OPTIONS A guide to care and independent living
Leaving hospital What’s next?
NHS continuing healthcare Who’s eligible?
10 SOCIAL CARE
tips
Healthcare services Choosing the right one
Sheffield Autumn 2026
30 Broomgrove Road Sheffield S10 2LR Telephone 0114 266 1311 www.broomgrove-trust.co.uk
Do you feel overwhelmed by the responsibilities of caregiving? Let us help. For over 60 years Broomgrove has been a nursing home offering both respite and full-time care options. We are the only charity-run care home in Sheffield, which means all profits are invested back into Broomgrove. We are conveniently placed, just off Ecclesall Road, close to the Botanical Gardens. Call us to arrange a visit, and see for yourself all the benefits our caring community has to offer.
The Glen Private Nursing Home
Welcome to Sarah Care
Sarah Care provides support for adults enabling them to enjoy the benefits of living independently in the comfort of their own homes. Our office in Sheffield provides a wide range of care and support services, tailored to the individual needs of our service users depending on varying levels of frailty. Our support team of professional, friendly staff, are dedicated to providing support with dignity and respect. We’re passionate about understanding your needs and requirements and ensuring that we support you in the way you need and we understand that being in control of your own life is important. Services that we offer • Personal care • Assistance with medication • Assistance with meals • • Domestic household tasks • Shopping collection • • Short, medium or long term rehabilitation • Social outings • • Holiday accompaniment • Carer respite • Basic pet care • We are on the Sheffield city council recognised provider list for money management. To find out more about how Sarah Care can help with your home care and personal assistance, please contact us.
SarahCare Ltd Professional Care You Can Trust
01142 485658 www.sarahcare.org
We are continuously recruiting for support workers
DESIGN PRINT SUPPORT
Contact us on 0114 2365580 www.theglenprivatenursinghome.co.uk enquiries@theglenprivatenursinghome.co.uk Visit us @ 224 Abbeydale Road South, S17 3LA
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To advertise in this publication please call the sales team on 01302 714528 Rossington Hall, Great North Road, Doncaster, South Yorkshire DN11 0HR 01302 714528 | www.octagon.org.uk | info@octagon.org.uk
Every possible care has been taken to ensure that the information given in this publication is correct at the time of going to print. Whilst the publisher would be grateful to learn of any errors, it cannot accept any liability over and above the cost of the advertisement for loss there by caused. No reproduction by any method whatsoever of any part of this publication is permitted without prior written consent of the copyright owners. Octagon Design & Marketing Ltd. Rossington Hall, Great North Road, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, DN11 0HR. Tel: 01302 714528 Options Sheffield is published by Octagon Design and Marketing Ltd with editorial contributions from the SCCCC, Citizens Advice Sheffield, SOAR, CQC, Age UK, Alzheimer’s Society and the NHS. The editorial contributors have not vetted the advertisers in this publication and accepts no liability for work done or goods supplied by any advertiser. Nor do the editorial contributors endorse any of the products or services.
Contents When to use NHS 111 online or call 111............................................................................ 6-7 How pharmacies can help................................................................................................... 8-9 Helping Older People When They Need It Most: A Lifeline from SCCCC.................... 10-11 NHS continuing healthcare............................................................................................. 12-15 Personal budgets and direct payments.......................................................................... 16-19 NHS funded nursing care..................................................................................................... 19 Help at home from a carer............................................................................................. 20-23 The Care Quality Commission Social Care top tips............................................................. 24 Supporting people to make positive changes.................................................................... 25 Citizens Advice Sheffield................................................................................................ 26-27 Age UK Sheffield – Whether you need information, advice, someone to speak up for you, or high quality services, just ask us for help.................................................... 28-29 United Againist Dementia.............................................................................................. 30-31
Welcome and introduction This guide is intended to help you, your carer and your relatives understand how your local health services can help you after discharge from hospital. Also information to help you to live independently or access support and care services in your area.
Read online
To view this guide online as an interactive ebook visit: www.octagon.org.uk/options/sheffield/autumn2026 Sheffield
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“Impressed would be an understatement” For anyone who struggles to leave their home without support, at-home health services can be a lifeline. This is something that Derek Brown, who cares for his wife Margaret, knows only too well. Specsavers is committed to ensuring that everyone has access to essential eye-health and hearing care – but also understands that it’s not always easy for people like Margaret, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease, to attend in-store appointments. That’s why, for the past ten years, Specsavers Home Visits has provided comprehensive NHS-funded eye tests to anyone who’s unable to visit a store unaccompanied. It’s also started to provide free at-home hearing services in selected locations in the UK. Derek called on the Specsavers Home Visits service when Margaret needed a routine eye test and it was too challenging to get to a store. He was blown away by the expert care that was delivered during the visit and the difference the new glasses made to his wife. Although Margaret wasn’t able to respond to the questions of the optician and their assistant, during the visit, they adapted their approach so they could prescribe the reading glasses that have expanded her world. “If I was to say I was amazed, that would be an understatement,” says Derek. “What was so significant for me as a full-time carer was that the Specsavers experts were punctual, quiet-speaking and patient, reassuring Margaret with everything they did. The level of care expressed towards her was incredible.”
Alzheimer’s in early 2018. After she spent four weeks in hospital in 2022, Margaret’s condition deteriorated, and she has since been confined to a hospital bed in the couple’s living room, and a hoist to access a wheelchair. With multiple other health challenges, caring for Margaret is complex – but after 25 years of love and marriage Derek has risen to the challenge. As well as taking care of her everyday needs, he’s been able to improve her quality of life thanks to Specsavers at-home service. Following her at-home eye test, the optician suggested Margaret tried some reading glasses to help her enjoy looking at family photos.
Derek, from Northallerton in North Yorkshire, has been the primary carer for Margaret, since her diagnosis with
Derek was unsure how she would adapt to wearing glasses but seeing her smile while looking at old family pictures told him everything he needed to know.
Why Choose Specsavers Home Visits?
“If anyone is in any doubt about inviting Specsavers into their home, all I can say is: simply try it,” Derek says. “You won’t regret it for a second.”
• Convenience: Our experts come directly to you. • Personalised Care: Visits are tailored to the individual’s needs, with specialist equipment to ensure comfort and accuracy. • Peace of Mind: Your loved one will receive the same kind of highquality care as they would expect in-store.
Derek now fights for better support and recognition for carers nationwide, and has launched a website (www.dementiaguidance.co.uk) dedicated to helping carers like him across the UK. He’s keen to ensure they have all the information they need – including the option of getting a comprehensive at-home eye test from Specsavers.
