Where to get support

As you get older, or if you’ve had an illness or operation, you may find that you’re struggling with some of the daily tasks you used to do easily – like dressing, washing or getting out and about. This guide has lots of great advice on the support that’s available in Sheffield to help you stay healthy, and to live independently at home. And if you need a little extra help while you get better, or long term support, there’s advice on other options like moving to be nearer a relative, living in sheltered accommodation or extra care housing, and living in a care home.

Sheffield Directory

The first place to look is www.sheffielddirectory. org.uk. This is a website full of really useful information about services, groups and activities in Sheffield.

It’s the best source of advice on what you can do yourself, and how to get help from your community. And you’ll find many local services which aim to keep you independent, which anyone can access at any time, without the need for any type of assessment.

We’ve included some of the most popular solutions below – but you’ll find many more options in Sheffield Directory: www.sheffielddirectory.org.uk.

Keeping healthy and well

If you’re looking to improve your health and

Wellbeing

It can make a big difference to how you feel when you have a busy social life and stay active.

there’s something in Sheffield for you.

Local and national NHS websites give advice you can follow to help you:

• Rest and sleep better at night

• Eat a balanced diet, with lots of fruit and vegetables

• Be more active – safe exercise to keep you physically and mentally healthy.

To get started check out the NHS Choices website: www.nhs.uk, or find details of local health services and advice: www.southyorkshire.icb.nhs.uk.

Other local services to consider:

Get help to stop smoking: www.yorkshiresmokefree. nhs.uk. Call 0800 612 0011 (free from landlines), 0330 660 1166 (free from most mobiles).

Find out about the Live Lighter programme –aimed at helping you keep a healthy weight. www.livelightersheffield.com. Call (0114) 270 2043.

Get support to reduce your drinking from START (the Sheffield Treatment and Recovery Team: https://shsc.nhs.uk/services. Call (0114) 305 0500.

Get advice on coping with low mood, depression, anxiety and stress from the IAPT Team (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies): www.iaptsheffield. shsc.nhs.uk. Call (0114) 226 4380.

Sheffield Directory also has details of all the groups and services to help reduce loneliness and feeling isolated. Visit the website at: www.sheffielddirectory. org.uk.

Staying active and things to do

It can make a big difference to how you feel when you have a busy social life and stay active. Regular exercise is important, but you also stay active by visiting people, taking part in your community or volunteering.

Sheffield Directory lists hundreds of activities, classes and things to do: www.sheffielddirectory.org.uk.

A low-cost piece of equipment, or the help of a local group or service, can make all the difference.

Or get motivated to get moving at www.movemoresheffield.com – using their free app to keep you on track. Discover the wide variety of projects and causes you can support by volunteering. Visit the Volunteer Centre website: www.sheffieldvolunteercentre.org.uk or call them on (0114) 253 6649.

Getting out and about

Being able to get out and about means you can stay connected with friends and family, be independent and take part in your community and the city. Find tips to make travelling around Sheffield easier and cheaper: www.sheffielddirectory.org.uk/transport. Get discounted travel from Travel South Yorkshire and help to plan your journeys: www.travelsouthyorkshire.com.

Learn about community transport help like the Shopper Bus Service, Community Car Scheme, Cityride Door-to-Door and the Mobility for Leisure Service. All available from Sheffield Community Transport: www.sheffieldct.co.uk. Call (0114) 276 6148.

Support in your home

Most of us want to live independently in our own home for as long as possible, but from time to time we may need some support and assistance.

A low-cost piece of equipment, or the help of a local group or service, can make all the difference.

How to get started…

To loan equipment to help make life easier contact the Community Equipment Service. Call (0114) 553 6449 or online www.medequip-uk.com/contact/rotherham. They have an online and printed independent living catalogue you can order.

Get peace of mind for you or someone you love from the City Wide Care Alarms Service. They can visit you at home to show how the equipment works – at no charge and no pressure to buy. The simple equipment makes it easy to raise the alarm if you fall or get into difficulty, and they can help with other problems like taking your medicines regularly. Full details: www.sheffield.gov.uk/carealarms. Call (0114) 242 0351.

Find help with cleaning and shopping, handypersons and gardeners: www.sheffielddirectory.org.uk Find other trades like plumbers, carpenters and electricians that hold the government backed TrustMark from the website: www.trustmark.org.uk.

