personal budget”. Your support plan should consider: ●

hat’s important to you, including your w interests, lifestyle, personal tastes and the people in your life

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our hopes for the future, such as whether y you’d like to study or take on more hobbies outside the home

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hat limitations you currently have and how you w want to change

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hat you want to achieve by managing your w own support

Ensure that you include information about how you’ll manage your money and what you’ll spend the money on (including personal assistants, transport, housing adaptations, therapists and respite services).

You will need to clarify how you will manage your money. If you choose to receive your personal budget as a direct payment, the local authority may pay the money straight into a bank account that you control (you must set up a new bank account to do this) or they may give you a pre-paid card.

Alternatively, you may prefer your personal budget to be managed by the local authority or by someone else, such as: ●

friend or family member (the local authority a must agree to this)

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broker, independent social worker or a an advocate

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your care manager or social worker

Discuss these options with your social worker or carer and consider which option is best for you. If someone else will be looking after your money, you may need to create a “decisionmaking agreement”. A decision-making agreement should state how they will look after your money and what decisions they can and can’t make on your behalf.

The local authority may want to check what you do with your money, to make sure you’re spending your budget appropriately and that your care and support needs are being met. You may need to keep receipts where possible (especially for large purchases), so that you can show them you’ve spent your money responsibly. If you choose a direct payment, the council will give you a direct payment agreement that will set out the terms and conditions.

If you’re struggling to manage your money, the local authority should advise you on how to make your money work best for you.

Checking your care plan is meeting your care and support needs You should meet with your local authority at least once a year to discuss whether your care plan is working. This is an opportunity to discuss whether your needs are being met in the best way, and it’s also your chance to talk about changes you want to make for the future.

You don’t have to wait for a review meeting to change the way in which you spend your budget. You can change things as you go along.

If you want to make a big change, consult your care manager or social worker, who may arrange a review.

You can ask for a review meeting about your care plan at any time. To prepare for a review, you should provide any receipts you’ve kept since you were awarded a personal budget. If someone is managing your funds for you, get them to join the review meeting.

Disagreements about care plans and personal budgets If you’ve been informed that you’re not eligible for services, or you don’t agree with the amount allocated to you in your personal budget, you can request a reassessment.

Speak to your social worker or care manager about being reassessed, or phone your local authority social services department and request a complaints form.

Find out how direct payments and personal budgets work.

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What is NHS-funded

nursing care?

NHS-funded nursing care is care provided by a registered nurse for people who live in a care home. The NHS will pay a flat rate contribution directly to the care home towards the cost of this registered nursing care.

Who is eligible for NHS-funded nursing care?

You may be eligible for NHS-funded nursing care if: ●

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ou are not eligible for NHS continuing y healthcare but have been assessed as needing care from a registered nurse ou live in a care home registered to provide y nursing care

How will my needs be assessed?

You should be assessed for NHS continuing healthcare before a decision is made about whether you are eligible for NHS-funded nursing care.

Most people don’t need a separate assessment for NHS-funded nursing care. However, if you do need an assessment or you haven’t already had one, your clinical commissioning group (CCG) can arrange an assessment for you.

What is the rate of payment for NHSfunded nursing care?

NHS-funded nursing care is paid at the same rate across England. In April 2017, the rate was set at £155.05 a week (standard rate).

Before October 1 2007, there were three different levels or bands of payment for NHS-funded nursing care – low, medium and high.

If you moved into a care home before October 1 2007, and you were on the low or medium bands, you would have been transferred to the standard rate from that date.

If you moved into a care home before October 1 2007, and you were on the high band, NHSfunded nursing care is paid at a higher rate.

In April 2017, the higher rate was set at £213.32 a week. You’re entitled to continue on this rate unless: ●

you no longer have nursing needs

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ou no longer y live in a care home that provides nursing

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our nursing y needs have reduced and you’re no longer eligible for the high band, when you would change to the standard rate of £155.05 a week, or

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ou become y entitled to NHS continuing healthcare instead.

Outcome of the assessment If you’re eligible for NHS-funded nursing care, the NHS will arrange and fund nursing care provided by registered nurses employed by the care home. Services provided by a registered nurse can include planning, supervising and monitoring nursing and healthcare tasks, as well as direct nursing care.

If you’re not eligible for NHS-funded nursing care and you don’t agree with the decision about your eligibility, you can ask your CCG to review the decision.