Expert eye and hearing care tailored to your needs For those eligible, our mobile experts will provide a comprehensive NHSfunded eye test from the comfort of your own home, with all the same care and thoroughness as you would receive in-store. Specsavers has now also started to roll out free at-home hearing services across the UK. To find out what locations this service is available in visit our website. Our eye care and hearing services are tailored to each person and their needs. They are designed to provide eye care and hearing services that are as individual as they are and can be adapted to meet their changing circumstances and comfort levels.
To see if you or your loved one are eligible, call 0800 0890144 or visit specsavers.co.uk/home-visits
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Editorial content supplied by: NHS South Yorkshire ICB
>> www.sth.nhs.uk/sheffield-urgent-care
When to use NHS 111 online or call 111 NHS 111 can help if you think you need medical help right now. You can get help from NHS 111:
What 111 online cannot do
• by using 111 online
111 online cannot:
• in the NHS App
• issue fit notes – you need to contact your GP
• by calling 111
• make or cancel appointments for you in other parts of the NHS
111 can direct you to the best place to get help if you cannot contact your GP during the day, or when your GP is closed (out-of-hours). Depending on what you need, you might be advised to:
111 online is unable to respond to requests for medical help left as feedback.
• call 999 or go to A&E in an emergency
Get help on the phone
• go to the minor injuries unit or walk in centre
Call 111 instead if you:
• see an evening and weekend GP (out-of-hours GP)
• need help for a child under 5
• book a callback from a nurse
• have complex problems caused by an existing medical condition
• get urgent specialist support, for dental or mental health problems • contact your own GP surgery • see a pharmacist for help with a minor illness • look after yourself safely at home
Get help online You can get an emergency supply of regularly prescribed medicine from 111 online for someone of any age.
111 online asks for feedback, but this is only used to help improve the service.
111 online is for people aged 5 and over. Call 111 if you need help for a child under 5. Answer questions about your symptoms on the website or in the NHS App and you will be told what to do next. Emergency prescriptions You can get an emergency supply of regularly prescribed medicine from 111 online for someone of any age. Dental problems 111 online can help with dental problems. This might mean finding a dentist, or an emergency dentist if there is availability in your area.
• have a care plan from your doctor for your current health problem • need to get end-of-life care
Waiting for a callback from a 111 nurse Depending on your symptoms, you may have been offered a callback from a nurse when you used 111. You cannot request one. The time you will wait is based on the symptoms you told 111 about. The callback service is usually busier at weekends and on bank holidays.
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Editorial content supplied by: NHS South Yorkshire ICB
People with the most serious symptoms are called back first.
You will have to use 111 online or call 111 again and start from the beginning.
If you booked a callback using 111 online
You cannot cancel the call
The confirmation page describes what will happen next and what you should do if your symptoms get worse while you are waiting.
A nurse needs to check you’re ok. If you feel better or have got help elsewhere, tell the nurse when they call.
If you are waiting for a callback from the 111 telephone service
Text relay
You are in a queue. You do not need to contact 111 again unless your symptoms have changed or got worse. If your symptoms get worse while you are waiting
People with the most serious symptoms are called back first.
Call 111 for children under 5. Anyone over the age of 5 can check their symptoms online or call 111. If you have signs of a life-threatening illness or have tried to end your life, call 999 now. If you miss the call A nurse will try and call you up to 3 times. If they cannot contact you they will leave a message, but you will not be able to call them back.
Other ways to contact 111 Call 18001 111 using text relay, 24 hours a day. British sign language (BSL) Use signvideo.co.uk/nhs111 Help in other languages Call 111 and ask for an interpreter.
How to get urgent medical help elsewhere in the UK • Scotland – NHS 24 111 • Wales – NHS 111 Wales • Northern Ireland – nidirect: advice about illnesses and conditions
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Editorial content supplied by: NHS South Yorkshire ICB
>> www.sth.nhs.uk/sheffield-urgent-care
How pharmacies can help Advice from a pharmacist
Disposing of old medicines
Pharmacists can offer advice on a range of illnesses, such as coughs, colds, sore throats, ear infections and aches and pains.
If your medicine is out of date or unwanted, do not put it in the bin or flush it down the toilet. Take it to your pharmacy to be disposed of safely.
They can also give advice about medicines. This includes how to use your medicine, worries about side effects or any other questions you have.
Help with new medicines
If they cannot help you themselves, they can refer you to a GP or other health professional.
Treatment from a pharmacist Pharmacists can suggest treatments that do not need a prescription for a range of conditions. Most pharmacies can also offer prescription medicine for some conditions, without you needing to see a GP or make an appointment. This is called Pharmacy First. Conditions they can offer prescription medicine for are: • impetigo (aged 1 year and over) • infected insect bites (aged 1 year and over)
• answer any questions you have • help you use the medicine safely • make sure that the medicine’s right for you
Getting the contraceptive pill without a prescription Some pharmacies may offer the contraceptive pill for free without a prescription. If you are aged 18 years or older, you can also buy the progesterone-only pill from most pharmacies.
Emergency contraception
• sore throat (aged 5 years and over)
Some pharmacies offer the emergency contraceptive pill for free. If you’re aged 16 or over, you can also buy it from most pharmacies.
• sinusitis (aged 12 years and over)
Get a free blood pressure check
• urinary tract infections (UTIs) (women aged 16 to 64 years)
Some pharmacies offer a free blood pressure check.
• shingles (aged 18 years and over)
Other services that may be available at a local pharmacy include:
• earache (aged 1 to 17 years)
Pharmacists can suggest treatments that do not need a prescription for a range of conditions.
When you start a new medicine for a long term condition you can have up to 3 appointments with a pharmacist to:
If you are not within these age ranges, a pharmacist can still offer advice and support decisions about self care treatment with over the counter medicines, but you may need to see a GP for treatment. If you go to a pharmacy with one of these conditions, the pharmacist will offer you advice, treatment or refer you to a GP or other health professional if needed. They will also update your GP health record, but your information will not be shared with anyone else. Most pharmacies can provide prescription medicine for these conditions but contact them before visiting to check.
More services
• advice from a pharmacist after contacting NHS 111 or a GP • chlamydia screening and treatment • advice and help on how to stop smoking • cholesterol and blood sugar testing • the substance misuse service, including needle and syringe exchange schemes • advice and help on how to manage your weight Ask a local pharmacist to find out what services they offer.
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Editorial content supplied by: NHS South Yorkshire ICB
Sheffield Minor Ailments Scheme Your Community Pharmacist is a highly trained healthcare professional who can provide expert, confidential advice on common illnesses and provide effective over the counter medicines to treat them. Many Community Pharmacies in Sheffield offer advice and treatment for minor ailments listed below via the Minor ailments scheme (MAS). If you are exempt from prescription charges, these treatments will be free. All Pharmacies have a consultation area where you can speak to the pharmacist privately. You don’t need an appointment and many are open during the evenings and weekends.
