Help in your own home

If your health is declining, your mobility becoming more restricted or you have been in hospital, you may need help with:

• washing and dressing
• getting up in the morning and going to bed at night
• meal preparation and help to eat
• going to the toilet
• catheter care
• remembering or taking medication
• household chores
• overnight care.

If you feel you need care and support, the first step is to ask us to assess your needs. Everyone is entitled to have their needs assessed, but only people whose needs are critical or substantial qualify for the personal care service.

If you qualify, a Personal Care Plan will be agreed with you, setting out the help you need and how it will be provided. This can include overnight care. The care worker may be employed by the Council or an approved care at home agency.

Following assessment, some people will receive care from our 'reablement' team. This means you receive intensive support in your home for several weeks. We constantly review if you require more assistance, or less assistance, if you are recovering and managing more ably yourself.

If you are 65 or over you are entitled to free personal care. Some of your help, such as shopping and housework, may not be free, and you may be required to make a financial contribution. You may want to read about the cost of care in your home.

If you are assessed as needing personal care, you may want to use Direct payments to choose and buy your own services or employ a personal assistant.

If you already receive care and support at home and your needs have changed, contact Social Care so we can re assess your care.

Further information

You may want to consider how you can equip and adapt your home to make independent living easier.

Find out about personal alarms and monitors such as pendants, motion sensors, and fall detectors, to help you stay safe.

The NHS Lothian laundry service helps with laundry for people with continence or severe skin conditions.