Home Care

Home Care

This is when a care worker visits you in your own home and they help you with your personal care and some practical household tasks. This is often for a short time until you can manage for yourself again, or it can be for longer if you need it.

You can get help with things like:
  • Getting washed and using the toilet
  • Getting out of bed and dressing
  • Undressing and going to bed
  • Shopping and preparing food

Finding a home care provider

You can use a home care agency or you can employ someone directly to be your personal assistant (see below for further information) .

You can find out more about home care providers in Stoke-on-Trent by either:
  • Looking at our full list in the Care Services Directory (2016). There is also a useful checklist that you can use when comparing home care providers against each other.
  • Using the Local Directory to find a list of providers

Home care regulation

You can check if an home care agency is registered and inspected by looking on the Care Quality Commission website. All home care providers are regulated and inspected by the Care Quality Commission, which publishes inspection reports on its website. When considering a service it's always a good idea to check its report.

Personal assistants

You can hire a "personal assistant" to act as a home care 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.

The Care Match service can help you find a personal assistant to employ. It's a free recruitment service that can guide you through this process.   

You as an employer?

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.