Ask a local pharmacist to find out what services they offer.
List of ailments the Community Pharmacist can help with: Athletes Foot Temperature (Fever) Blocked Nose Indigestion Chicken Pox Heartburn Cold Sores Tummy upset Constipation Insect bites & stings Sore throat Mouth ulcers Diarrhoea Muscular pain Eczema (Dermatitis) Nappy rash Eye infection Period pain Haemorrhoids (Piles) Pruritus (Itching) Hay fever Teething Head lice Threadworm Headache Thrush (Vaginal & Oral) Earache Toothache For more information, speak to your local Pharmacy team.
NHS Health and Social Care Directory Supporting Discharge from Hospital A stay in hospital should not be longer than medically necessary. To support a good hospital discharge experience, NHS South Yorkshire has been working collaboratively with partners across Sheffield to help ensure people feel supported and prepared following a stay in hospital, have the right information and feel empowered about their choices. This NHS Health and Social Care Directory reinforces key system messages and provides details on a wide range of support and wellbeing services available in Sheffield. We hope the guide will provide some support to our more vulnerable patients, their relatives and family carers following a stay in hospital, or as they transition through other community settings and services. https://southyorkshire.icb.nhs.uk/about-us/who-weare-and-what-we-do/place-map/sheffield/ nhs-health-and-social-care-directorysupporting-discharge-hospital
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Editorial content supplied by: SCCCC
Helping Older People When They Need It Most: A Lifeline from SCCCC SCCCC is a charity dedicated to supporting older and vulnerable people across Sheffield. Since 1966, SCCCC has been a trusted organisation, providing both practical and emotional assistance to those in need. Partnering with Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, GPs, and community clinicians, they help older adults live independently while offering vital services, especially after a hospital stay.
Support After Hospital Discharge
“I can’t thank you enough, it’s so uplifting in these trying times to know there are people like yourselves giving so much help and care. Thank you” Pauline Service User
SCCCC’s Back Home Scheme is a personalised fourweek programme designed to help older people regain confidence and settle back into their homes and communities after being discharged from hospital. This programme aims to prevent hospital re-admission by addressing various needs that can often feel overwhelming. The friendly SCCCC staff offer help with: • Prescriptions: Short-term prescription collection and assistance in setting up a delivery service for future needs. • Bills: Temporary help with bill payments and support in setting up direct debits (note: SCCCC does not provide financial support). •H ome Safety: Moving small items and removing trip hazards to reduce the risk of falls. •C leaning: Light housekeeping, arranging deep cleaning, decluttering, or organising long-term cleaning solutions. • L aundry: Assisting with laundry tasks and helping to set up a future laundry service if necessary. • Shopping: Accompanying clients to rebuild confidence and assisting with online shopping or finding a support worker for long-term help.
• Meals: Discuss meal options that suit mobility and dietary needs, including ready meals or meals-on-wheels. For more information on these services, call 0114 2505290 (option 6).
Home Assistance with Aids and Equipment SCCCC staff are trained Trusted Assessors, capable of evaluating your needs for home aids. Whether it’s equipment for toileting, bathing, or adjusting furniture height, they can assess and provide the necessary aids promptly, especially for urgent referrals.
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Editorial content supplied by: SCCCC
Aftercare and Additional Support SCCCC recognises the importance of aftercare and offers various services to ease your transition back home. Speak to your Discharge Support Worker for a referral to access: •T ransport Home: Based in the Discharge Lounge at the Northern General Hospital, SCCCC staff can escort you home, help you settle in, and even stay for a chat over a cup of tea. • Key Safes: Short-term loans of key safes allow carers and family members to access your home safely if you’re unable to reach the door. • F urniture Moves: Part of their falls assessment service, this involves clearing walkways to prevent accidents.
Whether it’s practical help or emotional support, SCCCC is there every step of the way.
•P et Care: Temporary feeding services for your pets if you’re worried about them.
Making space at home If hoarding or clutter is making home feel difficult to manage, SCCCC can offer kind, patient support to help older people create a clearer and safer space. Working at the person’s own pace, the service can help reduce trip hazards, clear walkways, and make it easier to move around the home with confidence. Having a calmer, more organised space can also bring real emotional
benefits, helping people feel more relaxed, reassured, and in control. To make a referral or find out more, contact scccc.referrals@nhs.net. Stay connected with SCCCC and keep up with their latest activities on social media @SCCCCUK For further information, visit their website at www.scccc. co.uk, call 0114 2502590, or email mail@scccc.co.uk. SCCCC is committed to providing compassionate care and ensuring that older adults in Sheffield receive the support they need when they need it most. Whether it’s practical help or emotional support, SCCCC is there every step of the way. SCCCC is a CIO registered in England and Wales: 1168077
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Editorial content supplied by: the NHS
NHS continuing healthcare Some people with long-term complex health needs qualify for free social care arranged and funded solely by the NHS. This is known as NHS continuing healthcare. Where can NHS continuing healthcare be provided? NHS continuing healthcare can be provided in a variety of settings outside hospital, such as in your own home or in a care home.
Am I eligible for NHS continuing healthcare? NHS continuing healthcare is for adults. Children and young people may receive a “continuing care package” if they have needs arising from disability, accident or illness that cannot be met by existing universal or specialist services alone. Find out more about the children and young people’s continuing care national framework on GOV.UK
Your eligibility for NHS continuing healthcare depends on your assessed needs, and not on any particular diagnosis or condition.
You should be fully involved in the assessment process and kept informed, and have your views about your needs and support taken into account. Carers and family members should also be consulted where appropriate. A decision about eligibility for a full assessment for NHS continuing healthcare should usually be made within 28 days of an initial assessment or request for a full assessment. If you are not eligible for NHS continuing healthcare, you can be referred to your local council who can discuss with you whether you may be eligible for support from them. If you still have some health needs then the NHS may pay for part of the package of support. This is sometimes known as a “joint package” of care.
To be eligible for NHS continuing healthcare, you must be assessed by a team of healthcare professionals (a multidisciplinary team). The team will look at all your care needs and relate them to: • what help you need • how complex your needs are • how intense your needs can be • how unpredictable they are, including any risks to your health if the right care is not provided at the right time Your eligibility for NHS continuing healthcare depends on your assessed needs, and not on any particular diagnosis or condition. If your needs change then your eligibility for NHS continuing healthcare may change.
Information and advice The process involved in NHS continuing healthcare assessments can be complex. An organisation called Beacon gives free independent advice on NHS continuing healthcare. Visit the Beacon website or call the free helpline on 0345 548 0300.
