Question 1

Will Kent County Council pay for care at home in Maidstone?

Accepted Answer

It may, once a needs assessment has shown that support is required and a financial assessment has been completed. That financial assessment looks at income and savings, and it does not take account of the value of a property the person continues to live in. Where the council contributes, you can either let it commission the care or take a direct payment and arrange an agency yourself. It is worth asking for both assessments even if you expect to fund the care privately, because circumstances often change.

Question 2

How do I arrange a care needs assessment in Maidstone?

Accepted Answer

Get in touch with Kent County Council, which is responsible for adult social care assessments for people living in Maidstone, and ask for a care needs assessment. There is no charge for it and anyone who appears to need care and support can request one. A practitioner will talk through daily tasks, mobility, medication, night time risks and the help relatives are already giving. Family carers can ask for a carer's assessment of their own at the same time.

Question 3

How soon should I start looking for home care?

Accepted Answer

Start as soon as it becomes likely that support will be needed, rather than waiting for a crisis to force the decision. Assessments take time to arrange, and the agencies that suit a person best may not have immediate capacity in the right area or at the right hours. Beginning early also leaves room to trial a small package and build it up gradually, which many people find easier to accept. If a hospital discharge is being planned, tell the ward team early so that social care can be involved from the outset.

Question 4

Which home care agencies serve Maidstone?

Accepted Answer

Fifty registered agencies are listed on this page, among them Caremark Maidstone, Helping Hands Maidstone, Age UK Maidstone, Crossroads Care Kent and Home Instead Senior Care in Maidstone. All are registered with the Care Quality Commission to provide personal care in people's own homes. One holds a rating of Outstanding, seventeen are rated Good, four are rated Requires Improvement and one is rated Inadequate, with twenty seven not yet rated. Each entry links through to a profile setting out the rating and inspection history.

Question 5

What should I ask a home care agency before signing up?

Accepted Answer

Ask how many different carers will visit over a typical fortnight and how continuity is protected when someone is away. Ask what the minimum visit length is, how lateness is communicated, and how visits are recorded and shared with the family. Request the hourly rates in writing, including evenings, weekends and bank holidays, and check what notice period applies. Finally, ask what training carers have for the specific needs involved and how quickly the package can be increased if things change.

Question 6

What is the difference between a care home and a nursing home?

Accepted Answer

A residential care home provides help with everyday tasks such as washing, dressing, meals and medication, delivered by staff trained in personal care. A nursing home offers the same support and also has registered nurses on duty, so it can manage clinical needs such as complex medication, wound care and care at the end of life. Home care differs from both in that the support comes to the person in their own home, in planned visits rather than around the clock. A needs assessment will help identify which of these is the right fit.

Home Care in Maidstone

51 home care in Maidstone (showing 51–51)