Home Care in Feltham

Feltham has 13 CQC registered home care agencies. 7 are rated Good, and 6 have not yet been rated. 1 of the 13 was last inspected more than three years ago.

Source: Care Quality Commission register, kept up to date as ratings change.

What home care in Feltham involves and what to look for

Care at home is bought in blocks of time rather than by the week, and that single difference shapes every decision that follows. A package might be one visit a day to help with washing and dressing, four visits to cover meals and medication, or a live in arrangement where a carer stays in the house. Working out how many visits are needed and at what times of day is the first practical task, because it determines both the cost and which agencies can realistically cover the round.

Continuity and timing matter most

The two things families raise most often are punctuality and familiarity. Ask any agency how many different carers a person is likely to see in a fortnight, how visits are scheduled, and what happens when a regular carer is ill or on holiday. Ask what the agency does if a visit is running late and whether anyone telephones to say so. A slightly higher hourly rate is often worth paying for a rota that stays stable.

Reading the inspection picture

Seven of the agencies listed here hold a Good rating, and those reports are worth reading in full, since they describe how the agency handles medication, timekeeping and complaints rather than simply awarding a word. Six agencies have no published rating, which generally means the Care Quality Commission has not yet completed a first inspection following registration. That is not a reason to rule them out, but it does mean you will need to ask more questions yourself and take up references where you can.

Getting an assessment and arranging the funding

Support at home can be paid for privately or funded after an assessment, and knowing which applies early makes the search considerably simpler.

The care needs assessment

Anyone who appears to need care and support can request an assessment, and there is no charge for it whatever someone owns or earns. It considers washing, dressing, mobility, medication, nutrition and how safely someone manages alone, and produces a written record describing the support required. The London Borough of Hounslow carries out that assessment and the separate financial assessment that decides who pays. If you are providing care yourself, ask for a carer's assessment at the same time, because your own needs are weighed independently.

What home care costs

Agencies usually charge an hourly rate, with higher rates at weekends, on bank holidays and for visits needing two carers. Live in care is priced weekly instead. Where the financial assessment shows that funded support applies, the council may meet part or all of the cost, sometimes as a direct payment that lets you choose the agency yourself. Ask for the rate card in writing, ask about minimum visit lengths, and ask whether travel time between calls is charged, because short visits can work out expensive once those extras are counted. Ask as well what notice is needed to change or cancel a visit, and whether the rate alters if the number of calls each week goes up.

Related searches

• Care Homes in Feltham

Home Care near Feltham

• Hounslow
• Sunbury-on-thames
• Twickenham
• Teddington
• Isleworth
• Walton-on-Thames
• Staines-upon-thames
• Brentford
• Southall
• Hayes