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Paying for your own

care and support Many people who use care and support services will pay for all of the costs. This is known as being a “self-funder”.

The cost of your care will vary depending on its type, intensity, specialisation, location and duration. For example, a place in a residential care home will cost hundreds of pounds a week.

To make decisions that have such major financial implications, you may want to seek independent financial advice and it’s always worth researching the costs of alternatives first. For example, if you are considering a care home place, the cost should be weighed against the cost of care and support that may help you remain in your current home, such as homecare.

How much will care cost?

If you are thinking about your future care needs or are facing immediate decisions about care options, it can be helpful to get an idea how much care can cost.

Inevitably, the price you would pay will depend on your particular circumstances and needs. The costs also vary depending on where you live.

Unfortunately, care homes and homecare agencies tend not to provide this information publicly but you may find it helpful to search for and contact care services in your area to get some idea of likely costs.

The ‘cap on care costs’ Currently, it is not easy to plan for your future care needs, as it’s hard to estimate how long you will need care for and how your circumstances may change. From April 2020, a “cap” on the costs of meeting your eligible care needs (but not accommodation associated with care or nursing costs) is being introduced. The cap means that, once reached, the local authority will take over paying the cost of their eligible care needs.

The cap will not cover your daily living costs. These costs include expenses such as rent, food and utilities and the costs you would face even if you did not have care needs. It is important to note that daily living costs will be a nationally set figure.

This figure will be a “notional” amount rather than the actual costs. This is designed to support consistency and enable people to plan.

To benefit from the cap once it comes in, you will need to contact your local authority to see if your needs are eligible. If you are seen to have eligible care needs, the local authority will open a “care account” for you. This account records your progress (the amount of costs you have incurred) towards the cap.

The cap does not begin until April 2020 and any costs incurred before this will not count towards the cap.

The BBC’s care calculator can estimate how much you may have to pay for care services depending on where you live in England, once the new >> 17

Paying for your own care and su rules are in place. This will give you an idea of how the cap will work for you, but actual costs will vary to reflect your individual circumstances and needs and how they change over time.

For more information on how paying for care is changing from 2020, read about the changes in the Care Act.

Ask for help from your local authority It’s worth checking whether you’re eligible for means-tested support from your local authority or other financial support – for example, through a care needs assessment and a financial assessment.

Few of us will have the income or ready access to the cash to pay for our ongoing care needs, and you may need to look at selling or remortgaging any property you may own. The new Care Act means more people may be able to benefit from “deferred payments”.

new rules, there are likely to be more financial products emerging that are designed to help people pay for care.

You may also want to explore whether the NHS would meet some or all of your care and support costs, or you may have entitlement to benefits that may help you meet costs. Read about other ways of funding care.

Advice on paying for care Even if your local authority is not able to help fund your care, it will be able to make an assessment of your care and support needs.

From this, the local authority can provide you with access to a range of information and advice available locally.

You can also get independent advice from: ●

he Money Advice Service website: T offers information on paying for care or the option to speak to an online adviser. You can call the Money Advice Service on 0300 500 5000.

●

he Society of Later Life T Advisers: the society can also help you find advice on how to make financial plans for care in your old age.

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ind Me Good Care: a F website of the Social Care Institute for Excellence. It has advice on all aspects of planning and funding social care.

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ge UK: has great advice A for older people and those planning for their later years.

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arers UK: an excellent C resource of advice for carers who need to help someone else.

Deferred payments can help people avoid being forced to sell their home in a crisis in order to pay for their care by having the council temporarily cover the cost – usually until you sell your property.

Following the Care Act, every local authority in England has to make deferred payment agreements available.

As an alternative, you may be able to enter an “equity release scheme” with a financial organisation. Equity release can pay for the fees from the value of property you own. However, you should consider which of these options best meets your needs, and what the overall costs to you will be.

Before taking such significant financial steps as equity release, you might want to get independent financial advice. You can find information on equity release for care at home from Which? Elderly Care or the Money Advice Service’s equity release information.

If you’re planning ahead, you may consider arranging an investment or insurance plan to fund your care. Again, it may be worth taking independent advice on financial arrangements before making major changes. Because of the 18

upport contd. ●

hich? Elderly Care has a guide to W financing care.

