Home care services: what people told Healthwatch
Over the last year, the number of local Healthwatch citing improvements to home care services as a priority for their community has doubled. Our new report explains what people have told Healthwatch about their experience of home care.
Across England there are more than 5,500 home care providers, collectively helping an estimated 673,000 people to continue living independently within their communities. Home care services help people live at home for longer by offering support, such as regular visits from a carer to help with personal care, getting dressed, using the toilet, shopping and preparing meals.
A new Healthwatch England report Home care services: What people told Healthwatch about their experiences, analyses the experiences of 3,415 people, their families and front line staff across 52 local areas between August 2015 and June 2017.
Most people had positive things to say about their home care. These services are invaluable to many people, both for the quality of care provided and the support and company of care workers.
Older people in particular said that one of the most positive things about home care is that it enables them to remain in their own home and to maintain as much independence as possible.
However, four areas were discovered where people’s experiences could be improved.