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NHS continuing healthcare assessments Integrated care boards, known as ICBs (the NHS organisations that commission local health services), must assess you for NHS continuing healthcare if it seems that you may need it. For most people, there’s an initial checklist assessment, which is used to decide if you need a full assessment. However, if you need care urgently – for example, if you’re terminally ill – your assessment may be fast-tracked.
For most people, there’s an initial checklist assessment, which is used to decide if you need a full assessment.
Initial assessment for NHS continuing healthcare The initial checklist assessment can be completed by a nurse, doctor, other healthcare professional or social worker. You should be told that you’re being assessed, and what the assessment involves. Depending on the outcome of the checklist, you’ll either be told that you do not meet the criteria for a full assessment of NHS continuing healthcare and are therefore not eligible, or you’ll be referred for a full assessment of eligibility.
Being referred for a full assessment does not necessarily mean you’ll be eligible for NHS continuing healthcare. The purpose of the checklist is to enable anyone who might be eligible to have the opportunity for a full assessment. The professional(s) completing the checklist should record in writing the reasons for their decision, and sign and date it. You should be given a copy of the completed checklist. You can download a blank copy of the NHS continuing healthcare checklist from GOV.UK
Full assessment for NHS continuing healthcare Full assessments for NHS continuing healthcare are undertaken by a multidisciplinary team (MDT) made up of a minimum of 2 professionals from different healthcare professions. The MDT should usually include both health and social care professionals who are already involved in your care. You should be informed who is co-ordinating the NHS continuing healthcare assessment.
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The team’s assessment will consider your needs under the following headings: • breathing • nutrition (food and drink) • continence • skin (including wounds and ulcers) • mobility • communication • psychological and emotional needs • cognition (understanding) • behaviour • drug therapies and medicine
If you’re eligible for NHS continuing healthcare, the next stage is to arrange a care and support package that meets your assessed needs.
• altered states of consciousness • other significant care needs These needs are given a weighting marked “priority”, “severe”, “high”, “moderate”, “low” or “no needs”. If you have at least 1 priority need, or severe needs in at least 2 areas, you can usually expect to be eligible for NHS continuing healthcare. You may also be eligible if you have a severe need in 1 area plus a number of other needs, or a number of high or moderate needs, depending on their nature, intensity, complexity or unpredictability. In all cases, the overall need, and interactions between needs, will be taken into account, together with evidence from risk assessments, in deciding whether NHS continuing healthcare should be provided.
The assessment should take into account your views and the views of any carers you have. You should be given a copy of the decision documents, along with clear reasons for the decision. You can download a blank copy of the NHS continuing healthcare decision support tool from GOV.UK
Fast-track assessment for NHS continuing healthcare If your health is deteriorating quickly and you’re nearing the end of your life, you should be considered for the NHS continuing healthcare fast-track pathway, so that an appropriate care and support package can be put in place as soon as possible – usually within 48 hours.
Care and support planning If you’re eligible for NHS continuing healthcare, the next stage is to arrange a care and support package that meets your assessed needs. Depending on your situation, different options could be suitable, including support in your own home and the option of a personal health budget. If it’s agreed that a care home is the best option for you, there could be more than 1 local care home that’s suitable. Your ICB should work collaboratively with you and consider your views when agreeing your care and support package and the setting where it will be provided. However, they can also take other factors into account, such as the cost and value for money of different options.
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NHS continuing healthcare reviews
If your needs have changed, the review will also consider whether you’re still eligible for NHS continuing healthcare.
If you’re eligible for NHS continuing healthcare, your needs and support package will normally be reviewed within 3 months and thereafter at least annually. This review will consider whether your existing care and support package meets your assessed needs. If your needs have changed, the review will also consider whether you’re still eligible for NHS continuing healthcare.
Refunds for delays in NHS continuing healthcare funding
they should refund any care costs from the 29th day until the date of their decision.
If you’re not eligible for NHS continuing healthcare If you’re not eligible for NHS continuing healthcare, but you’re assessed as requiring nursing care in a care home (in other words, a care home that’s registered to provide nursing care) you’ll be eligible for NHS-funded nursing care.
ICBs will normally make a decision about eligibility for NHS continuing healthcare within 28 days of getting a completed checklist or request for a full assessment, unless there are circumstances beyond its control.
This means that the NHS will pay a contribution towards the cost of your registered nursing care. NHS-funded nursing care is available irrespective of who is funding the rest of the care home fees.
If the ICB decides you’re eligible, but takes longer than 28 days to decide this and the delay is unjustifiable,
Find out more about NHS continuing healthcare from NHS England.
Frequently asked questions about
NHS continuing healthcare
Q
I have a local authority support package that works well. I’m now eligible for NHS continuing healthcare – will my support package change? If you’re concerned about changes to your care package because of a move to NHS continuing healthcare, your ICB should talk to you about ways that it can give you as much choice and control as possible. This could include the use of a personal health budget, with 1 option being a “direct payment for healthcare”.
Q
FAQ’s
Can I refuse an assessment for NHS continuing healthcare? If I refuse, will I be able to get services from my local authority? Consent is not needed for completion of assessments (CHC Checklists, Decision Support Tools (inclusive of FNC by default) and Fast Track), or collation and sharing of information with: • Care Teams • Health and Social Care Staff But consent is needed to share personal information collected for, and as part of, assessments (Checklist, Decision Support Tool (inclusive of FNC by default) and Fast Track) with third parties, such as family, friends or representatives, at the beginning of the process. There is a legal limit to the types of services that a Local Authority can provide. If you have any concerns about being assessed for NHS continuing healthcare, the ICB should explore your reasons for this, and try to address your concerns.
If someone lacks the mental capacity to consent to sharing of information with third parties (other than Care Teams or Health and Social Care Staff), the principles of the Mental Capacity Act will apply and a best interests decision may be needed.
Q
My relative is in a care home and has become eligible for NHS continuing healthcare. The ICB says the fees charged by this care home are more than they would usually pay, and has proposed a move to a different care home. I think a move will have a negative effect on my relative. What can we do? If there’s evidence that a move is likely to have a detrimental effect on your relative’s health or wellbeing, discuss this with the ICB. It will take your concerns into account when considering the most appropriate arrangements. If the ICB decides to arrange an alternative placement, they should provide a reasonable choice of homes.
Q
Is it possible to pay top-up fees for NHS continuing healthcare? No, it is not possible to top up NHS continuing healthcare packages, like you can with local authority care packages. The only way that NHS continuing healthcare packages can be topped up privately is if you pay for additional private services on top of the services you’re assessed as needing from the NHS. These private services should be provided by different staff and preferably in a different setting.
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Personal budgets and direct payments You’ll be given a personal budget to spend if your local council decide you’re eligible for help with any social care and support you need. You can request an assessment from the council to establish your needs. The money in your personal budget can be paid to you, to help you make more decisions about how it’s spent. This is known as a direct payment.