Deferred payments if you are unable to pay for care services Care home fees are a big financial commitment, and the decision to go into a care home is often made at a moment of crisis or urgency, such as when being discharged from hospital. This can make finding the money to pay for fees (usually several hundred pounds a week) challenging for people funding their own care.

In particular, if you own property outright but have little in the way of savings, you may be expected to fund your own care but have little immediately available money to pay for it. Some people going to stay in a care home for a long time find that they have no option but to sell their property to pay the care home fees.

Your council may be able to help you if you are at risk of having to sell your home. Where there is a delay in selling the property, or you don’t want to sell the property immediately, you may be eligible to have your care fee payment “deferred”. This is where the local authority helps you to pay your care fees temporarily, and you repay the costs to the local authority at a later date.

If the local authority agrees to the deferred payment and pays the care home fees, it will take payment from the money raised once the property is sold.

This can be: during your lifetime if you choose to sell your home

than £23,250. In these circumstances, the savings don’t include the value of your property, but does include money in bank accounts.

The local authority will put a “legal charge” (similar to a mortgage) on the property and will then pay the remaining care fees in full. You will then be assessed to see whether they are able to pay a weekly charge to the authority. Your ability to pay is based on your income less a set “disposable income allowance” (currently £144 per week).

Before considering deferred payments, you should look into whether the property will or won’t be counted in how your capital is calculated. For instance, it may be disregarded because your partner still lives there, and if it is a deferred payment agreement wouldn’t be necessary.

It’s wise to get independent financial advice before agreeing to a deferred payment, and it’s worth bearing in mind that choosing deferred payments can impact on some welfare benefits.

Protection for self-funders While you may have the savings in place to afford care services, if you lack the capacity to make the arrangements, the local authority can step in to help.

The local authority can also help people who lack capacity by negotiating fees with a care provider and paying them directly. The local authority will need to be reimbursed.

Anyone entering into a contract for care services should be given adequate information about the fees. Care providers should supply: ●

i nformation about the fees charged for various services provided

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arrangements for paying the fees

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the fees charged for any additional services

●

●

nce you die, the local authority can be o repaid from your estate

All councils must offer people the chance to defer payment if they meet a set of eligibility criteria.

A deferred payment scheme is only available if you don’t have enough income to cover your care home fees, and you have less in savings

If your capital falls below the set levels for local authority funding (currently £23,250), you will be eligible for reassessment for help with funding your care.

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Care services in your home If you need help around the home, a good option is to have a care worker come in to your home to help you.

Types of care and support Care and support comes in many forms and has many names used to describe it, including home help, care attendants and “carers” (not to be confused with unpaid family or friends who care for you).

Care and support can suit you if you need: ● personal care, such as washing or dressing ● housekeeping or domestic work, such as vacuuming ● cooking or preparing meals ● nursing and health care ● companionship Care and support can be very flexible, in order to meet your needs, and the same person or agency may be able to provide some or all of these options for the duration of your care: ● long-term 24-hour care ● short breaks for an unpaid family carer ● emergency care ● day care ● sessions ranging from 15-minute visits to 24-hour assistance and everything in between If you already know what you want, you can search NHS Choices directories for: ● local care and support services and agencies ● a list of national care and support organisations ● services that can help you stay safe and well in your home on a long-term basis; these services, often known as “supported living services”, can include financial, help with medication, advocacy, social and practical support ● a place to live in a family who will care for you, known as “shared lives services” or adult placement services If you believe that you might benefit from some help at home, the first thing to do is to contact your social services department to ask for an assessment of your care and support needs. To contact social services, go to GOV.UK: find your local authority.

If you are eligible for care and support services, the local authority may provide or arrange the help themselves. Alternatively, you can arrange your own care, funded by the local authority, through direct payments or a personal budget.

If you have chosen direct payments or a personal budget, or you aren’t eligible for local authority help and want to get care privately, you can arrange it in several different ways.

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Independent care and support agencies If you use an independent care and support agency, you or the person you’re looking after has to find the care agency and pay them.

The agency will provide a service through a trained team of care workers, which means you may not always have the same person visiting your home, although the agency will do its best to take your choices into account. Independent care and support providers are regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Care and support agencies must meet CQC’s national minimum standards and regulations in areas such as training and recordkeeping. The CQC has the power to inspect agencies and enforce standards.

