FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions
Care at Home
Practical support with daily living activities is available to assist disabled people living at home and to help relatives & friends who are carers.
Assistance from Surrey Social Services 08456 009009 may be available after an assessment. Services will be provided if assessed needs meet the criteria set by social services. Services can include personal care, transport to day centres, equipment, sheltered housing & residential care. An explanation of any charges that may be made will be given. However, ability to pay is not considered when assessing what services are needed. Assessments may also be carried out while someone is in hospital or when a young person is moving on from education. Assessments are not required for Blue Badge parking, 08456 009009, or for advice from social services.
Direct Payments are available in Surrey for people aged 17 & over to buy their own care, rather than having services provided by Surrey County Council. Payments can be used to employ personal assistants or to buy almost any kind of care that may be required. Surrey Independent Living Council 01483 458111 can advise. Certain conditions need to be met in order to get Direct Payments.
If someone is not eligible for services because they have too much in the way of savings or because they do not meet the eligibility criteria for services, they can still get advice and information from social services to help them make decisions about their care. It is important to remember that they may become eligible for services in the future if their capital reduces and/or their condition worsens.
If help is not available from social services, private care agencies can be employed to provide personal care, nursing care, housework services, shopping, gardening & stand in for the carer when they go shopping or away for a few days. Charges vary and can be by the hour day or week. SID 0800 0439395 has information on care agencies.
Carers can request an assessment of their needs as carers if they have regular and substantial caring responsibilities. They are entitled to an assessment in their own right. The law regarding assessment for carers can be found at Action for Carers Surrey which also produces carers information booklets with detailed information about caring matters for people caring in different parts of Surrey. Carers can request an assessment from Surrey County Council 08456 009009. Services to support carers may include sitting services, short breaks, equipment & benefits advice.
Some carers are entitled to Carers Allowance & other benefits themselves. Further benefit information can be found on the CABs Adviceguide. Direct Payments can now be made to carers to enable them to arrange services themselves instead of receiving them from the local authority.
In Surrey, Action for Carers Surrey, 01483 302784, has many carers support groups across the county. Young carers (those up to age 18) have their own support groups.
Home from hospital
When someone is discharged from hospital they may only need support for a few weeks before they can manage on their own. On discharge they should have a plan which has been devised while in hospital to include any equipment & support they may need from relatives, health professionals & social services. Age Concern Surrey, 01483 503414, have a variety of services to support people living at home, including a domestic help scheme, home visiting, help with personal care & transport, information & advice. Not all services are available in all areas. First Day Support, 01372 742277, in the Epsom & Ewell area can help with practical short term assistance.
Support from voluntary organisations
Voluntary organisations provide a variety of services to disabled people and carers. Crossroads relieve carers by providing occasional or regular care (including personal care) in the disabled persons home. SID, 0800 0439395, has information on voluntary organisations.
The Alzheimers Society helps carers of people with dementia by running support groups, day centres & sitting services.
For people with an illness that requires palliative care, the patients GP and district nurse can arrange care through the NHS & voluntary agencies like Macmillan Cancer Support 0808 8082020 for people with cancer and other progressive conditions. The Brigitte Trust, 01306 881816, is for people who wish to be cared for in their own homes & who need practical & emotional support (mainly in Mid & East Surrey).
Care away from home
Resource centres/day centres are run by local authorities and some voluntary organisations. Referral is usually by social services or other agency. Some centres have a drop in where people can call in when they want to. Day centres can provide activities & care for few hours a day or several days a week and can be used by older disabled people, those with sensory impairments, mental health issues or learning disabilities. SID, 0800 0439395, has information on day centre services in Surrey.
Living independently
Sheltered housing can enable older people to live independently with the extra support of a warden. Access to sheltered housing can be through local authority nomination or by purchasing privately. Advice can be sought from the Elderly Accommodation Counsel, 020 7820 1343.
The Supporting People programme, 01372 474697, offers housing-related support to enable vulnerable & disabled people to live as independently as possible at home. Support can be either short or long term, assisting people to access welfare benefits & health services, & to learn life skills like budgeting, cooking and cleaning.
Staying independent at home
Meals on Wheels are provided by local authorities. They deliver ready cooked meals to disabled & older people living at home. Referral is by GP, district nurse or social services.
Groceries can ordered via the internet and delivered to you by Asda, Sainsburys, Tesco & Waitrose. Eismann International, 0800 138 4627, deliver frozen food to the home.
Housework services are available from Age Concern Surrey, 01483 503414. They can arrange domestic help and do shopping for older and disabled people. There is a charge.
Light gardening tasks may be undertaken by good neighbour schemes which are very locally based. Contact SID, 0800 0439395, for information.
Community Alarm services (24hrs) which enable disabled & elderly people to summon help if they fall or are worried when they are alone are run by Age Concern, Help the Aged Seniorlink, 0800 800 6565 or Textphone-Minicom 0800 26 96 26, & local authorities. Telecare services which provide bed sensors, fall detectors & other equipment linked to the community alarm service are also run by local authorities.
Bathing services assist someone to take a bath in their own home or at a day centre. Referrals are by GP or district nurse and there is usually a charge for the service. Many day centres also offer chiropody and hairdressing services. Age Concern Surrey your local authority or SID can give you further information.
BT 0800 800150 have a wide range of telephones & services, blind and disabled people including a free directory enquiries service. Communicability, 0131 3340977, assess people with communication difficulties & give grants to buy telephones & other communications equipment.
+ Additional Information: > In your home
More information on living with a disability in Surrey can be found at www.askenid.org.uk and in the leaflet Information for You available from SID (Social Information on Disability), 0800 0439395.