Domiciliary Care

Domiciliary care is for those who need a little extra help but may not require full-time support, and can help to keep people in their home for longer. Carers can help with things such as personal care, as well as day-to-day errands.

What is domiciliary care?

Domiciliary care can be considered to be ‘traditional’ home care. It involves a carer paying visits to a care recipient at certain times in the day to carry out specific tasks such as personal care assistance or meal preparation.

Usually, domiciliary care would be recommended if your loved one is unable to manage completely independently but doesn’t need full-time help yet. Carers can come into the home for any time between 30 minutes to a couple of hours – providing support with a range of things such as:

• Personal care
• Medication support
• Help getting around
• Domestic tasks
• Meal preparation
• Pet care

As we get older, our desire to be self-sufficient doesn’t change. Therefore the thought of leaving the home for residential care, or being cared for full-time can be hard to accept.

Domiciliary care is therefore a good option for those who might need that little bit of extra help – but in a way that helps them feel in control and independent. The type of care can vary from person to person – depending on their needs. Some may only need one visit per day, whereas others may require more. Some people might need support around meal times, for example or help with getting out of and into bed.

When is domiciliary care suitable?

It’s most suitable for those with less acute conditions, such as early-stage dementia where support is only needed at a minimal level. Or, in situations where families are able to offer a certain level of support alongside the domiciliary carer.

Domiciliary care can be beneficial to people of all ages and various levels of care needs. It can be used for different reasons – including recuperation following surgery, convalescence and rehabilitation.