Care and support agencies must vet care and support workers before engaging them by taking up references and carrying out Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks on potential employees. Care and support agencies can also: ● take over the burden of being an employer – for example, payroll, training, disciplinary issues and insurance ● train their care and support workers through national qualifications and service-specific training ● replace workers when they are ill, on holiday or resign ● put things right when they go wrong An agency will want to see you and the person you’re looking after so that they can assess your needs. This also means that a joint decision can be made about the most appropriate type of care and support.

You can find out more from the UK Homecare Association.

What are the disadvantages of using a care and support agency?

The main disadvantage is the cost of using an agency.

The agency will charge a fee on top of the payment made to the care worker to cover their running costs and profit.

You normally have to make a regular payment to the agency, which includes both the worker’s earnings and the agency’s fee.

Questions to ask when using a care and support agency The fees some agencies charge can be quite high.

Before deciding to go ahead with an agency, you should ask questions about the fee and what it

covers, including: ● Does the agency check references? ● What training and supervision do they provide? ● What is their complaints policy? ● Who will be responsible for insurance? ● Is there any out-of-hours or emergency contact if needed? ● Will they be able to provide staff if your own care worker is ill or away? (If an agency contracts to provide care every day, it must ensure that it does.)

Hiring a personal assistant

adults or children. This includes a check of the barred lists. If an organisation fails to make the relevant checks, they can be penalised.

If an organisation dismisses an employee or volunteer for harming a child or vulnerable adult, they must tell the DBS. The DBS must also be notified if any employee or volunteer harms a child or vulnerable adult, but isn’t dismissed because they leave voluntarily. If their organisation does not tell DBS, they will be acting illegally.

Questions can be answered by the DBS call centre on 0870 909 0811, or by email.

You can hire a “personal assistant” to act as a care and support worker for you.

Personal assistants can offer you all that you’ll get from an agency worker, but you’ll also get the continuity, familiarity and ongoing relationship with your assistant.

However, if you employ a personal assistant, you will then have the legal responsibility of an employer. This will include arranging cover for their illness and holidays.

GOV.UK has more information on becoming an employer, while Which? Elderly Care also has advice on employing private individuals.

Employing a care worker on a private basis

Care and support from charities

Manual handling

Charities such as Age UK and Carers Trust can provide home help and domestic assistance services. The Carers Trust supports carers by giving them a break from their caring responsibilities through care and support services.

Marie Curie Nurses can provide practical and emotional support for people near the end of their lives in their own homes.

Safeguarding vulnerable groups The DBS makes decisions about who is unsuitable to work or volunteer with vulnerable adults or children.

It makes this decision based on information held by various agencies and government departments.

The service decides who is unsuitable to work or volunteer with vulnerable adults or children.

If someone who is barred from working with children or vulnerable adults is working, volunteering or trying to work or volunteer with these groups, they are breaking the law. They could face a fine and up to five years in prison.

Employers must apply for an enhanced DBS check (formerly known as a CRB check) when taking on new employees or volunteers to work with vulnerable

If you employ a care worker privately, you will not be obliged to use the DBS scheme, but you can use it if you choose to. You need to ask social services or the police to make the checks on your behalf. The care worker must have already applied to be vetted, and must consent to the check.

If you have concerns about the suitability of someone you employ privately to work with a vulnerable adult or child, you can ask social services to investigate the matter. They can refer the worker to the ISA on your behalf.

If you need help to move, or you need someone to lift you (such as getting out of bed or getting on to the toilet), this can put the person doing the lifting at risk of injury.

This “manual handling” can result in back pain and in the most serious cases, permanent disability if not done correctly.

The law says that employers must take reasonable precautions to ensure their employees don’t do any manual handling that carries a risk of them being injured. This applies to you if you directly employ a personal assistant to care for you (but most likely will not if you hire someone through an agency).

It is particularly important to consider insurance in this situation. This would cover any risk of the care worker injuring themselves, as well as any risk of them causing an injury.

There are rules around the risk assessments you need to carry out, and the Health and Safety Executive produces advice on safe manual handling.

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The Motability Scheme The Motability scheme allows some disabled people getting DLA, PIP or War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement to obtain a car, powered wheelchair or scooter.

The scheme uses some or all of your mobility benefit payments to cover the cost of “contract hire” or “hire purchase” of an appropriate vehicle.

You can also pay an extra amount of money if you want a more expensive vehicle.

With hire purchase, the price of the car will be agreed directly with the Motability dealer, and you will own the vehicle outright at the end of the agreement.

