Assisted Living Services

Mobility and Frail Care Assistance

The inability for a loved-one to no longer be able to move about freely as they once did, for whatever reason, can often become frustrating and extremely challenging for these people as they learn to live with their new and limiting conditions. Whether they are elderly people dealing with the onset of age frailty related disabilities, or younger people suffering from temporary or permanent mobility setbacks, CARERS ON CALL fully understands the importance of not allowing mobility issues to affect a person’s sense of freedom and independence as they go about their day-to-day lives. We have carers specifically trained and experienced in dealing with all types of mobility assistance. This may vary from minor assistance such as simply acting as an aid with walking, getting into a wheelchair or assisting with dressing or undressing, to extreme cases where people may require complete assistance for any type of movement whatsoever.

Assistance with Physical Rehabilitation Programmes

For loved-ones who have suffered a physical setback, for example a bad fall, motor accident or muscle atrophication resulting in a partial or complete wasting away of muscle, commonly experienced by persons who have suffered temporary disabling circumstances such as being restricted in movement or confined to bed when hospitalised, or for any other reason whatsoever, a physical rehabilitation programme may be prescribed by qualified professionals such as physiotherapists or biokineticists. Provided the caregiver is correctly appraised of the requirements, CARERS ON CALL has carers trained to assist with implementing these rehabilitation programmes to ensure quality of life is restored to the level expected by the patient’s health professional. Guidance of such health professional may be required prior to administration of treatment and the caregiver will only assist if deemed appropriate by the professional.

General Hygiene Care

As frailty or age-related disabilities sets in with elderly people, or those suffering from ailments or physical impairments which restrict a person’s movement, the most basic, but essential of daily self-hygiene related tasks can often become extremely daunting and a major daily obstacle. For elderly people suffering from added setbacks such as Dementia or Alzheimer’s, self-hygiene is often ignored and can result in other complications. All of the caregivers employed by CARERS ON CALL fully understand the importance of good hygiene and are trained to sensitively and respectfully assist our clients with all daily requirements including bathing or showering, toilet assistance, teeth brushing, hair brushing, applying of ointments and creams. Part of this process is maintaining a person’s sense of dignity and appearance and our carers also assist ladies with ‘hair setting’, facial make up and painting of nails. Due to the intimate nature of such assistance, our carers are trained to look for any areas of concern such as skin sores, bed sores or any other irregularity that will be brought to management as well as a close family members attention to ensure the correct treatment is sought.

Assistance with Daily Medication

While CARERS ON CALL does not offer a nursing service, many of our clients are required to take daily medication at set times as prescribed by a health professional. Our carers will assist with the administration of any type of oral or skin applied medication in accordance with such prescriptions. We do not assist with any type of invasive prescriptions such as administering of injections or intravenous drips. As some of our caregivers are professionally trained nurses, they can assist with the dressing of wounds if required. This is to be brought to our attention when requesting a caregiving service.

Wound Dressing Assistance

Part of frail or recuperative care often includes the protection of wounds or sores. For example, the skin of elderly people, can be easily damaged and may in some instances result in open wounds which require treatment and protection from infection. Wound dressing may also be required for people recuperating from an operation or accident and may have specific wound dressing requirements. Provided our caregivers are well appraised of such needs, CARERS ON CALL has caregivers specifically trained to deal with wound dressing. This is to be brought to our attention when requesting a caregiving service.

Incontinence Care

Elderly people who have become frail often find that muscles controlling bodily functions become weak and harder to control and start to experience varying levels of incontinence. This can in many cases become embarrassing for an individual and as a result become debilitating. CARERS ON CALL have carers trained to deal with the sensitive nature of incontinence and are there to assist as required. We also have caregivers trained to assist with Colostomy care where required.

Dressing and Undressing Assistance

Frailty or mobility setbacks often results in an individual not being able to help themselves with the basic daily function of getting dressed or undressed and can cause extreme frustration. This can in some cases result in a person no longer willing to make the required effort in a morning to get dressed and can lead to lethargy and lack of motivation which can impact negatively on their health and routine. CARERS ON CALL has a team who will assist with these basic functions in a way that is effortless and dignified to those for whom they are caring.

Basic Cooking and Preparation of Meals

One of the few pleasures an aged, frail or incapacitated person is still able to enjoy and which they often look so forward to as part of their daily routine, is a good ‘hearty’ meal. Most of the CARERS ON CALL team are able to assist with the preparation of basic but tasty balanced meals. For those requiring special dietary requirements, our carers are willing to assist, but may require some initial tips or training to ensure these dietary needs are met.

Feeding Assistance

For those who are too frail or incapacitated and are unable to feed themselves, our caregivers are trained to assist with personalised feeding needs. In some instances, this may include tube feeding and while CARERS ON CALL does not offer a nursing service, we do have carer’s trained to assist with such feeding.

Basic House Cleaning, Making of Beds and Tidying

CARERS ON CALL will ensure that the person being ‘cared for’ is at all times in an environment that is clean. Our carers will assist, where required, with all basic house cleaning requirements to ensure a healthy hygienic environment is maintained. It should however be noted that this service is specific to the person being ‘cared for’ and does not extend to a general domestic house cleaning service especially for large homes.