Make things easier for a bit by having your meals delivered. As well as a huge range of ready-meals available from your local supermarkets you can get delivered with your shopping, there are specialist companies that can deliver frozen meals:

• Oakhouse Foods. Web: www.oakhousefoods.co.uk. Call 0333 370 6700.

This kind of help can make a real difference when getting better after an illness, a fall, or after an operation.

• Wiltshire Farm Foods. Web: www. wiltshirefarmfoods.com. Call 0800 077 3100. Or have a regular hot meal delivered to your home from Park Care Meals. Web: www.parkcaremeals. co.uk. Call (01709) 378 100.

Short term support in your home (also called reablement)

You may be referred to get short-term support to help you regain your independence at home from the Council’s Short Term Intervention Team (STIT), when you’re leaving hospital.

This kind of help can make a real difference when getting better after an illness, a fall, or after an operation.

The team will give you:

• information and advice about organisations near to you that can help you regain independence in your own home.

• the strength and ability to continue to live in your own home, like help with personal care (washing and getting dressed), preparing meals and medication.

• the confidence to live independently by providing the opportunity to talk through what you’re struggling with and, either learn new ways to do things or use equipment to support you.

• advice on how you can keep in touch with family and friends.

There are also other services and organisations that may be able to support and advise you if you think that this kind of support may help you to remain independent at home.

If you need long term support, the team will also talk to you about having an assessment of your needs. If you have eligible care and support needs we will help you to plan the support you need to live as independently as possible. This is called a Support Plan.

Unlike NHS health services, adult social care is not free. Most people pay for some or all of their support. If you need long term care and support, we’ll talk to you about your finances and work out what you can afford to pay towards the costs of your care and support, and what, if anything, we’ll contribute.

Your Support Plan can include equipment and services like home support, to help you to continue to live at home and regain your independence. The amount of support you need may reduce over time as you regain your ability to do things for yourself. We will work with you to review the amount of support you need over time to stay independent in your home.

If you’re leaving hospital the ward staff will contact the First Contact Team. To contact the team direct visit the First Point Reception at Howden House in the city centre. Or call the team on (0114) 273 4908, or email asc.howdenhouse@sheffield.gov.uk.

Moving home

If you need more support than we can provide in your home, we will talk to you about your options.

Living closer to a relative or friend. The Sheffield Property Shop website explains how you can swap properties with another tenant – either to live closer to someone who help you or live in a more suitable home. Find out more: www.sheffieldpropertyshop. org.uk, call (0114) 293 0000. For options outside Sheffield try www.houseexchange.org.uk.

Medical priority rehousing. Our Health and Housing Team can help if you’re having problems moving around your home because of a health condition or disability. They can also help if you, or your carer, need to move closer, to make it easier for them to care for you.

You can apply for this support using the form on the council website: www.sheffield.gov.uk or call the team on (0114) 273 5522.

Sheltered housing. These housing schemes provide homes you can rent. You can be as independent as possible, while enjoying communal facilities like a laundry, kitchen, lounge and garden. Most schemes have a warden you can contact for help, and a link to the City Wide Care Alarms service for peace of mind. Often schemes arrange regular outings and activities. There are 30 schemes in Sheffield – for details visit: www.sheffield.gov.uk/home/housing/shelteredhousing or call (0114) 293 0000.

Extra care housing. These schemes are similar to sheltered housing, with yhomes you can buy with communal facilities, staff on site and support so you can live independently. For more details visit www.sheffield.gov.uk or call the First Contact Team on (0114) 273 4908.

Residential care. There are now lots of services and support that can help you to keep independent and delay having to move into a care home. We’ve described many of these services in this guide, but if there’s something else you need to help you stay in your home please do get in touch with our First Contact Team. Often they can tell you about new ways to solve your problems that mean you can maintain your independence.

We won’t ask you to pay more towards the cost of your care than your financial assessment shows you can afford.

If you need care and support that can only be provided in residential care you need to plan carefully how you will move into the care home, and how you will pay for the costs of your place in the home.

You’ll find details about all the homes in Sheffield on our directory: www.sheffielddirectory.org.uk/ carehomes. Each home has details of the quality of the care they provide, their location and the types of care they provide.

Take time to decide where you will live. If possible visit a number of homes in the area. Ask each home about the daily routine, and the times that meals are served, bedtime and when relatives can visit you. Check when the residents get to talk to the management about the quality of care (usually called the resident’s committee), and when the home’s menu and activities are reviewed. You can get a useful checklist of how to help you compare different homes from our website: www.sheffielddirectory.org.uk/carehomes. The checklist can help you to remember what questions to ask each home, to check the quality of their care and choose the home you want to live in.

