What is Domiciliary Care?
Domiciliary care (commonly known as care at home) is provided to people who still live in their own home but require additional support with personal care, household tasks or any other activities that help them to maintain their independence and quality of life. It allows your loved one to continue to stay in the place they feel most comfortable and safe in – at home.
Different to live-in care where you receive ongoing support, this type of care is for those who prefer support at set regular times each week. This could be as little as a weekly housekeeping visit through to several visits a day to help with personal care, getting around the home or preparing meals, for example.
Regular home visits, from 30 minutes through to several hours a day, can be arranged to help you with a wide range of everyday tasks, including:
- Personal and continence care
- Managing medication
- Helping to mobilise in and around the home
- Household tasks and meal preparation
- Clinical care, including catheter and stoma management and PEG feeding
It even covers overnight support if you need some extra assistance with nightly toilet trips or taking medication. You can arrange what is called a ‘sitting service’ for the whole of the night so if there is ever a problem, someone is on hand to help.
Domiciliary care offers a valuable source of companionship. Seeing a familiar face every day, or a couple of times a week, brings comfort, a feeling of safety and friendship. Carers are not just trained in delivering the physical aspects of care, but also offering emotional support, encouragement and reassurance.