With contract hire, you won’t own a vehicle, but you will get a new car every three years, NHS Choices have not vetted the advertisers in this publication and accepts no liability for work done or goods supplied by any advertiser. Nor does NHS Choices endorse any of the products or services. All information and figures correct at the time of going to print.

full insurance for the driver and passengers, servicing, maintenance and repairs, vehicle excise duty, replacement tyres and breakdown cover.

Adaptations to the car can be made if needed, although there may be an extra charge for some adaptations. Under the Motability scheme, cars can also be adapted for people in wheelchairs.

If you don’t need or want a car, you can transfer your allowance to lease a scooter or powered wheelchair.

Editorial content for pages 11-23 supplied by:

Contact and Support We are here to answer any questions you may have about the Mobility Scheme. You can contact our Customer Services team directly or one of our Scheme partners depending on the nature on your enquiry.

Tel: 0300 456 4566. Opening times: 8am-7pm Monday to Friday, 9am-1pm Saturday, Monday 9am-11am is our busiest period. You may find it easier to call outside these times.

If you have specialist Minicom equipment, call our textphone number on 0300 037 0100 or speak to us through a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter for Deaf customers who have an enquiry about the Motability Scheme.

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Notes The Small Home with the Big Heart

Contact Andrea Webster on 01253 403465 or email: care@napiercarehome.co.uk

www.napiercarehome.co.uk

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DESIGN PRINT SUPPORT

We are situated in south shore Blackpool close to the Pleasure Beach and St Anne’s.

We have 17 bedrooms with 14 of them ensuite. All rooms are accessible for wheelchair users and the first floor is serviced via a lift again suitable for a wheelchair user.

There are 3 lounges with access to sky television in 2 of these. There is also a paved back garden fully accessible for all residents.

All food is cooked on the premises and a choice of menu is always offered.

Entertainment by different vocalists and outings are run very regular with lots of activities within the home offered on a daily basis. The home also has a visiting hairdresser, chiropodist and vision call Our staff undergo all types of training including Alzheimer’s/ Dementia, Stroke First Aid, Moving and Handling, Health and Safety and the safe management of Medications, Induction in the New Care Certificate and most have NVQ 2 AND 3 qualification.

We have vacancies for Permanent residential/EMD residents and also for respite care and day care.

Please look at our web page for an up to date CQC Report.

OCTAGON DE S IG N & M A R K E T I NG LT D

To advertise in this publication please call the sales team on 01302 714528 Hawks Nest Cottage, Great North Road, Bawtry, Doncaster, South Yorkshire DN10 6AB 01302 714528 | www.octagon.org.uk | info@octagon.org.uk

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New Victoria

Nursing & Residential Care Home A specialist dementia care provider Services we offer ❖ Residential and personal care ❖ Nursing care ❖ Dementia / EMI care ❖ Short and long stay care ❖ Day care ❖ Intermediate care ❖ Re-ablement care ❖ End of life / palliative care ❖ Home care and support ❖ Cohort beds for hospitals

New Victoria Care Home is a welcoming nursing and residential care home with a very efficient team of nurses and carers who provide the highest standards of nursing and residential care to people for elderly in Blackpool. The standard of care in New Victoria is all time high ‘resident first’ approach is the core value of home.

New Victoria, established for a number of years, is registered to accept 30 residents to cater for nursing or residential service users. The home is a three storied building and each floor is equipped with assisted bathing and toilets. The building is disabled / wheelchair accessible The home has a highly trained and dedicated team for providing various types of care to elderly and people who need palliative care, have physical and learning disability and increasing mental frailty.

New Victoria is situated in Blackpool at a short distance from the beach and famous Blackpool Tower. New Victoria has Investors in People Award and CQC overall rating ‘Good’.

