Discover what is home care alongside its benefits and personalised services that make it a flexible, comforting choice for nearly 1 million people in the UK.
With 820,000 people receiving home care services in the UK, more and more individuals are choosing to receive support in the comfort of their own homes.
But home care means more than convenience; it’s about providing personalised care that respects your needs, preferences, and lifestyle.
In this blog, we’re answering what is home care, how it differs from other care options like live-in care, and why its services and benefits could make it the right approach for you or your loved one.
What is Home Care?
Home care, also known as “domiciliary care,” is a specific type of care service that supports people in their own homes. Similar to live-in care, professional home carers take the time to visit and assist individuals with various tasks depending on the person’s unique care needs.
With this flexible approach, people can receive the support they need in the comfort and familiarity of their own homes. Patients who receive home care can range from the elderly and ill to those with long-term medical conditions or who have recently been discharged from the hospital.
A 63% increase in home care services from March 2017 to March 2024 shows the growing popularity and demand for home care in the UK as a service that suits both patients and home care providers.
What is the Difference Between Live-in Care and Home Care?
Home care refers to any professional care service taking place in a patient’s home. Live-in care is a subsection of home care, but rather than just providing home care visits, the professional live-in carer moves into the patient’s home and provides care full-time.
In many cases, live-in care becomes a natural progression from home care when the individual’s needs increase beyond a point where home care visits are no longer sufficient to provide the care they need.
What Are Home Care Services?
The overall aim of home care is to help individuals feel as independent, comfortable and happy as possible. Achieving this relies on home care providers offering a range of services that address the unique needs and preferences of the person depending on their wishes and condition.
These home care services may include:
1. Personal Care
Personal care is one of the most essential aspects of home care services, focusing on helping individuals manage their daily hygiene and physical wellbeing with dignity and respect. These services are especially valuable for those who may struggle with routine tasks due to age, illness, disability, or recovery from surgery.
The types of personal care services include:
· Bathing and showering
· Dressing
· Toileting
· Mobility support
By using a consistent, compassionate home carer, individuals can receive emotional reassurance to combat any vulnerability or health changes with dignity and respect.
2. Household Tasks
From cleaning the kitchen to doing the laundry and weeding the patio, home carers go beyond personal care to help keep your home clean and tidy. While knowing your basic care is in good hands, you get to enjoy living inside a fresh, clean environment.
3. Medication Management
Professional home carers can ensure you receive the correct medication at the right time. Before administrating any medication, care providers must be qualified to follow the mandatory guidelines and requirements.
4. Companionship Care
Loneliness is on the rise in the UK, with 940,000 older people (65+) reporting feeling lonely "often" while 270,000 can go a week without speaking to a friend or family member.
Beyond simply being a presence to fill a void in their home, companionship care can go a long way in giving essential interaction and emotional support through conversation, games and activities.
5. Nursing Care
Home care can include more advanced forms of support by licenced nurses and healthcare professionals, going beyond basic personal care and companionship.
For example, nursing care can provide higher standards of medical treatment, such as complex medications, treating wounds or monitoring health conditions with greater expertise.
6. Specialised Care
Finally, home care can include specialised services for people with specific conditions, such as dementia, palliative care or stroke recovery.
From speech-language pathology to occupational therapy, the flexibility of home care services is adjustable to support your unique needs, challenges and preferences.
The Benefits of Home Care
Now we’ve defined home care and its various forms, let’s look at the benefits to see whether it’s right for you.
The benefits of home care include:
1. Stay at Home
The first benefit and defining distinction of home care is there is no need to leave home. The care comes to you inside a comfortable and familiar environment.
2. Flexibility
Home care provides a personalised care plan designed around your needs, preferences and lifestyle. If any of these factors require more or less care later, the care plan simply adapts accordingly.
3. Maintain Relationships
By not leaving your usual environment, you can keep on good terms with all the relationships that come with it. Whether that’s your local shopkeeper down the road or your beloved pets, home care enables you to maintain those crucial relationships that matter most to your wellbeing.
4. One-to-One Support
Every time a home care professional comes to visit you, it’s you they’re there to see and no one else. From ensuring you have everything you need, to understanding yourself properly as a person, this one-to-one care approach enables you to build trusting relationships with your care professionals quickly.
Welcome Home Care Where Your Heart is
Kemble at Home has been delivering compassionate, personalised home care visits for over 30 years. As a proud, family-run team based in Hereford, we support individuals and families across Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, and surrounding areas.
Recognised as “outstanding” for care by the CQC, our mission is to help people live well, feel happy, and stay comfortable in the place they know and love.
We train every Kemble at Home carer to bring professionalism, warmth, and respect, providing care that fits seamlessly into your routine and honours your independence.
To learn more about how our home care visits can support you or your loved ones, get in touch today.
