Useful Information

Arranging the right care can be a daunting process and for some people it can be a step during part of a stressful change in their lives. We are here to help.

Step 1 – Let’s Talk

Chat with our friendly management team and discuss what kind of care you or your loved ones are looking for. This can be done remotely, over the telephone or you can stop by our office in Mansfield and speak to us in person.

Step 2 – Your home

We will arrange a free, no obligation consultation with you or your loved one(s) at your own home to discuss your individual needs and support that may be required. A member of our management team will go through what is most important to you and what you would like to receive from us, including your daily routine, preferences, healthcare needs, hobbies and interests and anything else that is important to you. By sharing this information with us, we can then create an individualised care plan that is tailored to your personal needs and will support the care staff to support you to remain as independent as possible in your own home for as long as possible.

Step 3 – Part of our service

Introductions – Our Health Care Assistants are introduced to you before they visit you for the first time to reassure you that they know you better, how you like things to be and where everything is.
Nurse Led– Our Nurse led team can offer clinical advice in real time, they are able to offer insights into early warning signs and give the appropriate advice to our health care assistants to prevent further deterioration without the need for lengthy waits.
Electronic call monitoring – We use an electronic call monitoring system to ensure that all of our client visits are monitored on a daily basis for timing and continuity. There is also an accessible care app that allows you and your loved ones to monitor the care plan and care records from anywhere in the world to ensure that the appropriate care has been successfully carried out on each scheduled care visit.

Step 4 – What happens next?

Once visit times have been agreed and confirmed, we can offer a start date, a contract is completed and your care package will begin. We’ll provide you with the login details for our electronic monitoring app and one of the managers will make sure you understand how to use it.

It always takes a little time for you, your loved ones and our team to get to know each other but please don’t worry, our management team will be in touch to make sure everything is ok and things are running smoothly.

To make sure we are providing the very best care and support possible, our management team will carry out routine care reviews which ensures your current needs reflect your care plan and you are happy with the service you are receiving on a regular basis.

Some questions are frequently asked during the assessment process, so please browse our list of Frequently Asked Questions.

If your question isn’t there, don’t hesitate to call us. We are only too happy to help.

We also have other pages that you will find further helpful information. Please click a link below for more information on that particular topic:

Being safe in your own home

There are various reasons that can make it harder to manage daily tasks and to remain safe in your own home. Routine tasks, like keeping your home clean can become difficult and can take much longer than it used too. Often this change is gradual, but over time there can be a loss of control which may leave you vulnerable. If there is a cognitive impairment there may be an added risk of forgetting how to manage simple tasks such as turning cooking appliances off after use. Take great care to reduce the chance of a fall to a minimum. Falls can carry a high risk of a head or hip injury and in turn those can be dangerous and debilitating.

There are some simple ways to help with keeping your home environment safe. Here are a few examples:

Furniture, carpets and rugs

Make sure furniture is in good repair and easy to use. For chairs, make sure you can get in and out of them safely. Consider using extra cushions or having a walking stick to hand to provide extra stability. You may want to consider the position your furniture so it is easy to access and does not block walk ways. Consider fitting extra handles near important parts of the room or where you may need to stop and get. Make sure that rugs are not placed where they can create a trip hazard; check that carpets are not frayed. If they are, some strong tape can be a short-term solution until they can be replaced.

In the kitchen

Ensure you are following the basic rules of kitchen safety: keep knifes stored safely, keep the handles of pans on the hob pointing to the side using the back rings if possible and don’t leave your cooking unattended. Avoid over- filling crockery with hot liquids and if you need to carry fluids from room to room, use a tray if that is practicable. Prepare food according to the cooking instructions and don’t mix chopping boards when preparing raw and cooked food. Make sure you have enough light when preparing food to avoid unnecessary injuries.

In the bathroom

Make sure you can access everything you need before you start. Fit handrails or handles to make it easier to get in and out of the bath or shower and consider putting one near your toilet too. Many suitable handles are designed to be easily attached with strong suction cups so that permanent adaptations are not required. In the bath use a non-slip bath mat and try to reduce the amount of water splashed about. You can also put down a second bathmat down to soak up water when you get out of the bath or shower.

On the stairs

Not all handrails are easy to grasp, so it can be useful to change the rail or add additional handles at intervals up the stairs. Check that carpets are not so worn or frayed. Unless there is strong daylight, switch lights on as you go up and down stairs – you may want to consider having a stairlift fitted to prevent the need for struggling to get up and downstairs.

In the bedroom

Make sure that it is easy to get in and out of bed. Consider raising the bed or mattress to do this and consider installing bed rails if you are unsteady on your feet. Make sure you can move around the room easily. Get rid of clutter and always put the light on at night if you need to move around. This can be done by installing smart plugs so that you can turn the light off once you are safely in bed.

Fire safety

Make sure that you have working smoke alarms around your property, particularly in rooms where there is a source of heat energy, for example in the kitchen or if you smoke. You can request to have free smoke alarms fitted from your local fire service if you do not have any fitted currently. Make sure that plug sockets are not overloaded and square adapters are disposed of. Electric blankets should also be sought from a reputable supplier and turned off when not in use.

Outside

At night make sure it is lit if you go outside. Consider installing motion detector lights so you don’t need to worry about turning them on. Ensure any trip hazards are removed and get help to fix any loose paving or slippery paths. An extra rail can be very useful, at any place outside where extra support would be useful especially if there is a drive way that inclines or declines.

Our staff have lots of experience of delivering care in many different settings and situations. As part of our initial assessment, we can advise you on simple ways to make your home safer for you and our staff. You may also be able to access local authority support to pay for adapting you home to make it safer which we can discuss in more detail at the initial assessment.