New Victoria Nursing & Residential Care Home 137 / 139 Hornby Road, Blackpool, Lancashire FY1 4JG Website: www.regency.care

Support and facilities ❖ Personal healthcare ❖ Activities ❖ Dining and accommodation ❖ Laundry service ❖ Disabled / wheelchair access ❖ Lifts to all floors ❖ Specialised equipment available for assisted bathing etc. ❖ Car parking available ❖ Special diets available

Tel: 01253 621 043

Facebook: www.facebook.com/rhcltd

Health and personal care ❖ 24 hr qualified nurse on duty ❖ GP services available on request ❖ Chiropody visits on a regular basis ❖ Hairdresser visits ❖ Optician and dentists by arrangement Leisure activities ❖ Newspapers and music ❖ Pop quiz ❖ Shopping trips and hairdressing ❖ Karaoke ❖ Bingo and skittles ❖ Cheese and wine tasting ❖ Dominoes ❖ Social events Accommodation ❖ Nurse call in every room ❖ Rooms decorated to a high standard ❖ All single rooms ❖ TV in rooms ❖ Internet facility available

Email: newvictoria@regency.care

Twitter: @Regency_HC

Rosehaven Residential Care Home Rosehaven is a stunning residential care home for elderly in Blackpool, only minutes away from the beautiful Stanley Park, the seafront and the famous Blackpool Tower.

At Rosehaven, our dedicated staff are headed by a registered manager, who has many years of experience in caring for the elderly. All staff are DBS checked and trained to an appropriate level, many with NVQ qualifications.

Rosehaven has attractive and well established gardens and rose garden. Rosehaven has three large lounges, where residents can relax, interact, watch television or find peace and quiet and all rooms are bright, spacious and decorate. There is full disabled access, lifts to all floors and specialised equipment is available, eg. for assisted bathing. Our chefs cook delicious meals using fine ingredients and fresh local produce. Special diets are also catered for.

The home welcomes guests funded by Social Services and those who are privately paying clients.

Rosehaven Residential Care Home

200 / 202 Whitegate Drive, Blackpool, Lancashire FY3 9HJ Website: www.regency.care

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Facebook: www.facebook.com/rhcltd

Services we offer ❖ Residential and personal care ❖ Dementia ❖ Short and long stay care ❖ Day care ❖ Intermediate care ❖ Re-ablement care ❖ End of life / palliative care ❖ Home care and support ❖ Cohort beds for hospitals Support and facilities ❖ Personal healthcare ❖ Activities ❖ Dining and accommodation ❖ Laundry service ❖ Disabled / wheelchair access ❖ Lifts to all floors ❖ Specialised equipment available for assisted bathing etc. ❖ Car parking available ❖ Special diets available

Tel: 01253 764 394

Health and personal care ❖ GP services available on request ❖ Chiropody visits on a regular basis ❖ Hairdresser visits ❖ Optician and dentists by arrangement Leisure activities ❖ Newspapers and music ❖ Pop quiz ❖ Shopping trips and hairdressing ❖ Karaoke ❖ Bingo and skittles ❖ Cheese and wine tasting ❖ Dominoes ❖ Social events Accommodation ❖ Nurse call in every room ❖ Rooms decorated to a high standard ❖ En-suite rooms available ❖ Double rooms also available ❖ TV in rooms ❖ Internet facility available

Email: rosehaven@regency.care

Twitter: @Regency_HC

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Is your life affected by dementia?

Alzheimer’s Society is here for you.

We provide a range of support services for people with dementia, their families and their carers in Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre.

Information We can provide you with detailed information on a range of issues including different types of dementia, care issues and understanding the needs of a person living with dementia. This information can be accessed by either contacting us directly or by visiting Alzheimer’s Society’s website: alzheimers.org.uk

Dementia Adviser Service Our Dementia Advisers provide information, advice and a signposting service to people with dementia and their carers. This service is tailored to the individual’s needs and promotes independence, choice and control and is available to residents in Fylde and Wyre.

Dementia Support Service Our Dementia Support Service provides emotional and practical support to people with dementia and their carers.

Singing for the Brain® Singing for the Brain® is a stimulating group activity, for people in the early to moderate stages of dementia and their carers, which can help with general wellbeing and confidence. Singing for 28

the Brain® usually takes place once per week for up to ten weeks.

Dementia Cafés A place for people with dementia and their carers to share information and experiences, or to simply have a cup of tea and a chat. We often have guest speakers at our cafés who provide information about their services or of ways to support people affected by dementia. We currently have two Dementia Cafés which are held in Fylde and Wyre.

National Dementia Helpline If you have concerns about dementia, Alzheimer’s Society National Dementia Helpline can provide information, support, guidance and signposting to other appropriate organisations.