What is a personal budget? Your personal budget is the amount of money your local council will pay towards any social care and support you need. The amount of money in your personal budget is decided by your local council after a needs assessment to work out: • what kind of care and support you need • how much it will cost • how much you’re able to afford yourself
If you’re a carer, you may be entitled to receive a personal budget after having a carer’s assessment to see what might help make your life easier.
Carers and personal budgets If you’re a carer, you may be entitled to receive a personal budget after having a carer’s assessment to see what might help make your life easier. A carer’s assessment is free and anyone over 18 can ask for one.
Choosing how to receive your personal budget
You can also choose a combination of these options. For example, the council could arrange some of your care but send you the rest of the money. This is often called a mixed package or “mix and match”. If the council manages your money The money in your personal budget will be spent for you by the council. They will arrange all your care and support based on your agreed care plan. They still need to check you’re happy with the care they’re arranging for you. If your money is paid to another organisation The organisation you choose, such as your care provider, will speak to the council and arrange the payments. Sometimes other organisations charge you extra money to arrange payments from the council.
The benefits of direct payments Direct payments give you more flexibility over how your care and support is arranged and provided. For example, you could choose to hire care workers or personal assistants who:
You can ask the council to either:
• are always the same people and available when you need them
• manage your personal budget for you
• speak the same language as you
• pay the money to another organisation – such as a care provider
• have experience working with your care needs
• pay the money directly to you or someone you choose – this is known as a direct payment
• are a specific person that has been recommended to you • can help you get to shops or social events
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There are many ways you could choose to use the money. It’s your choice as long as you’re spending your personal budget on things that meet your agreed care plan. Most councils will ask for evidence of how you’ve spent your money every 3 months. When to consider other options You may decide direct payments are not helpful if:
You could also consider having someone else manage your direct payments, for example a friend or family member.
• you’re worried about managing money or the people you employ • you spend a lot of time in hospital • you would rather the council arranged your care If you’re not confident about keeping records or managing the people who care for you, your local council should be able to provide support. You could also consider having someone else manage your direct payments, for example a friend or family member. You’ll need to set up a trust for payments that are managed by someone else. The Money Advice Service has information about setting up a trust.
How to apply for direct payments You should be offered direct payments as an option after your needs assessment. You can also ask your local council’s social services department about direct payments.
How direct payments work If you choose direct payments, the council will send you the money in your personal budget by either: • paying it directly into a bank, Post Office, building society or National Savings and Investments account • sending you a pre-paid card You can then choose how you spend the money on your own care and support, as long as it matches the care plan you’ve agreed with the council. Signing a direct payment agreement The council might ask you to sign a document called a direct payment agreement. This says: • how the council want you to record your spending – for example, keeping receipts
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• your responsibilities as an employer - if you’re paying for a care worker If you spend direct payments on something that isn’t agreed in your care plan, the council could take the money back or end the direct payments. If you’re struggling to manage your money Ask your local council for advice or call the Money Advice Service on 0800 138 7777. If you want someone else to receive the direct payment You could speak to the council and agree for the money to be sent to someone who will spend it for you. For example: • a carer
When choosing an agency, decide what sort of service you’re looking for and the tasks you need help with.
• a friend or family member • someone else who speaks up for you (an advocate) You may need to write down how they will spend the money and which decisions they can make for you. This is known as a decision-making agreement.
Employing your own carer or personal assistant If you decide to hire a carer or personal assistant yourself, it’s important to know the responsibilities you’ll have as an employer. Although support from the council should be available, you may need to arrange:
• background checks or references • tax • National Insurance • pension contributions Read more about employing someone to work in your home on GOV.UK. Disability Rights UK also have more information on getting a personal assistant. If you don’t want to become an employer You could choose to hire care workers through an agency instead. This removes the legal obligations of being an employer, but could: • cost you more money • remove some of the benefits - such as having the same person provide your care
How to research a care agency When choosing an agency, decide what sort of service you’re looking for and the tasks you need help with. It’s a good idea to contact more than one agency, as they may offer different types of services. You can find out about local home care agencies by: • speaking to your local council’s social services department • contacting the UK Homecare Association
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There are also organisations that inspect care agencies to see how well they are doing. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates all health and adult social care in England. You might see a CQC inspection rating when you search online for care home agencies. Their 4 ratings are: • Outstanding • Good • Requires improvement • Inadequate You could also search for care home agencies on the CQC website to see their full reports.
Telephone helplines
It’s worth speaking to your council’s social services before making an official complaint to see if they can help. You still have to the right to complain if you: • have been told you’re not eligible to receive money towards your care and support • don’t agree with the amount of money in your personal budget You could either: • speak to your social worker about being re-assessed • call your local council social services and request a complaints form Your council should also have a formal complaints procedure on its website.
If you would like support to help you manage your personal budget or direct payments, speak to your council or call:
If you’re not happy with the council’s response
• the Disability Rights UK personal budgets helpline on 0330 995 0404
• Age UK have a detailed fact sheet on personal budgets and direct payments in social care
• the Age UK advice line on 0800 055 6112 (for older people)
• The Money Advice Service has a guide to direct payments
NHS-funded nursing care NHS-funded nursing care is when the NHS pays for the nursing care component of nursing home fees. The NHS pays a flat rate directly to the care home towards the cost of this nursing care.
If you’re eligible for NHS-funded nursing care, the NHS will arrange and fund nursing care provided by registered nurses employed by the care home.
How to complain about personal budgets
Contact your Local Government Ombudsman. They investigate all adult social care complaints.
by registered nurses employed by the care home. Services provided by a registered nurse can include planning, supervising and monitoring nursing and healthcare tasks, as well as direct nursing care.
Who is eligible for NHS-funded nursing care?
If you’re not eligible for NHS-funded nursing care and you don’t agree with the decision about your eligibility, ask your ICB to review the decision.
You may be eligible for NHS-funded nursing care if:
The cost of NHS-funded nursing care
• you’re not eligible for NHS continuing healthcare but have been assessed as needing care from a registered nurse
NHS-funded nursing care is paid at the same rate across England. In May 2022, the rate was set at £209.19 a week (standard rate) and will be backdated to 1 April 2022.
• you live in a nursing home
How will my needs be assessed? You should be assessed for NHS continuing healthcare before a decision is made about whether you are eligible for NHS-funded nursing care. Most people don’t need a separate assessment for NHS-funded nursing care. However, if you do need an assessment or you haven’t already had one, your integrated care board (ICB) can arrange an assessment for you.