Unlike NHS healthcare, residential care is not free. If you need help from Sheffield City Council to arrange or pay for your care we will talk to you about the problems you are having. If we agree that you need residential or nursing care, we’ll talk to you about your finances. This is called a financial assessment.

Most people pay for some or all of their care and support in a home.

We’ll ask you about your income, including any benefits, pensions or earnings, and any savings or investments you have (often called your capital). We’ll use this information and national rules based on the Care Act 2014 to work out what you can afford to pay and what, if anything, we’ll contribute towards the cost of your care.

If you choose not to tell us about your finances, you will have to pay the total cost of your care.

If you have capital over £23,250 you must pay the total cost of your care. If you have capital of £14,250 to £23,250 your capital and income are used to work out what you will pay for your care. If your capital is less than £14,250 your income is used to work out what you will pay for your care.

We won’t ask you to pay more towards the cost of your care than your financial assessment shows you can afford.

We can provide more information and answer any questions you have during the financial assessment. You can also get more information from our guides. Visit the council website www.sheffield.gov.uk/home/ social-care/cost-of-care

It’s important you get good and impartial financial information and advice, so you have a better understanding of how your resources can be used more flexibly to fund a wider range of care options. The Money Helper service can provide free, impartial and independent financial information and advice about choosing the right care services and paying for the cost of care.

Visit www.moneyhelper.org.uk or call 0800 138 7777. You can also get lots of information and advice to help you manage your finances at www.sheffielddirectory. org.uk. However, choosing how to pay for your long-term care is a big decision. You should speak to a Regulated Financial Adviser before deciding which option is best for you. A Financial Adviser will be able to discuss how you can help make your money last and let you know about financial products specifically designed to help with paying care costs. There’s a list of Regulated Financial Advisers on the Financial Conduct Authority website: www.fca.org.uk.

The Care Quality Commission is here to make sure health and adult social care services including hospitals, home and residential care as well as GPs in England provide people with safe, effective, high-quality care. We publish independent inspection reports and ratings about services – information you can use when you’re choosing care for yourself, or a loved one.

You can use our website to search for services you might be interested in by geographical area, or by specialism. For example, a care home that might offer specialist care for someone who has dementia. We also welcome your feedback on the care you have received – good or bad. We use this information to help inform our inspections and can alert authorities including local social services, if there are safeguarding concerns about care being provided.

You can visit our website at www.cqc.org.uk to find our inspection reports, or share an experience of care. You can also call us to share an experience of care on 03000 61 61 61. Here are some tips to help you choose your care.

Social care Top tips

1 The Care Quality Commission (CQC) registers all care homes and home care agencies. You can find out which ones support specific groups of people, such as people with a learning disability or those living with dementia.

2 CQC’s Chief Inspector for Adult Social Care, Andrea Sutcliffe always uses ‘The Mum Test’: is a care home safe, caring, effective, responsive to people’s needs and well-led? In other words, is it good enough for my Mum (or anyone else I love and care for)?

3

Look for care homes and home care agencies where the staff involve people who use services and their families and carers, and treat individuals with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect

4

Whether you are being cared for in your own home or in a residential setting, the staff looking after you need to be skilled, kind and supportive. They should also be capable and confident in dealing with your particular needs. You should always feel that their support is helping you to live the life you want to.

5 A care home will be a home for you or your loved one. Residents should be treated as individuals with their likes and dislikes taken into account. Think about whether a home is close enough to family, friends, and community facilities

6

Look at how well-led and managed a home is. What does it have in place to ensure that it delivers high quality care? Does it promote meaningful activity and connect the home with the community?

8

If you or a loved one needs help with day-today care, you can contact your local council’s social services department. They will ‘make an assessment of your needs’ and depending on circumstances, may be able to help you access financial help. For more advice visit Age UK’s website www.ageuk.org.uk/home-and-care.

7 If you would like to organise your care yourself, you can find a care worker or personal assistant through an agency Your local social services department should be able to provide details of approved agencies.

CQC’s ratings will identify services as: Outstanding H Good ● Requires improvement ● Inadequate

Safeguarding adults who receive social care is everybody’s business. If you are concerned about the safety of a loved one receiving care, contact the service provider in the first instance. You can also contact social services at your local council. If you feel a crime has been committed, contact the police.

You can share your safeguarding concerns with us on our website or contact our National Customer Services on 03000 616161.

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South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board