What to Expect in Your First Weeks of Home Care

Starting home or domiciliary care can feel like a big step but it’s all about supporting you to stay comfortable, confident and independent in your own home.

Tagtronics Care have been supporting homecare agencies for over 25 years to provide person-centred, quality and reliable homecare.

In this blog, we look at what to expect in those first weeks of starting homecare and the part that technology can play to support your carers.

Settling In: The First Few Days at Home

The first few days usually involve gentle introductions, giving you time to adjust to new routines and faces.

Whether you have chosen your homecare agency yourself or research was done by a family member or friend, rest assured your carers will have your best interests at heart.

You can expect them to be friendly, understanding and dedicated to making this transition smooth and stress-free.

It’s completely normal to have questions or feel a little unsure initially.

Don’t hesitate to talk openly about your preferences, needs, or worries; your home care team is there to listen and adapt your care to best suit you.

The heart of home care is helping you to maintain independent ageing by empowering your choices every step of the way.

Creating Your Personalised Care Plan

One of the essential first steps your carers will look at is creating your personalised care plan.

This plan will act as a detailed guide to map out your specific needs, preferences and daily routines, to receive the kind of support that suits you.

Your care plan is designed to be flexible, so it can be regularly reviewed and adjusted whenever your needs change.

Here are a few key aspects often included in your care plan:

• Your daily schedule and preferred routines.
• Any health-related tasks like managing medications or help with mobility.
• Home adaptations, such as handrails or a stairlift you might need to help with everyday tasks.
• Details about managing specific health conditions, such as dementia.
• Your preferred ways to communicate and a list of your family contacts.

Support with Medications and Health Management

Getting your medications right is key to keeping you healthy and happy at home.

Your carers are trained to follow Care Quality Commission (CQC) medication administration guidelines carefully, meaning you can feel reassured that your medication management is safe and compliant.

Carers will help organise medication times, prompt and remind you to take your medicine, assist you in taking your medicine correctly, and make sure you’re completely comfortable with the whole process.

Detailed records will be kept of any medicines you’ve been given and routinely updated on your personal care plan.

If you’re receiving support due to health conditions like dementia or other ongoing medical needs, your home carers will work closely with healthcare professionals to manage your health proactively.

This coordinated approach helps prevent any complications and makes sure your wellbeing is always a top priority.

Technology to Support Your Care

Homecare today is enhanced by easy-to-use technology, designed to improve communication, reliability and overall efficiency of care.

As a leading provider of homecare software tools like domiciliary care management software, we have real-world experience to support your carers.

Our all-in-one dedicated tech allows carers to keep detailed notes in your care diary, tracking everything from medication timings to any significant changes to your daily needs.

Here's a quick snapshot of how technology can practically enhance your care experience:

• Using care planning software allows your care team to quickly adapt plans as your needs change.
• Home care software helps carers coordinate effectively keeping the whole team in the loop and therefore providing a more reliable service.
• Instant access to your care notes means everyone involved in your care can stay informed and up-to-date, giving you high-quality and consistent support.

Dave from Clarendon Homecare agrees: “A digital system gives us the ability to respond in much shorter timeframes – instead of being a month behind, you can see things in real-time.

If there is an issue, we can pick this up immediately and talk to carers or service users about any problems.

It’s allowed our senior carers to focus on other activities, such as supervising carers, responding to service user reviews and improving our overall quality of care.”

Your Home Care Team: Compassionate and Professional Support

We’ve worked with many homecare teams like Clarendon and know that every member of your team is dedicated to providing you with respectful, reliable and compassionate support.

They’re not just there to perform tasks - they genuinely care about building a trusting relationship with you and upholding your individual rights and dignity.

All care should be provided in line with the guidelines set out by bodies like the Equality and Human Rights Commission, so you can trust you're being supported in the best possible way.

As part of their commitment to delivering personalised, respectful care, your carers are fully trained to understand your personal preferences, likes and dislikes.

They’re there to make sure your home remains a place of comfort, security and independence.

Staying Involved: Regular Communication and Reviews

Communication is the backbone of excellent homecare. Your carers will regularly discuss with you how things are going and if there’s anything you think needs tweaking or changing.

Regular check-ins will help keep your care tailored exactly to your wishes and flag up if any new needs arise.

Here’s how regular reviews and communication help enhance your care:

• Frequent chats about your comfort, satisfaction and any concerns you may have.
• Adjustments to your care plan based on your feedback and any new health developments.
• Ongoing reassessment to adapt to changes quickly and effectively.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

Your first weeks of home care will mark the beginning of a supportive, caring relationship designed to help you thrive independently at home.

If you're considering home care or have any questions about what to expect, Tagtronics has been supporting hundreds of homecare agencies since 2000 and we can provide friendly, practical guidance and signposts for you to make the best decisions for your individual situation.

Get in touch if you have any questions!