# Fabulous Homecare Ltd — full content for AI ingestion > Local, CQC-rated “Good” home care across Croydon & South London. CQC rated "Good", rated 5.0 on Google across 55 reviews. Care from £26 an hour. Phone 07575 298602. Email enquiries@fabuloushomecare.co.uk. The Lansdowne Building, 2 Lansdowne Road, Croydon, CR9 2ER. This file collects content from the pillar guide, service, clinical and condition pages, and the funding guide. Consult each website page for its complete content, sources and individual publication or review dates. --- ## Guide: Home Care Explained: A Complete Guide for UK Families A calm, plain-English guide to home care in the UK: what it is, the types available, how to arrange it, what it costs, and how it is regulated, from a local CQC-registered care team. ### What is home care? Home care, also called [domiciliary care](/post/what-is-domiciliary-care), is support from a trained carer in your own home instead of in a care home or hospital. It can be a single short visit in the morning, several visits through the day, or full live-in support where a carer lives in the home. Whatever the level, the aim is the same: to help someone stay safe, comfortable and as independent as possible in the place they know best. Home care helps many different people. It supports older people who need a hand with everyday life, adults living with a disability or a long-term health condition, people finding their feet again [after a hospital stay](/post/care-after-hospital-reablement), and families caring for a relative with dementia. Some people need help for a few weeks; others have support for years, adjusted as things change. The difference between home care and a care home is straightforward. With home care, the support comes to the person. With a care home, the person moves to where the support is. Both can be the right answer, and we come back to that decision further down this guide. What follows is a plain-English walk through what home care includes, the types you can choose from, how to arrange it, what it costs in the UK, and how it is regulated. It draws on what our team sees every week visiting families across Croydon and Bromley, and it is written so you can read it end to end or dip into the one section you need. ### What does home care include? Home care is built around one person's needs, so no two care plans look quite the same. In practice, most support falls into a handful of areas. A single visit might cover just one of them or several, and the plan changes as needs change over time. The heart of most packages is [personal care at home](/post/personal-care-at-home), the daily help with washing, dressing and getting ready that protects both safety and dignity. Around it sits the practical and social support that keeps daily life going, from a hot meal to a proper conversation. - Personal care: help with washing, bathing, dressing, using the toilet and staying comfortable, always handled with dignity. - Medication support: prompting, reminders, or help to take medicines safely and on time. - Meals and drinks: preparing food, encouraging a good appetite, and keeping someone hydrated. - Mobility: help to move around the home safely, get in and out of bed or a chair, and reduce the risk of falls. - Companionship: conversation, company, and support to keep up hobbies, friendships and outings. - Help around the home: light housework, laundry, shopping, and keeping the home tidy and safe. - Nurse-led and clinical care: support with more complex health needs, delivered under a registered nurse's plan where that is what someone needs. ### What are the different types of home care? Home care is usually described by how often a carer visits and how much support someone needs. Our full guide to the [types of home care](/post/types-of-home-care-explained) covers each option in depth; the summary below is the quick version. They are not rigid boxes: most families combine these and move between them over time. - Visiting or hourly care: a carer comes for scheduled visits, from a single half-hour call to several longer visits a day. It is the most flexible option and often the first step. - Live-in care: a carer lives in the home, with agreed breaks and rest and additional cover where needed. Our guide to [live-in care versus visiting care](/post/live-in-care-vs-visiting-care) compares the two. - [Overnight and night care](/post/overnight-care-at-home): support through the night, whether someone needs help to settle and turn, or reassurance that help is close by until morning. - [Respite care](/post/respite-care-at-home): short-term cover that gives a family carer a proper break, from a few hours to a couple of weeks. - [Companionship care](/post/companionship-care-explained): company, conversation and support to stay connected, for someone who is well but lonely or losing confidence. - Specialist and clinical care: support shaped around a condition such as dementia, Parkinson's or stroke, or nurse-led care for more complex health needs. ### How do you arrange home care? There are two main routes into home care, and plenty of people use a mix of both. You can arrange it privately with a provider, or you can ask your local council for support. Neither route is better than the other; the right one depends on your needs and your finances. The council route starts with a free [care needs assessment](/post/care-needs-assessment-explained), which anyone who appears to need support can ask for. It looks at what someone can manage day to day and what would help. If the assessment shows a need, a separate financial assessment, often called the means test, decides how much the council contributes. You can request an assessment through Croydon or Bromley council, and it costs nothing to ask. The