If you are considering a deferred payment agreement with your local council to pay for your care, the council must ensure that there is ‘adequate security’ and that you can afford to repay them eventually. This security may be the value of your house, a valuable possession or someone who can guarantee that payment will be made. See Deferred payments
Admiral Nurses provide specialist dementia support for those affected by all types of dementia, (including Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia and dementia with Lewy bodies) and their families. Most work in a variety of settings – out in the community and within care homes, hospitals and hospices.
Care and support for adults (including older people, those with a mental health problem, disability or long-term illness and their carers) who need help to manage their lives and retain independence. It incorporates a care needs assessment, provision of services or allocation of funds for you to purchase care and support, such as residential or home care, day services, aids and adaptations and personal budgets.
A (non-legally binding) written document about your wishes, feelings and preferences regarding your future care and support, in case you become unable to tell others. It can cover any aspect of your care, such as where you want to live and how you like to do things. You can write it yourself, with support from family, friends and your GP.
Any product or service designed to enhance someone’s quality of life or help them achieve greater independence. These include a mobile phone, an electronic medicine dispenser, memory prompt, ‘big button’ telephone or remote control and pendant alarm, as well as equipment that can detect potential hazards in your home or alert a carer/the emergency services if you have a fall or seizure.
This helps pay for personal care if you have a physical or mental disability that requires you to be looked after by someone else, or if you are elderly. It is paid at two separate rates, depending on your requirements. Being in receipt of Attendance Allowance can also mean any other benefits you may receive are paid at a higher rate. You can claim this even if you don’t have someone looking after you.
Payments from the Government (Department of Work and Pensions) that people may receive because of their age, income, caring responsibilities or disability. Some benefits are paid to everyone regardless of income (universal), some are paid to those with particular needs, while others are means-tested – only paid to people whose income or savings are below a certain level.
Other people should act in your ‘best interests’ if you are unable to make decisions for yourself (for example, about your health or your finances). Best interests are not defined in law but there are guidelines for what people must consider when they decide what is best for you. These include your wishes, feelings and beliefs, personal circumstances and the views of your family and friends.
The ability to make your own choices and decisions, as defined by the Mental Capacity Act. To do this, you must be able to understand and remember information and communicate clearly – either verbally or non-verbally – what you have decided. Someone may lack capacity because of dementia, a mental health problem or learning disability.
A law passed in England that sets out what care and support you are entitled to and how health and social care professionals should work with you. Councils must consider your wellbeing, assess your needs and help you get independent financial advice on paying for care and support. The Act puts people and their carers in control of their care and support.
The process of determining what help or support you may need because of your age, illness or disability. It also helps the local authority to decide whether or not you qualify for council-funded care and support. You can request a care needs assessment via your local council’s adult social services department or online.
A plan that sets out your care and support needs, how these will be met, what services you will receive and your own priorities and aspirations. This is put together by health and social services following a care needs assessment. The daily routine for care home residents may also be called a care plan and should be accessible to the resident, the family, carers and the emergency services.
Information about you that is collected and kept by organisations that assess your needs and provide care and support services. It includes basic personal details, information about your health, ability to carry out activities of daily living, and what has been agreed about your care and support. You have the right to see your own records and receive a copy of all assessments and care plans.
Behaviour that may cause harm to the person or those around them such as aggression, self-harm and disruptive or destructive behaviour. Such behaviour can be caused by a difficulty in communicating needs, perhaps because someone has autism, dementia, a learning disability or mental health problem, and they may need specialist support.
If you live in a care home and your fees are paid by your local council, you have the right to say where you wish to live, even if a care home is outside your local area. The council should try to arrange a place in the home you prefer, as long as it meets your needs and does not cost more than the council would usually expect to pay. If your choice of home costs more, you can still have a place there if you or someone else pays the difference in cost.
The team – comprising psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, social workers and occupational therapists – organises the treatment and care of people with complex or serious mental health problems. They work with other care providers, such as GPs, hospitals, care agencies/homes, hospices and voluntary organisations.
A disorder of the mental processes caused by brain disease or injury. It is a persistent and progressive condition that it gets worse over time and eventually affects every aspect of a person’s life. The term ‘dementia’ describes several different conditions affecting the brain, including Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal dementia and vascular dementia.
DoLS is an amendment to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and ensures that people who are unable to make decisions about their own care, support, property and finances are protected and that their care arrangements (in a hospital or care home) are in their best interests. DoLS will be replaced by Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS) in 2022. See Liberty Protection Safeguards
Someone appointed by the Court of Protection to make decisions on your behalf about your property and financial affairs or your health and welfare, or both, if you lack capacity to make them yourself and have not already given someone power of attorney. This can be family or friends or a professional, such as a solicitor.