The Helpline is usually open from: 9am - 8pm Monday to Wednesday 9am - 5pm on Thursday and Friday 10am 4pm on Saturday and Sunday T: 0300 222 1122

Volunteering If you would like to become a volunteer for the Alzheimer’s Society, we would love to hear from you. There are a range of opportunities from helping at Dementia Cafés to helping with administrative work. Please contact us on 01253 696 854

Other ways to get involved Fundraising Whether you’re interested in taking part in a fundraising event or would like to organise an event of your own, our network of Community Fundraisers would love to hear from you. Please contact 07590 000805 for more information.

Making Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre dementia-friendly Become a Dementia friend or Dementia Champion and gain the knowledge and confidence to help people living with dementia feel understood and included in your community.

Dementia Friends is an England-wide initiative run by Alzheimer’s Society, which aims to improve understanding of dementia and make a positive difference to those affected by it.

What is a Dementia Friend?

A Dementia Friend learns a little bit more about what it’s like to live with dementia.

You’ll attend one of our information sessions and we’ll equip you with an understanding of dementia and the small things you can do in your community to help. We want Dementia Friends in every community.

What is a Dementia Friends Champion?

A Dementia Friends Champion is a volunteer who encourages others to make a positive difference to people living with dementia in their community. They do this by running information sessions for Dementia Friends about the personal impact of dementia, and what they can do to help. Dementia Friends Champions attend a training course and receive support as and when they need it.

To get involved visit www.dementiafriends.org.uk Alternatively, you can contact your local Alzheimer’s Society office for more information.

For information about our services, advice and support, please contact us: T: 01253 696 854

Taking on dementia together

E: northlancashire@ alzheimers.org.uk Alzheimer’s Society North Lancashire, Fylde & Wyre, The Rowan Suite, Blackpool Centre for Independent Living, 259 Whitegate Drive, Blackpool, FY3 9JL We are open from 9am–5pm, Monday to Friday

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The Care Quality Commission is here to make sure health and adult social care services including hospitals, home and residential care as well as GPs in England provide people with safe, effective, high-quality care.

We publish independent inspection reports and ratings about services – information you can use when you’re choosing care for yourself, or a loved one.

You can use our website to search for services you might be interested in by geographical area, or by specialism. For example, a care home that might offer specialist care for someone who has dementia.

We also welcome your feedback on the care you have received – good or bad. We use this information to help inform our inspections and can alert authorities including local social services, if there are safeguarding concerns about care being provided.

You can visit our website at www.cqc.org.uk to find our inspection reports, or share an experience of care.

You can also call us to share an experience of care on 03000 61 61 61.

Here are some tips to help you choose your care.

Social care Top tips 1

2

3

4

5

6

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) registers all care homes and home care agencies. You can find out which ones support specific groups of people, such as people with a learning disability or those living with dementia.

CQC’s Chief Inspector for Adult Social Care, Andrea Sutcliffe always uses ‘The Mum Test’: is a care home safe, caring, effective, responsive to people’s needs and well-led? In other words, is it good enough for my Mum (or anyone else I love and care for)?

Look for care homes and home care agencies where the staff involve people who use services and their families and carers, and treat individuals with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

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8

9

Whether you are being cared for in your own home or in a residential setting, the staff looking after you need to be skilled, kind and supportive.

They should also be capable and confident in dealing with your particular needs. You should always feel that their support is helping you to live the life you want to.

A care home will be a home for you or your loved one. Residents should be treated as individuals with their likes and dislikes taken into account.

Think about whether a home is close enough to family, friends, and community facilities.

Look at how well-led and managed a home is. What does it have in place to ensure that it delivers high quality care? Does it promote meaningful activity and connect the home with the community?

If you or a loved one needs help with day-today care, you can contact your local council’s social services department. They will ‘make an assessment of your needs’ and depending on circumstances, may be able to help you access financial help. For more advice visit Age UK’s website www.ageuk.org.uk /home-and-care.

If you would like to organise your care yourself, you can find a care worker or personal assistant through an agency. Your local social services department should be able to provide details of approved agencies.

CQC’s ratings will identify services as:

Outstanding Good ● Requires improvement ● Inadequate ● This will help you make informed choices around your care. There’s also useful advice on the Social Care Institute for Excellence’s Find me good care website www.scie.org.uk/findmegoodcare/

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Safeguarding adults who receive social care is everybody’s business. If you are concerned about the safety of a loved one receiving care, contact the service provider in the first instance. You can also contact social services at your local council. If you feel a crime has been committed, contact the police.