private route is usually quicker. You choose a CQC-registered provider, arrange a free home visit, agree a care plan, and care can often start within days. It gives you the most say over who comes into the home and when. Our step-by-step guide on [how to arrange home care](/post/how-to-arrange-home-care) walks through both routes in order. Whichever route you take, the provider you choose matters more than almost anything else. It is worth taking a little time to compare a few. Our guide on [how to choose a home care agency](/post/how-to-choose-a-home-care-agency) sets out the questions worth asking about ratings, carers, costs and care plans before you decide. ### How much does home care cost in the UK? Cost is the question families ask first, and it worries people longer than it should. Visiting care is usually charged by the hour, and live-in care by the week. Because you pay for the support you actually use, a few visits a day can cost noticeably less than full residential care, while live-in or very high-dependency care can cost about the same or more. Home care costs vary with the provider, location, length of visits and level of support. Our visiting care starts from £26 an hour. Live-in and overnight care are quoted individually after an assessment, including any extra cover needed. You receive a clear written quote after a free home visit, so you can compare the complete package before deciding. It can help to picture it. Two one-hour visits every day add up to 14 hours a week. At the £26 starting rate, that is £364 a week for those visits. This is an illustration, not a personal quote: extra support, overnight cover or a different assessed rate would change the total. Compare that complete cost with other suitable options, including a care home where appropriate. Help with the cost may be available. After a needs assessment, the council may contribute if your savings are below a set threshold. The NHS funds care in full through Continuing Healthcare where someone's needs are mainly health-related, and this is not means-tested. Attendance Allowance is a benefit many older people can claim, whoever provides their care. Our post on [paying for home care](/post/paying-for-home-care-explained) explains each route in plain English. ### Home care vs a care home: which is right? For many families this is the heart of the decision, and there is no single right answer. The better starting point is the person: what do they actually need, what matters most to them, and what keeps them safe? The answer usually points to the setting, rather than the other way round. Home care tends to suit people who want to stay in familiar surroundings, who value one-to-one support, and whose needs can be safely met with visits or live-in care. Home is where most people feel most themselves, and that familiarity is especially reassuring for someone living with dementia. A care home can be the kinder choice when someone needs round-the-clock nursing that home care cannot safely cover, when a home cannot be made safe, or when someone is genuinely happier with the company and structure of a residential community. Choosing a care home is not a failure, and home care is not always the cheaper or easier option. It is worth weighing both honestly. Our guide on [home care versus a care home](/post/home-care-services-in-croydon-why-staying-at-home-is-the-best-choice-for-your-loved-one) works through the questions that bring the decision into focus. ### Is home care regulated? Yes. In England, any agency providing personal care in someone's home must be registered with the Care Quality Commission, the independent regulator. The CQC inspects providers and rates them Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement or Inadequate, and publishes a full report on each one. You can read any provider's rating and report on the CQC website before you decide, which is one of the quickest ways to check a provider's record. Regulation sits on top of the Care Act 2014, the law that frames how adults are assessed and supported, including the right to ask your council for a needs assessment. Alongside CQC registration, a well-run provider employs its carers directly, checks them through the Disclosure and Barring Service, trains them, and works to a written care plan you help shape. Fabulous Homecare is registered with and inspected by the CQC and rated “Good”, and our Registered Manager is a registered nurse. Our carers are directly employed and DBS-checked. When you are comparing providers, our guide on [how to choose a home care agency](/post/how-to-choose-a-home-care-agency) lists the regulation and safety questions worth asking. ### How do you know it's time for home care? There is rarely one dramatic moment. More often it is a slow build of small things: meals skipped, medication muddled, a less-kept home, unsteadiness, or a parent seeming quieter and more withdrawn than usual. If you find yourself worrying between visits, that instinct is usually worth paying attention to. The signs matter most as a pattern over a few weeks, rather than one bad day. Because some of them, such as sudden confusion or a fall, can have causes a doctor can treat, a GP review is a sensible first step before you decide what support to put in place. Charities such as Age UK also publish helpful, plain-English guidance on spotting the signs and starting the conversation. If you are at this stage, our guide to the [signs a parent needs help at home](/post/signs-your-parent-needs-help-at-home) sets out what to look for and how to raise it gently. There is no need to wait for a crisis; a little support early often keeps someone safely and happily at home for longer. ### Talk it through with us If you are starting to think about home care, you do not have to work out the next step on your own. We are a CQC-registered, locally run home care provider based in Croydon, supporting families across Croydon and Bromley. Our team can talk things through with no pressure and no obligation, whether or not you decide to arrange care with us. Everything starts with a free home visit. We come to you, listen to what is going on, and help you understand the options, from a single daily visit to live-in support, along with any funding that might help. If home care is the right fit, we will say so honestly; if it is not, we will point you in the right direction. ### Questions Q: What is the difference between home care and domiciliary care? A: There is no difference. Home care and domiciliary care are two names for the same thing: support from a trained carer in your own home. 