Introduction
If you or a loved one is in need of extra assistance or even round the clock care, the thought of going into a care home and away from the comforts of your own environment can feel distressing. Home care agencies exist so that whoever needs help can remain in their own home, but with the support and assistance of a professional carer to ensure their safety and quality of life. There are a number of private home care agencies in the London area, who can provide what you need and more. In this blog post we are going to look at just a few of these, and also delve into how you should go about choosing the best private home agency for you or your loved ones needs. Read on to find out more.
What is a Home Care Agency?
A home care agency is an agency that employs professional and qualified carers and arranges for them to provide certain services to those who need it in their own homes. For a number of different reasons, people of all ages may need help with things like: food preparation and cooking, eating and drinking, personal hygiene, moving around the house and getting dressed, taking medication or getting out and about outside of the house too. Some agencies will also provide nursing care when they visit the person in their home, but as a general rule of thumb, home care is non-medical.
How Are Home Care Agencies Regulated?
All home care agencies have to be registered with their relevant care regulator, whose job it is to regulate and inspect them for as long as they operate. In London, and the whole of England, home care agencies are regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and reports are available on their website too.
How do you go about choosing a private home care agency?
Choosing a private home care agency can be a daunting task- you want to make sure you are making the right choice for yourself or your loved one and there are lots of different home care agencies to choose from.
The first thing to look at when choosing a private home care agency is to decide what type of home care you or your loved one requires. By narrowing down the things that you/they need help with, you are in a better position to choose the right agency. A lot of private home care agencies offer a wide range of services and packages, from part time respite care to longer term assistance, so having a good idea of what you need is essential when beginning the searching process.
You should also make sure that the agency is reputable and has good experience in dealing with a variety of patients and needs- this will give you the peace of mind that you are dealing with people who know what they are doing.
Established home care agencies will have a good and informative website and online presence, with staff that you can easily get in touch with should you want to find out more. They will also be regulated by the CQC (Care Quality Commission) and you will be able to find past reports from the CQC on their inspections on the CQC website.
Private Care Home Agencies in London
Blue Ribbon Community Care
Blue Ribbon Community Care is based in South West London and is a privately owned home care agency that prides itself on offering individual care and support services to those who need it, from the comfort of their own homes. They aim to ensure that those who need them can continue to live in the way they always have, and offer a range of care, including specialist care categories such as: call in services, cancer care, cleaning, companionship, food preparation, medication help, older person care and palliative care, among many others. Other care that they provide includes 24 hour care, adult home care and risk assessments in the home.
Bluebird Care Lewisham and Southwark
This private home care agency is dedicated to improving the quality of life of adults who need it, preserving their independence and helping them. They offer a range of home care services so there is something to suit the needs of everybody, including daily visits, overnight support and live-in care, with their staff going the extra mile to support their clients. This could include things like doing puzzles with them, helping them use technology or even getting out in the garden together. They provide all the services you would expect from a home care agency, like help with medication and personal hygiene, moving around and outside the house, physical disability care and companionship, among much more.
Caremark (Harrow)
Caremark is another privately owned home care agency based in Harrow, London. It has won multiple awards for its dedication to its clients and claims that dignity and respect are central to the philosophy of the company. They pride themselves on delivering person-centered home care services at all times of the day, and communicate with relatives or loved ones on any issues or developments. Their DBS checked staff are trained to look after those with a variety of needs, including alcohol dependence, companionship, domestic services, drug dependence, food and drink, mediation and more.
Comfort Care At Home
This Chessington-based home care agency is privately owned, award-winning agency with a goal of supporting individuals to stay in their own homes for as long as possible, promoting independence whilst offering support. This is done in many ways, from helping around the house and with jobs to being in touch with GP’s or other care providers to ensure appointments or referrals are being kept up with. They have sophisticated technology systems in place so that the family and friends of the one being cared for are always in the loop if things change: this could be someone refusing medication, or not eating, as well as WhatsApp chats for easy communication. From cancer care to dementia and older person care, they offer a wide range of help and services for those who need it.
Independent Homecare Team
The Independent Homecare Team is a professional, private home care agency for older and vulnerable adults in the Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich boroughs of London. Their care is individually tailored, meaning that the individual gets the care that they need in a way that works best for them. They are especially successful in their reablement and dementia care services, and offer a range of other things such as cleaning, dementia care, domestic services, high dependency care, respite cover and more. Other types of care that they offer include adult home care, hospital discharge, personal care, personal care assessments and risk assessments in the home.
Robin Home Care
The team at Robin Home Care have been working with people in need in the Ealing area for over seven years, and, like other private home care agencies in London, offer care packages that are individually tailored and wholly personal. They have been awarded an ‘outstanding’ rating by the Care Quality Commission in the past, and regularly review the support plans of their clients so that their needs are continuously being met. From short visits to round-the-clock care, Robin Home Care offers whatever type of care best suits the individual, from help for dementia and cancer patients, older people and those with physical disabilities.
SweetTree Home Care Services
This private home care agency has been rated CQC ‘outstanding’ for two consecutive inspections, in 2018 and 2020, and has one prime objective: to help those in need stay in their own homes with dignity, independence and control. In addition to their excellent CQC ratings, they also won a Specialist Care Expertise Award at the 2023 National Home Care Awards for their bespoke service programmes that are tailored to each and every individual client and their needs. This includes those with brain injuries, neurological conditions, and learning difficulties, among others. The services they offer are in line with what you would expect from this type of agency, including older person care and general wellbeing assistance and errands.
Conclusion
Choosing a private home care agency in the London area can seem daunting, especially when it is a loved one, or even yourself, that you are looking for one for. There are lots of things to consider when choosing the best private home care agency in your area, including making sure that it meets the specific needs and requirements that you or your loved one will be desiring, and that the carers are understanding of these needs and are well-received by other clients too. There are a number of private home care agencies in the London area, and this blog post has gone into small amounts of detail about some of them and what they offer their clients. You can find out more about each of the private home care agencies discussed in this post on their individual websites, including how to get in contact with them.