Technology in your own home

We understand that technology can be daunting, but as the world advances we believe that bringing new technology in to your own home can play a vital part in keeping you safe. There are many items you can purchase to support you, here are a few examples:

Smart plugs to control household items such as lamps and TV’s
Smart devices that are voice operated e.g. Amazon Alexa- ‘Alexa read me the news headlines’
Electronic medication dispensers
Internal and external cameras that can be controlled from a smart phone
Audible clocks

Funding your care

There are several ways to fund your home care needs.

Depending on your income and savings, you may be eligible for local authority funding (Direct Payment, CCG, NHS).
You or your loved ones pay for your care yourselves (self-funding).
You might be able to do a combination of these.

Local Authority Funding

Social Services will be able to fund all or part of the care costs if your savings fall below the upper threshold limit of £23,250 (or £100,000 from October 2025). This does not include the value of your own property.

In this case, the first step is to ask Nottinghamshire County Council Social Services department to arrange a Community Financial/Care Assessment. You can call them on the golden number: 0300 500 8080.

If the person who needs care is eligible to receive council-supported care services, the local authority will decide a budget based upon their care needs. It is possible to agree with the council that they will pay the agreed costs of care to a pre-payment card. This gives you greater choice in the way the money is spent and means you can more easily to add to those funds if you are able to do so.

We will be able to advise and support you on how best to make the application.

It is possible that the funding offered by the council will not completely cover the cost of your ideal care package. In this case it is possible for the person receiving care, or a family member, to top up Social Services funding to the amount needed to receive the care you want.

You can pay for the care yourself – Self Funding

If you, or a family member, are paying directly for care then this is an agreement between you and your chosen care provider.

If you have more than the upper threshold limit of £23, 250 in savings, you will be expected to pay for your care yourself. You may be able to do this via the council, who will then invoice you for the costs. If your savings fall below the £23,250 threshold, you can apply to the council for an assessment and support. When your savings are between £23,250 and £14,250 you will need to contribute to the cost of your care. Savings below £14,250 will not be counted and at this stage your care package will be fully funded.

More Information

You can find more information about funding care at these websites:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/introduction-to-care-and-support/

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/money-work-and-benefits/

https://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/care/adult-social-care/paying-for-care

Make sure you are accessing all the benefits you may be entitled to. These could include

The Attendance Allowance
The Personal Independence Payment (for those under state pension age)
Reduction in council tax if you or someone you are living with has Dementia

These benefits are not means tested.

If you have a pension or other income, you can decide to use this to pay for the care you need or to top up council funding.

NHS funding

In some circumstances, the NHS will cover the cost of your care.

You may be entitled to NHS Continuing Health Care funding if you have complex and serious health conditions. Your GP can support you to obtain this funding by completing a health care needs checklist. We can also support you to complete this document.
The NHS will usually pay for your care for six weeks after leaving hospital. You can use their provider or state that you want to use your company of choice. Depending on agreements between local NHS trusts and the council, the council may cover this cost instead.
Where you need nursing care (for example for injections or to change dressings), this will be provided by the NHS at no cost to you or your loved ones.
NHS Personal Health Budgets can be used to pay for health and care support. The details are agreed with the individual and cannot be combined with a broader care package. However, the person requiring care can agree for separate additional care independently with a care provider.

Other useful links

Nottinghamshire County Council:

Paying for care and support

Care contribution calculator

Age UK:

Do I have to sell my home to pay for care?

Hospital prevention

With some members of the community, the need for support may be triggered (perhaps by the GP or a concerned neighbour) if an individual is thought to be unable to cope with living independently. Poor standards of living may result in a hospital stay which might be short or long term, and on release from hospital a return home is not guaranteed – in some cases residential care may be considered more appropriate depending on individual needs.

To avoid hospitalisation, it is important for loved ones to be aware of how the individual is coping especially if they live alone. They should be confident that the person concerned is able to carry out everyday tasks independently, safely and effectively. This would include keeping their home in good repair, maintaining a good level of personal hygiene and being able to maintain a healthy weight for themselves.

Sometimes the natural ageing process or the development of a health care condition can make it progressively difficult for some individuals to sustain independence. This is where care and support in your own home can be invaluable. The right care can enable people to continue living safely in their own home for much longer. Regular visits from our staff also means that there is someone visiting frequently who can monitor how their clients are, thus avoiding any sudden emergencies and allowing for a more dignified and enjoyable life.

For the individual and their family, there are useful additional points of contact, advice and support, including

https://www.thesilverline.org.uk/ (Silverline’s 24 hour helpline for older people: 0800 4 70 80 90 )

https://www.agespace.org/ (a forum for advice and discussion, aimed mainly at families with ageing parents)

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/care/housing-options/home-safety/

How can I access care in my own home

Realising that you or a loved one may need support at home can be a difficult time – but it can also be the point at which the weight starts to fall off your shoulders by giving someone else the responsibility. Acknowledging that extra support is needed is met by the understanding that the right type of care is available. For both the individual with the need and their loved ones, having support in your own home can be the start of a positive new stage in your life.

DICE Healthcare provides a range of services which you can see in the Services tab of the menu above. We believe it is vital that you choose the right care provider for you and we endeavour to make sure that you choose us. We are always striving to improve and to listen to what you want from us.

Once you have made contact with our head office, we will provide a free no obligation consultation within your home to understand and assess your needs. It’s best if this is in your home, so that we can better understand what your individual care needs will be.

We can also advise on short and long-term care arrangements and the funding options available to you in your personal circumstances. It will also give us the opportunity get to know you and you the opportunity to get to know us.