If you moved into a care home before 1 October 2007, and you were on the previous high band, NHS-funded nursing care is paid at a higher rate. In May 2022, the higher rate was set at £287.78 a week and will be backdated to 1 April 2022. You’re entitled to continue on this rate unless: • you no longer have nursing needs • you no longer live in a care home that provides nursing
Outcome of the assessment
• your nursing needs have reduced and you’re no longer eligible for the high band, when you would change to the standard rate of £209.19 a week, or
If you’re eligible for NHS-funded nursing care, the NHS will arrange and fund nursing care provided
• you become entitled to NHS continuing healthcare instead
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Help at home from a carer Having a carer come to visit you in your home can make a huge difference to your life, especially if you have difficulty walking or getting around. It can help you stay living independently in your own home. This type of care is known as homecare or domiciliary care or sometimes home help. Help at home from a paid carer costs around £20 an hour, but it varies according to where you live. Sometimes, the council will contribute to the cost. Homecare is very flexible. You might need a carer for only an hour a week or for several hours a day. You might need a live-in carer. It can be temporary – for example for a few weeks while you recover from an illness. Or it can be long term. You might also consider home adaptations or household gadgets or equipment to make life easier.
Contact a charity such as the Royal Voluntary Service, the British Red Cross or your local Age UK to see whether they can help.
• using the toilet • preparing meals and drinks • remembering to take your medicines • doing your shopping • collecting prescriptions or your pension • getting out, for example to a lunch club • getting settled in the evening and ready for bed
Home help This is slightly different to homecare and means dayto-day domestic tasks that you may need a helping hand with such as:
When should I consider help at home from a paid carer?
• cleaning (including putting on clean bed sheets)
You might want to consider care at home if:
• doing the laundry
• you’re finding it difficult to cope with daily routines, such as washing, dressing and getting out and about
• gardening
• you don’t want to move into a care home • you can still get about your home and it’s safe for you to live in – or it can be adapted to make it safe
How can homecare help me? A carer can visit you at home to help you with all kinds of things including: • getting out of bed in the morning
• doing the washing up
You might want some home help instead of or as well as homecare. Most councils don’t provide home help. Contact a charity such as the Royal Voluntary Service, the British Red Cross or your local Age UK to see whether they can help (they may not be free).
How to get help at home from a paid carer
• washing and dressing
Your local council can arrange homecare for you if you’re eligible for it.
• brushing your hair
You can arrange your own homecare.
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Editorial content supplied by: the NHS
How your council can help If you want the council to help with homecare for you, start by asking them for a needs assessment.
If the council is paying for some or all of your homecare, they must give you a care and support plan.
If your needs assessment recommends home care, you may get help with the cost from the council.
Your needs assessment will help the council to decide whether you’re eligible for care.
What you will contribute depends on your income and savings. The council will work this out in a financial assessment.
If you’re eligible, the council may recommend help at home from a paid carer. They will arrange the homecare for you.
If the council is paying for some or all of your homecare, they must give you a care and support plan.
If you’re not eligible for care, the council must still give you free advice about where you can get help in your community.
This sets out what your needs are, how they will be met and your personal budget (the amount the council thinks your care should cost).
Even if you’re intending to make arrangements yourself with an agency or private carer, it’s still a good idea to have a needs assessment as it will help you to explain to the agency or carer what kind of help you need.
Paying for homecare
You can choose to receive your personal budget as a direct payment each month. This gives you the control to employ someone you know to care for you at home rather than using a homecare agency, though you’ll then have responsibilities as an employer.
Depending on your circumstances, your local council may contribute to the cost of homecare or you may have to pay for it yourself.
If you aren’t eligible for the council to contribute to your homecare costs, you will have to pay for it yourself.
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Benefits that can help you with homecare
to give you a clear price list. They’ll send you a monthly bill for your homecare.
Check if you’re eligible for benefits. Some, such as Attendance Allowance and Personal Independence Payments, aren’t means tested and they can help you meet the costs of homecare.
How to find a local agency
Find out how to apply for: • benefits for under-65s • benefits for over-65s
How to choose a paid carer If you’re arranging your own homecare, there are 2 main ways to do this: • use a homecare agency • employ your own carer
Homecare agencies employ trained carers and arrange for them to visit you in your home.
Homecare agencies Homecare agencies employ trained carers and arrange for them to visit you in your home. You may not always have the same carer visiting your home, though the agency will try to match you with someone suitable. How much do they cost? It costs around £20 an hour for a carer to come to your home, but this will vary depending on where you live. If you’re paying for yourself, the agency should be able
There are 4 main ways to do this: • search the NHS website for local homecare services and agencies and a list of national homecare organisations and then contact the ones that interest you • ask your council’s social services department for information on the homecare agencies in your area. They may have a directory of homecare agencies on their website • contact the Care Quality Commission (CQC). All homecare agencies must register with the CQC. It can give you the latest inspection report on an agency • ask the United Kingdom Homecare Association (UKHCA) for a list of approved homecare agencies in your area What to expect from agency carers Homecare agency carers should treat you in a respectful and dignified way. For example, they should always: • knock and ring the front door bell and announce their arrival before coming into your home • bring an identity card
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• know where your keys are kept if they’re not in your home • keep any entry codes to your house confidential • know what to do if they can’t get into your home • know what to do if you’ve had an accident Employing your own carer Instead of using an agency, you can hire your own carer, sometimes called a private carer or personal assistant. If you employ a carer, you have the legal responsibility of an employer. This includes arranging cover for their illness and holidays.
Instead of using an agency, you can hire your own carer, sometimes called a private carer or personal assistant.
Which? Later Life Care has advice on employing a private carer.
How to complain about homecare You have the right to complain if you’re not happy about the help at home you’re receiving. This might be because carers: • arrive late and leave early • don’t give your medicines to you properly • leave your home untidy after visits • give you poor care like dressing you wrongly First complain to your local council or, if you’re paying
Questions to ask
the agency
Here are some questions you may want to ask an agency before employing them: • what charges, if any, will I be expected to pay?
FAQ’s
• what services are charged as extras? • have your carers looked after someone with similar needs to mine? • how will you choose the most suitable carer for me? • will the carer agree to visit in a specific time slot? And will they tell me if they’re delayed or running late? • what sort of training do your carers get? • if I’m paying for my own care, do you have a standard contract I can read before signing my own? • if the council is contributing to my care can I see a copy of the contract they’ve signed with the agency? • how can I contact your agency during the day, in an emergency or outside office hours?
for yourself, the agency. The council or agency should have a formal complaints procedure on their website. Try to be specific about what happened and include staff names and dates if you can. If you’re not happy with the way the council or agency handles your complaint, ask the Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman to investigate further. An ombudsman is an independent person who’s been appointed to look into complaints about organisations. You can also tell the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which checks social care services in England. Your local council must provide you with an independent advocate (someone to speak up for you) to help you make a complaint if you need one.