You can share your safeguarding concerns with us on our website or contact our National Customer Services on 03000 616161.

The Care Quality Commission has not vetted the advertisers in this publication and accepts no liability for work done or goods supplied by any advertiser. Nor does the Care Quality Commission endorse any of the products or services.

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Useful contacts A

C

N

Action on Elder Abuse 020 8835 9280 We work to protect, and prevent the abuse of, vulnerable older adults Action on Elder Abuse, PO Box 60001, Streatham SW16 9BY I www.elderabuse.org.uk I enquiries@elderabuse.org.uk

Carers UK 0808 808 7777 Prevents carers from becoming emotionally drained, and from forgetting to take care of themselves.

20 Great Dover Street, London SE1 4LX I General enquiries: 0207 378 4999 I Advice line: 0808 808 7777 I www.carersuk.org I info@carersuk.org

NHS 111

Admiral Nursing DIRECT 0800 888 6678 This helpline has been set up to provide people with an opportunity to talk through their worries and concerns about themselves, friends or relatives with dementia. The lines are open on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 11am and 9pm. Callers can leave messages any time and request a call back.

I www.dementiauk.org I direct@dementiauk.org Alzheimer’s Society 01253 696854 The UK's leading support and research charity for people with dementia, their families and carers.

The Rowan Suite, Blackpool Centre for Independent Living, 259 Whitegate Drive, Blackpool, Lancashire FY3 9JL I www.alzheimers.org.uk I northlancashire@alzheimers.org.uk Arthritis Care 020 7380 6500 Working with and for all people with arthritis to put them in control of their arthritis and their lives.

Arthritis Care, Floor 4, Linen Court, 10 East Road, London N1 6AD. I info@arthritiscare.org.uk

B Blackpool Citizens Advice Bureau

01253 308400 6-10 Whitegate Drive, Blackpool, Lancashire FY3 9AQ I www.blackpoolcab.org.uk/

Cruse Bereavement Care

0844 477 9400 Cruse Bereavement Care is here to support you after the death of someone close.

I www.cruse.org.uk I helpline@cruse.org.uk

D Disability Benefits Helpline – for Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance 0845 712 3456 I Textphone: 0845 722 4433 I www.direct.gov.uk/en/Dl1/Directories DG_10011169

E Elderly Accommodation Counsel

0800 377 7070 The Counsel's aim is to help older people make informed choices about meeting their housing and care needs. It was founded in 1984 and became registered as a charity in 1985. It is now more commonly known as EAC. I www.eac.org.uk

P Parkinson's Disease Society

0800 800 0303 I www.parkinsons.org.uk

R Royal Voluntary Service 0845 608 0122 A volunteer organisation that enriches the lives of older people and their families across Britain. We support older people by giving time and practical help to help them get the best from life.

Royal Voluntary Service, Cardiff Gate, Beck Court, Cardiff Gate Business Park, Cardiff CF23 8RP I www.royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk

S Stroke Association 0845 3033 100 Advice and information for stroke patients and their families.

I www.stroke.org.uk

T The Department of Work and Pensions I www.dwp.gov.uk The Pension Service 0845 606 0265 I www.dwp.gov.uk/about-dwp/ customerdelivery/the-pension-service

I Integrated Care Council 01379 678243 (Formerly the National Homecare Council)

The Integrated Care Council is a body which brings together British public and independent sector organisations who commission or directly provide support for people living at home.

M

CareAware 0161 707 1107 A one stop shop for free advice on care fee funding for older people.

I www.careaware.co.uk I enquiries@careaware.co.uk

Mind (National Association for Mental Health) 020 8519 2122 The leading mental health charity in England and Wales. We work to create a better life for everyone with experience of mental distress.

I www.mind.org.uk I contact@mind.org.uk

Care Quality Commission (CQC)

03000 616161 National Correspondence, Citygate, Gallowgate, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4PA I www.cqc.org.uk I enquiries@cqc.org.uk

National Osteoporosis Society

0845 450 0230 Advice, information and support group for people with osteoporosis.

I www.nos.org.uk

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Options Blackpool is published by Octagon Design and Marketing Ltd with editorial contributions from Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, the CQC, Alzheimer’s Society and NHS Choices. The editorial contributors have not vetted the advertisers in this publication and accepts no liability for work done or goods supplied by any advertiser. Nor do the editorial contributors endorse any of the products or services.

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