Where patients are supported and funded to leave hospital when it is safe and appropriate to do so. Assessment for longer-term care and support needs is then undertaken in the most appropriate setting and at the right time for the person. This can also be called ‘home first’, ‘safely home’ or ‘step down’.
Your weekly income if you have a deferred payment arrangement with your local council. The council pays for your care and you use most of your income (from pension or benefits) to contribute towards the cost of your care, but you can keep a certain amount to pay for the cost of looking after your house. When this is sold you will reimburse the council.
If you go to stay in a care home and a local authority undertakes a financial assessment to check whether or not you are eligible to receive financial assistance, it will not take into account the value of your property for the first 12 weeks. If you are eligible to receive financial help during this period, the amount that the local authority may be prepared to pay may not cover the total amount of our fees. As a result you may be asked to pay the shortfall, and this is called a ‘First Party Top Up’ (also referred to in conjunction with the Twelve-Week Property Disregard).
A flat-rate sum paid by the NHS for the nursing care component of your nursing home fees, regardless of whether your care is paid for by yourself or your local council. It is paid directly to the care home. You will usually be assessed for NHS continuing healthcare before a decision is made about whether your eligibility for NHS-funded nursing care.
A person or an organisation (such as a local authority) who is legally appointed to make best-interest decisions on behalf of another if they are unable to do this for themselves, whether due to ill health, old age or other unforeseen circumstances.
When you are not specifically asked if you understand and agree to something being done to you, but you behave as if you do. For example, extending your arm so that a medical professional can take a blood sample suggests you have given ‘implied consent’. Implied consent also applies in an emergency if you are unconscious, as medical staff may assume that you would agree to life-saving treatment.
The ability of someone to make their own choices and make the most of their skills in carrying out daily tasks, taking account of the support that’s needed and available. Independence also relates to the opportunity to set and achieve individual goals, however small, to contribute to the lives of family and friends and enjoy favourite activities.
When you receive information that enables you to decide whether to allow someone to do something to or for you. You should only give consent if you understand what you are being asked to agree to, what the benefits and risks might be, and what the alternatives are if you do not agree. See capacity to consent.
If you want to use your personal budget from the council to pay for support (such as home care) from a particular provider, the money can be held by that provider in an Individual Service Fund. You remain in control of what the money is spent on, but you don’t have the responsibility of managing the budget yourself. See personal budget
A term used by CQC to describe questions asked during its inspections of care homes and other services – are they safe, effective, caring and well run? Do they meet people’s needs?
An organisation that investigates complaints about adult social care.
This scheme will replace DoLS in 2022 and extends legal protection to everyone over the age of 16 who needs to be deprived of their liberty to enable care or treatment and lack the mental capacity to consent to such arrangements. This now covers people living in their own home or supported living, as well as in a hospital, hospice or residential care home. LPS puts their rights and wishes at the centre of all decision-making. See Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards
The council looks at how much money you have and works out what it will pay towards the cost of your care. Currently, if you have savings of less than £23,250, you will generally receive help, although the more money you have, the more you will need to pay. As a result of new rules, from October 2023, social care will be free to people with less than £20,000 while those with assets below £100,000 will get some help towards their costs. There will also be a lifetime cap on some costs with increased means test limits. So people will expect to spend no more than £86,000 on the cost of their care, although this ceiling does not include food or accommodation if they live in a care home. See financial assessment
This provides legal protection for those who cannot make decisions about their care and support, property or finances, because of a mental health condition, learning disability, brain injury or illness.. They may legally lose the right to make decisions if this is in their best interests. Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and now Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS) ensure that people are treated fairly.
After contributing financially to any care services that you receive, your weekly income should not fall below a level called the ‘Minimum Income Guarantee’. Its purpose is to promote independence and social inclusion, ensuring that you have sufficient funds to meet basic needs such as food and heating.
A term defined in law that refers to a single family member who is given certain rights and responsibilities if you are kept in hospital (also known as being ‘sectioned’). Nearest relative is not the same as ‘next of kin’ and may not necessarily be the person you have given power of attorney to (if applicable).
The organisation that determines which are the most important health issues in England and how NHS money should be spent. It supports the NHS to deliver the NHS Long Term Plan and provide improved care for patients.
An organisation that provides advice and guidance to improve health and social care services in England and Wales. It looks at the evidence of what works, what doesn’t, the costs, and then advises on what treatment and care should be offered to people.
Introduced by the Care Act 2014, these are minimum standards by which local authorities must meet someone’s need for care and support following an assessment. The threshold is based on identifying how an individual’s needs affect their ability to achieve relevant desired outcomes, and what impact this might have on their wellbeing.