Basic Laundry, Rinsing of Clothes and Washing of Bedding

Part of good home practice and personal hygiene is ensuring clothing and bedding is kept constantly clean. The CARERS ON CALL team will ensure the person being ‘cared for’ is at all times neat and presentable and in hygienic and fresh clothing and bedding. If our caregivers are required to assist with holiday travel, rinsing of clothing will be required which our caregivers will gladly assist with in a hotel room to avoid the exorbitant hotel laundry costs.

Home Management Assistance

Part of the duties of the CARERS ON CALL team is to ensure the home, in which a person requiring home based assisted living care, continues to operate seamlessly in the manner in which it has always been managed. This may include but not be limited to security and alarm systems, watering of indoor pot plants, switching on and off of lights, looking out for dripping taps, equipment such as ovens or fridges are in good working order, ensuring heaters are not left on while out of the home. Any areas for concern will be reported to a close family member or friend.

Communication with Family and Friends

Communication is the key essential to all successful and healthy relationships. The CARERS ON CALL team takes pride in ensuring good communication channels exist with its clients. Our caregivers are often the eyes and ears for the persons being ‘cared for’ when they are no longer able to communicate easily for themselves. Due to the extremely close contact our carers have with those being ‘cared for’ they are often able to provide information in the interests of such person, for example, a bed sore that may have developed but is not apparent to a family member, will be communicated to the family member to ensure this does not remain untreated.

Pet Care Assistance

A pet such as a small dog, cat or bird can often be an elderly or frail person’s best friend and companion who requires the same continued care as its owner. CARERS ON CALL has caregivers who will provide this same good care to the ‘cared for’ person's pet. This will include feeding, daily walks and bathing as required.

Welcoming of Guests

Part of home based assisted living services is to ensure the home in which a loved one lives continues to run as normal as it always has done. Visits from friends and family is often a welcome change in daily routine and prevents feelings of loneliness and isolation. The CARERS ON CALL team are there to assist with the welcoming of guests into the home and preparing of refreshments for these guests.

Shopping Assistance

For those who are elderly or frail, shopping for daily household food and supplies can be an extremely daunting task. In many instances, those being ‘cared for’ especially those suffering from Alzheimer’s or Dementia are simply no longer able to provide for themselves or determine what is required to allow the home to continue as normal. The CARERS ON CALL team are all willing to assist with shopping requirements, whether it be our dedicated caregiver going to the shop to buy food and supplies themselves, or whether they simply identify what is required and prepare lists for family members or close friends to do the shopping on their behalf.

Licenced Driver Service

Freedom to move about is not only limited to a loved one’s physical condition but often extends to their inability to transport themselves to places away from the comfort of their homes, to wherever he or she would like to go. Whether it be to the shop or a movie or to visit a friend, CARERS ON CALL have caregivers who are licenced drivers able to assist with driving requirements. Some do have their own cars which they are willing to use for transporting our clients. For this service, additional charges will be levied. Rates are available on request. Licenced caregivers could also drive a car provided by the client or the ‘cared for’. We do however request that the vehicle is insured and that cover extends, to include the caregiver placed on the assignment, as a listed driver for the vehicle.

Doctor and Medical Appointments Assistance

Doctors or medical appointments can be regular occurrences for those being cared for. The CARERS ON CALL team will assist with reminders for such appointments, and for those who are also assigned to drive the ‘cared for’ person, will also drive them to such appointments.

Companionship

Loneliness is one of the major factors that can affect a person’s sense of wellbeing and can cause a great sense of sadness, rejection and depression. CARERS ON CALL has caregivers who will assist in bringing back that ‘zest’ for life and purpose that everyone so desires. Whether it be a companion to go to a movie with, a travel companion, to be the friend at a social event or simply to share a cup of tea at home with, we are there to assist.

Child or Children Care

CARERS ON CALL understands that parents sometimes require ‘alone time’, or general assistance with their children’s day to day needs in between their busy work schedules, and can offer a tailored solution to suit these requirements. This may range anywhere from general home-based child care to accompanying a child or children to a local event, or even while in transit on holiday either locally or abroad.

Care at Home - Assisted Living

Requiring care of any sort should not be the cause of a loved one having to leave the comforts and familiar surroundings of their home. CARERS ON CALL understands the importance of having as little disruption to a person’s life and maintaining their happiness and life patterns and routines by providing home-based caregiving services. This ensures all familiarity is maintained while being aided with mobility assistance, personal hygiene, basic home cooking, cleaning and tidying and pet caring to ensure the home continues as normal.

Care in a Facility - Hospital, Institution, Old Age or Frail Care

Personal care in hospitals, facilities for the elderly, frail care or rehabilitation facilities is not always available as we would wish for our loved ones. CARERS ON CALL offers an institution based caregiving service and will adapt to suit the personal needs of such persons and the facility.

Away Care - In Transit, on Holiday or Short Outings

Care assistance may be required while in transit to, and during, that well-deserved holiday, or it may only be required for short outings such as a special family event or a night out to the theatre. Whatever the need away from home may be, CARERS ON CALL has caregivers suitable for such outings to assist with making the holiday or event, a memorable one, while providing the assistance required.