Further help • the charity, Independent Age, has good advice on homecare • the CQC has a good booklet on what to expect from a good homecare agency • read how to organise homecare from Which? Later Life Care • Age UK has information on all aspects of homecare • if you need help with one-off jobs like changing a light bulb or moving furniture, the charity GoodGym has volunteers who will come round to help.
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
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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. CQC’s Chief Inspector for Adult Social Care, 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)? 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. 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. 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. 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?
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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.
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 ★ Good ● Requires improvement ● Inadequate ● This will help you make informed choices around your care.
Safeguarding adults who receive social care
10 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.
The Care Quality Commission has not vetted the advertisers in this publication and accepts no liability for work done or goods supplied by any advertiser. Nor does the Care Quality Commission endorse any of the products or services.
Editorial content supplied by: SOAR
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Supporting people to make positive changes SOAR is a community regeneration charity that provides services to improve a person’s health, well-being and employability. Working in partnership with over 20 GP Surgeries and over 40 Community Partners, our social prescribing service is one of the largest in the city. Our team consists of Social Prescribing Link Workers, Wellbeing Coaches, Welfare Coaches, Employment Coaches, Development and Volunteering teams. Working in partnership with GP Surgeries and Community Partners, we have supported over 10,000 people since 2014. The Social Prescribing Link Worker team triage referrals and carry out assessments over the phone or face-toface, to find out how we can help and then use that information to signpost to a service who can best meet those needs. This service might be internal to SOAR, or external to a citywide partner.
What can SOAR offer? • Encouragement to lead a healthy lifestyle and get involved with the local community
We enable and support local people through partnership working, to improve the quality of life for North Sheffield residents.
• Social cafes aimed at individuals with mildmoderate mental health issues, to meet others in a social setting • Support accessing local services, and housing and benefits advice • Getting people into employment or training • Signposting to local Dementia memory cafes and carers support groups For more information contact: SOAR Health Team: 0114 213 4065 Website: www.soarcommunity.org.uk Email: enquiries@soarcommunity.org.uk SOAR receives a high number of referrals, so it is likely there will be a waiting time of a few weeks before someone gets in touch.
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Editorial content supplied by: Citizens Advice Sheffield
Struggling to pay your energy bills? Talk to us today Citizens Advice Sheffield’s Energy Affordability Line offers personalised fuel debt advice and income maximisation. Our specialist helpline connects you with skilled Energy Advisers who can provide benefit, debt and energy efficiency advice and help you with problems you are having with your energy supplier. We can help you to: • Maximise your income by providing benefit and debt advice • Reduce fuel debts by negotiating with creditors and securing financial assistance • Access increased support through the Priority Services Register, Warm Home Discount, Tariff Checks, grant applications, and more
We provide:
• Reduce future fuel costs by accessing support with energy efficiency within your home
• Emergency payments, such as fuel vouchers
• Practical energy efficiency advice and fuel debt advice • Applications to Warm Homes Discount • Applications to Priority Service register • Referrals to a home decarbonisation partner (if eligible for ECO). Call Citizens Advice Sheffield on 0808 2787820 (MonFri 9am-3pm, excluding bank holidays). Interpreters can be arranged if needed.
Practical energy efficiency advice and fuel debt advice
Lines can be busy so you can also submit an on-line enquiry via our website https://citizensadvicesheffield. org.uk/how-to-contact-us/ We can also provide advice in British Sign Language - contact our Deaf Advice Service via Whatsapp/ SMS on 07946 003349 or email deafadvice@ citizensadvicesheffield.org.uk This Service is supported by Northern Power Grid.
Editorial content supplied by: Citizens Advice Sheffield
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Sometimes we all need advice to help resolve our problems With our team of generalist and specialist advisers Citizens Advice Sheffield is here to help with a whole range of issues. • Arabic 0114 700 2345 • Mandarin / Cantonese 0114 700 6102 If you speak another language that is not listed above, please phone our Adviceline and we will try to get an interpreter. Alternatively, try to have a friend or family member with you when you call who can help translate. We can also provide advice in British Sign Language - contact our Deaf Advice Service via Whatsapp/ SMS on 07946 003349 or email deafadvice@ citizensadvicesheffield.org.uk
If you have access to the internet there’s a wealth of information available on our website www.citizensadvicesheffield.org.uk from Immigration to Housing and from Consumer Issues to Debt. There’s even an on-line tool to help you check your benefits entitlement. If you’d rather speak to us by phone then our Adviceline is available 9-3 Monday - Friday on 0808 278 7820. Please be patient - we experience high levels of demand and at busy times you may need to wait for an adviser. You can also send an enquiry via our website https://citizensadvicesheffield.org.uk/how-to-contact-us/
We work in partnership with a wide range of community and public sector organisations
If your query is complex and you require a follow-up appointment (usually by telephone or video), this will be discussed with you. If you’re not able to ask for advice in English there are other options available: On our Community Language Lines you can leave a message in your own language and an adviser who speaks your language will phone you back: • Somali Somaliyeed 0114 700 6896 • Urdu / Punjabi 0114 700 6881
And we work in partnership with a wide range of community and public sector organisations (such as Foodbanks and hospitals) across the city to provide face to face advice to people who face particular barriers to accessing advice services.
Advocacy Service Citizens Advice Sheffield advocacy services exist to provide a free, independent and confidential service for people who need independent advocacy support. We provide all of the statutory advocacy in the city with our partner organisations, through the Sheffield Advocacy Hub. We work with a wide range of people who are vulnerable and who need health or social care services. This includes people with mental health problems, learning disabilities, dementia and brain injuries. We work with young people, adults and older people from all backgrounds and a wide range of communities. Many of our clients don’t have anyone else to support them. If you need an advocate for yourself, friends or family, call us on 0800 035 0396 You can read more about the different types of advocacy available and who can access them on our website https://sheffieldadvocacyhub.org.uk/
Sheffield
If someone in your household is over-50, or if you’re a carer or family member of an older person in Sheffield, then Age UK Sheffield can help you. We’re a local independent charity that is dedicated to supporting older people in Sheffield to live with independence, dignity, and a sense of wellbeing. Whether you need information, advice, someone to speak up for you, or high-quality services, just ask us for help You can call us in office hours on (0114) 250 2850. In 2024/25 we supported 4,180 over-50s in Sheffield with recorded case work, many of whom were living with longterm health conditions. Our quality services are accredited by the Charity Quality Standards and delivered by carefully chosen and highly trained staff.
