Residential reablement services for people with dementia
Social Services have developed an assessment unit which aims to help more people with dementia to continue to live at home.
What is a residential assessment unit?
How will the assessment unit help?
How can I arrange to use this service?
Is there anything particular I need to bring with me?
What happens while I am in the assessment unit?
Does Tŷ Waunarlwydd offer other services such as physiotherapy during my stay?
What are the visiting arrangements?
What if I already have home care support?
What happens when I return home?
Is there a charge for the service?
What is a residential assessment unit?
The assessment unit is a specialist residential unit located in, but separate from, Tŷ Waunarlwydd residential care home. There, a specialist enablement team consisting of occupational therapy staff, social worker and care staff will work with you to help you regain lost abilities or learn new ways of doing things for yourself. All efforts will be concentrated on returning you home with ongoing support as appropriate.
Who is the service for?
The service is for adults aged 60+ living with dementia or cognitive impairment who wish to remain in or return to their own home and need a short period of specialist care and support to make this a possibility. This can include people who are currently at home, but in need of extra support. It could also be for someone who is medically fit to be discharged from hospital but who needs specialist support to regain skills and confidence to be able to return to live safely at home.
How will the assessment unit help?
The assessment unit will provide professional care and support that is needed to maximise your independence from the minute you arrive at Tŷ Waunarlwydd, with the clear purpose of getting you home as soon as possible.
Staff at Tŷ Waunarlwydd have considerable experience and expertise in working with and supporting people living with dementia. In Tŷ Waunarlwydd you will be encouraged and expected to do as much for yourself as possible, this is in order for staff to be able to assess your strengths and support needs. For example, you will be encouraged to make your own breakfast/drinks.
How can I arrange to use this service?
People must be referred to this service by a social worker. Before you can go to the assessment unit you or your carer will need to talk to one of our staff about your circumstances. This is to ensure that the assessment unit is the most appropriate place to provide support to you. During this conversation other options for providing care and support at home may also be considered.
Once we have agreed that the assessment unit is appropriate for you, we will make arrangements for your stay, and work with you to get you home as soon as possible.
Is there anything particular I need to bring with me?
You will need changes of clothing and nightwear, along with the toiletries you normally use. You will also need outdoor clothes for your journeys to and from home. Please also bring all your current medication, any mobility aids you use and supplies of any continence products you might use. The home will provide towels and bedding.
How long is the service for?
The service is short-term, time limited and goal orientated. Stays are normally limited to a maximum of six weeks, though exactly how long you will need to stay will depend on your individual circumstances and people may stay for less than six weeks. We will aim to make your stay as short as possible, so that you can return to your own home as soon as you are able to manage, with or without ongoing care and support (for example, home care).
Can I stay long-term?
It is not possible to convert your stay in the assessment unit into a longer-term residential care arrangement in Tŷ Waunarlwydd. If it is agreed at the end of your stay that further or long-term residential or nursing care is the right option for you, then you will need to have a separate assessment to work out how to move to a care home that is able to provide that service. This should not be the intended outcome on admission to the assessment unit.
The assessment unit is not a respite service and we do not have any emergency beds.
What happens while I am in the assessment unit?
Within the first ten days we will have a meeting to look at your strengths and identified support needs, and begin to plan for your return home.
Our aim is to work with you to build your skills and confidence and maximise your independence.
For people who do not have the mental capacity, we will involve those who know you to ensure that decisions made are in your best interest.
Staff may explore with you ways in which assistive technology may be able to help you when you return home.
As you progress, we may arrange for you to have home visits and periods of time at home, with or without care and support, to help you re-familiarise with the home environment. Suitable arrangements for transportation to and from your home will need to be organised.
Does Tŷ Waunarlwydd offer other services such as physiotherapy during my stay?
Tŷ Waunarlwydd does not have physiotherapy or nursing staff. If these services are required they will have to be accessed from external teams, for example, via the integrated hubs, through the Common Access Point for Health and Social Care (CAP).
What are the visiting arrangements?
We do not have set visiting times as the aim is to provide a homely, not clinical, environment. However we ask visitors to be mindful of mealtimes and avoid these times if possible.
What if I already have home care support?
If you already get home care support from a private agency arranged by Social Services you will not have support from them during the period of time that you are in the assessment unit. If, however, you have arranged private care or support yourself you will need to make your own arrangements with the provider. The necessary care and support will be provided by Social Services and health staff, both in the unit and during your home visits.
What happens when I return home?
Before you return home we will look at what care and support you may need on a long-term basis.
Any home care package you need will be arranged with the Residential Care Assessment Services team (RCAS).
On your return home, whilst under the care of RCAS, the occupational therapy staff attached to the assessment unit will be able to offer input and support if required.
Your assessment will continue when you return home with the RCAS team, who will assess how you are managing at home, how many calls you require and the length of these calls. When RCAS care staff are satisfied that your package of care is right for you they will place your package of calls onto a brokerage list and then a private agency will continue with your calls. Before the private agency takes over from RCAS there will be a meeting between yourself, RCAS and the new care agency so that they can get to know you.
Is there a charge for the service?
There is no charge for the first two weeks of the assessment service.
If you need to stay at Tŷ Waunarlwydd for longer than six weeks you will be charged for each night you stay beyond the two weeks. You will have a financial assessment completed to determine the exact cost.
Once your assessment period is complete, should you need ongoing residential or domiciliary care support you will be charged at the current rate for these services.