You might find you need extra care and support to manage your life and daily tasks to help you remain independent. This might be as you start to get older, or if you have a disability, illness, or suffer from mental health problems. This guide offers information on the support available for you in Wakefield, helping you to stay independent, well, and active. What are Adults and Older People Services? Adult Social Care gives extra care and support to people who need it to manage their lives and to be independent. It involves looking at what the person needs, the services we offer or funds available, to help you to buy your own care and support. It includes: • Residential care • Home care • Personal assistants • Day services • Aids and adaptations • Personal budgets Our main aim is to make sure you can: • live independently and stay healthy. • maintain your living circumstances. • play an equal part in your local community. • enjoy the best quality of life. • can have choice and control over your life. You can discover more information on the choices and pathways open to you at www. wakefield.gov.uk/health-care-and-advice/ adults-and-older-people-services
Care needs assessment Care Needs assessments are carried out by Social Care Direct for adults (aged 18+) to find out what help, and support is needed. When you first contact us, we will ask you questions to find out what is happening in your life, such as the help you have now and the things that you think you need help with. We might also put you in touch with other services that we think may be able to help you. 4
If we think that you have care and support needs, we will arrange for a full assessment which has three stages: 1. Your assessment 2. Creating a care and support plan 3. Start using your personal budget You can contact social care direct on 03458 503 503.
Paying for Care Care arranged by your local council isn’t usually free. Following a care needs assessment there will be a financial assessment where the council will look at your income, savings and property to calculate how much you can afford to contribute towards the cost of your care
and support. Currently if you have capital over £23,250 you must pay the full cost. You won’t ever be asked to pay more towards the cost of your support and care than your financial assessment shows you can afford. Should you choose not to tell us about your finances then you will be charged for the full cost of your care. You may think about giving away some of your savings, income or property to your relatives or charity, for example to avoid paying likely care costs. If the council thinks that you have done this to avoid paying care fees, they may still assess you as if you still had the money or property that you have given away. This is referred to as deprivation of assets.