Information and Advice (I&A) Do you know all the benefits you could be claiming? As people’s circumstances change, they may become eligible for additional support, such as Carer’s Allowance or Attendance Allowance. Around 70% of enquiries
to our I&A service are for benefits checks. We will ask you some questions about your circumstances and give advice on whether we think you could get some extra help and we’ll also help you to complete the complex forms. In 2024/25 we helped older people in Sheffield to claim £2.65 million in benefits that they were entitled to, but hadn’t previously been claiming. In some cases, this amounted to over £200 extra per week. We can provide advice on almost any older person’s issue, including care options, legal and consumer issues, and we have achieved the national Advice Quality Standard, which included a “mystery shopper” check. Our I&A service is free. Just call us, and we’ll do what we can to help.
Independent Living Co-ordination (ILC) As you get older, or your circumstances change, you might need a little extra support to help you to regain the independence you once had. Maybe you can’t do everything you’d like to after a recent hospital stay? Or maybe you’re finding it harder to get out and meet friends? Our ILC service is a three-month package of support in which we will help you and your family members to achieve your independence needs – whether that be aids and adaptations to your home, increased benefits where eligible, or connecting you up to local activities and transport. Our ILC service is a free support service targeted at people who can’t make it in to our office, people who have long-term health conditions, and people living with and beyond cancer. You don’t need to be referred to our ILC service. Just call us, tell us your needs, and if we think you need our ILC service, we’ll provide it to you, free of charge.
Dementia Services Are you living with memory loss or dementia? Or are you caring for someone who is? If you or a loved one has recently been diagnosed with dementia, you may have questions about how this could affect daily life and what support is available. Dementia Advice Sheffield Our Dementia Advice service is here to help. The Dementia Advice Line is open Monday to Friday, 9.00am–4.30pm. Our friendly and experienced specialist team will listen to your concerns, respond to your initial enquiry, and help you find the right information and support for your individual needs. We can also signpost you to local services that offer ongoing support, such as memory cafés, carers’ groups, singing sessions, allotment groups, chair-based exercise (chairobics), and Sporting Memories groups. Call: 0114 250 2850 Email: dementiaadvice@ageuksheffield.org.uk If you are a professional or volunteer working with people living with dementia, we can also provide helpful information and guidance to support your role.
Wellbeing Centre If your loved one is living with memory loss and dementia, and would benefit from a high quality day service with singing, dancing, arts, laughter, and husky dogs, our Wellbeing Centre is for you. We have centres at Norfolk Park, Hillsborough, Botanical Gardens and St Lukes Ecclesall Road South Site, with places available Monday to Friday, 10am-3pm. The Wellbeing Centre is also a paid-for service, please contact us on the number below for information on costs. You must see it to believe it – call us now to arrange a free introductory visit and benefits check.
If you live in Sheffield and are over 50, or you need advice and support for someone you know who is over 50, then we are here to help! Just give us a ring and we’ll take it from there. Call us on (0114) 250 2850.
United Against Dementia Alzheimer’s Society wants everyone affected by dementia to know that whoever you are, whatever you are going through, you can turn to them for support, help and advice. Dementia Connect Dementia Connect, from Alzheimer’s Society, is a personalised support service for anyone with dementia, their carers, families and friends. We understand that dementia affects everyone differently. So whether you, a loved one, a friend or neighbour needs dementia support, we’re here for you. We’ll connect you to a whole range of dementia support, by phone, online and face to face. Our highlytrained dementia advisers can help people come to terms with their diagnosis and navigate the complicated maze of health and social care services. It’s free, easy to access, and offers you the support you need. Whether it’s advice on legal documents, help understanding dementia or someone to talk to when things get tough, we’re here to help. We can keep in touch with you to make sure you keep getting the support you need. And because we know it’s never easy to tell your story, you’ll only ever need to tell it to us once.
Phone support Our dementia advisers are available to talk to on the phone seven days a week. They will listen and give you the support and advice you need, including connecting you to help in your local area and online. We can offer you the option of regular calls so we can keep in touch, to find out how you are and help when things change.
Support line opening hours* Monday – Wednesday: 9:00am – 8:00pm Thursday – Friday: 9:00am – 5.00pm Saturday – Sunday: 10:00am – 4:00pm
*Calls charged at standard local rate.
Online support Dementia Connect online support is available round the clock through our website. Answer a few simple questions about yourself, or someone you know, to get personalised, relevant information and advice. From guides on dementia to advice on making your home dementia friendly, get the information about the things that matter to you.
‘The Dementia Adviser was lovely and full of information. Without Alzheimer’s Society and the Dementia Adviser we’d have nothing. She is a major networker and knows everything and everyone local. I feel in charge and empowered.’ Katherine, living with dementia
If you need further support, you can request a call from our dementia advisers, who should be in touch with you within a week. Our online support includes Talking Point, our online community where you can connect with others in a similar situation, and our Dementia Directory where you can search for local services.
Face to face support Where possible, our local dementia support workers can meet you in person to offer further support, advice and information. They will also connect you to other face to face services in your area, including local support groups. Notes: Dementia Connect phone and online support is available wherever you live. As the service is new, some parts of the service may not be available in your area just yet.
How can you support Alzheimer’s Society? 1) Fundraising and events From Memory Walk and Cupcake Day to challenging yourself in marathons and treks. There’s plenty of ways you can get involved to help raise money. Search ‘get involved’ on alzheimers.org.uk
2) Donate Our dementia support services are made possible thanks to generous donations from the public. However, you don’t have to join an event or seek sponsorship to do this. Simply head to alzheimers.org.uk and donate what you can to unite against dementia.
3) Become a campaigner At Alzheimer’s Society, we work to amplify the voices of people affected by dementia, to create a world where they get the support and care they deserve. We can’t do this alone. Whether you have dementia, you have a personal connection to dementia or you want to stand with those who do. Together we can make a difference, register to become a campaigner at alzheimers.org.uk
“Dementia can and does affect so many families, including mine. “My father was diagnosed with vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in the summer of 2012. He passed away in September 2018.
Get in touch If you are affected by dementia in and would like information and support, contact us: T: 0333 150 3456 W: alzheimers.org.uk/dementiaconnect E: dementia.connect@alzheimers.org.uk
“I wanted to do something to help raise awareness of the condition and tackle the stigma associated, so I reached out to Alzheimer’s Society to see if I could help. It gives me an enormous sense of pride being an Ambassador for Alzheimer’s Society and I feel like I’m making a difference. “I have also personally enjoyed taking part in fundraising activities like Cupcake Day and Memory Walk, as there is a real sense of togetherness for a good cause. “For anyone wanting to know how they can help, I’d say get involved. Whatever you can give, be that your time, voice or money, you’ll know you’ve made a difference to the lives of people affected by dementia.” Meera Syal, actor and Alzheimer’s Society Ambassador
Registered office: 43-44 Crutched Friars, London EC3N 2AE. Registered charity no. 296645. A company limited by guarantee and registered in England no. 2115499
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