Provides 24/7 care and support, including personal care (washing, dressing or going to the toilet) in a residential setting. Nursing home residents receive round-the clock medical support from qualified nursing staff for ongoing illnesses, as well as treatments including injections. They will have specialist nursing equipment on hand.
An organisation that investigates complaints about the NHS.
The amount of money you are allowed to keep for your own personal needs if you move into a care home and care costs take up all your income or savings.
Funds allocated to you by your local council to pay for care or support to meet your assessed needs. You can take it as a direct payment or ask the council to arrange services (sometimes known as a managed budget) – or a mix of the two. See individual service fund
A regular benefit payment for people aged between 16 and 64 that helps with extra costs arising from long-term illness or disability. The amount depends on how your condition affects you and how much help you need with the activities of daily living, not on the condition itself. It is based solely on your needs and is unaffected by your income or savings, whether you work or receive other benefits.
A legal decision you make to allow a specific person to act or make decisions on your behalf if you later become unable to do so. There are two types. With ordinary power of attorney you give someone the power to handle your financial affairs for you, possibly in the short term, although you continue to make decisions about your money unless and until you lose the mental capacity to do so. Lasting power of attorney is where you allow someone to make decisions for you about your property and finances or health and welfare, if the time comes when you are unable to make these decisions for yourself. All LPAs must be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian.
An executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care in England that exists to protect and improve the nation’s health and wellbeing and reduce health inequalities. PHE provides “evidence-based professional, scientific expertise and support” to national and local government, the NHS, Parliament, industry and the general public.
A structure for measuring and improving the quality of services provided by an organisation. Quality is measured in various ways, including hearing the views and experiences of people who use services. The process enables strengths and weakness to be identified and consolidated/addressed, so the organisation can deliver the best-quality care and support to users.
A person who is in day-to-day charge of regulated services provided at a residential care home or home care agency. They must be registered with the Care Quality Commission.
Accommodation where frail or older people, or those with disabilities, receive 24-hour care and support with or without nursing care. Trained staff provide help with personal care (such as washing and dressing), eating, giving medication and mobility, for example. Homes may be registered to supply specific types of care need, such as palliative, end-of-life or dementia.
Being treated well and as if you, your views and feelings matter to the person or organisation you are dealing with. This is enshrined in law – the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulations 2014) states that people must be treated with respect and dignity while receiving care and treatment.
Short-term care for someone in their own home or in a residential setting. This can be to cover a carer’s holiday or convalescence in a residential care or nursing home following a hospital stay if you are not ready to return to your own home, especially if adaptations are needed for you to live safely and independently.
What you are entitled to receive and how you should be treated as a citizen. If you have a disability or mental health problem, are elderly or act as a carer for someone else, you have the right to have your needs assessed by your local council. You have a right to a service or direct payment if your assessment puts you above the eligibility threshold your council is using. You and your carers have a right to be consulted about your assessment and about any changes in the services you receive.
Ensuring that vulnerable adults are not being abused, neglected or exploited, and that people who are deemed ‘unsuitable’ do not work with them. This is the responsibility of the adult social care department at your local council. Councils have a duty to work with other organisations to protect adults from abuse and neglect.
A service that supports adults with acquired communication and swallowing difficulties as a result of stroke, dementia, brain injury, voice disorders and other medical or neurological conditions. Following an assessment, the SALT team gives advice and therapy that is targeted to the person’s individual needs to help them with, for example, language, communication, memory, swallowing, eating and drinking. The SALT team works closely with carers and other health professionals.
An online or paper form that you complete yourself (with the help of a social care worker or advocate, if you wish) explaining your circumstances and why you need support. Councils use this information to decide if you are eligible for social care services or if you need a full assessment by a social worker.
Accommodation options, including sheltered housing, retirement housing and specialist housing schemes, for people with physical or learning disabilities. You’ll receive assistance to enable you to manage day to day while living in your own home. If you have high care and support needs, extra-care housing is likely to be a more suitable option.
The nurse-led Tissue Viability Service provides specialist advice and care to patients with, or at risk of developing, wounds.
The additional amount that someone will have to pay for you if you wish to live in a care home that costs more than the council believes is necessary to meet your needs. The key aspect is that this is your choice: a top-up fee should only be charged if you have requested a more expensive care home, not because the council is unwilling to pay what a care home costs.
Hobbies and activities designed to keep people physically and mentally active, engaged and fulfilled, with a sense of purpose and self-worth. Every residential care setting has a regulatory requirement to organise activities, which must be recorded in a resident’s care notes. See Activities co-ordinator
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