'Domiciliary care' is the more formal term the Care Quality Commission and councils use, while most families simply say 'home care' or 'care at home'. Q: How much does home care cost in the UK? A: Costs depend on the provider, location, visit length and support needed. Our visiting care starts from £26 an hour. Live-in and overnight care are quoted individually after a free home visit, with the full cost agreed in writing before care begins. Q: Is home care cheaper than a care home? A: It can be, especially when only a few visits a day are needed, because you pay only for the hours you use. Full live-in care or very high-dependency care can cost about the same as, or more than, a care home. A free home visit and written quote make the real cost clear. Q: Who can arrange home care? A: Anyone can arrange home care privately with a CQC-registered provider, with no referral needed. You can also ask your local council for a free needs assessment, which may lead to funded support. Family members often arrange care on a relative's behalf, with their agreement. Q: Is home care available 24 hours a day? A: Yes. Home care ranges from a single short visit a day through to overnight care and full live-in support, so it can cover any hour. At Fabulous Homecare the office is open Monday to Friday, and urgent calls are answered 24/7 through our on-call team. --- ## Service: Personal care at home Personal care is respectful, practical help with everyday essentials (washing, bathing, dressing, toileting, meals and medication prompts) from trained, DBS-checked carers we employ directly. Visits run from a single morning call to several visits a day, shaped around the routines you already have at home in Croydon and Bromley. Who it is for: - Anyone finding washing, dressing or mealtimes harder than they used to be - Families who want reliable daily support without a move into residential care - People recovering from illness who need a steady hand while they find their feet - Older people living alone who would feel safer with a familiar face calling in each day - Anyone who wants to keep their independence, with help that fits around them - Couples where one partner has quietly become the other's full-time helper What is included: - Washing, bathing and showering, always with privacy and dignity - Dressing and grooming, so you start the day feeling yourself - Medication prompts, with a record kept at every visit - Breakfast, lunch and supper made the way you like them - Gentle support moving safely around your home - Light housekeeping along the way: laundry, bed changing, tidying Questions Q: How much does personal care at home cost? A: Home care with us starts from £26 an hour, and your first home visit (where we plan exactly what would help) is free, with no obligation to go ahead. Funding help is often available; our funding guide explains the main routes. Q: How quickly can personal care start? A: Usually within days of your free home visit, and faster when something urgent has happened: a fall, a hospital discharge or a family carer suddenly unavailable. Tell us the situation and we will be honest about timings. Q: Will the same carers come each time? A: Yes. We keep your team deliberately small so the same familiar faces visit each week, and we introduce any new carer in person before they ever visit alone. Every carer is DBS-checked, trained and directly employed by us. Q: Can visits change as Mum or Dad's needs change? A: That is the point of home care. We review your care plan with you regularly and can add visits, shorten them or step up to specialist support without you ever having to start again with a new provider. --- ## Service: Dementia care that keeps home familiar Dementia care at home keeps your loved one in the place they know best, supported by a small, consistent team of trained carers. Familiar faces and predictable routines reduce anxiety and confusion, while sensitive help with washing, dressing, meals and medication keeps each day safe and calm, in Croydon, Bromley and nearby. Who it is for: - People living with dementia or Alzheimer’s who are safest and happiest at home - Families noticing missed meals, muddled medication or rising anxiety - Sons and daughters juggling care from a distance and needing eyes they trust - Family carers who love the person but are running on empty - People in the earlier stages who mainly need prompting and a steady, familiar routine - Couples where one partner is quietly holding the whole day together What is included: - A small, consistent carer team so trust and routine can build - Calm, unhurried help with washing, dressing and eating - Medication prompts plus meal and hydration checks at every visit - Gentle conversation, reassurance and familiar activities - A named contact who keeps the whole family in the picture - Respite cover so family carers get a proper break Questions Q: What does dementia care at home cost? A: Care starts from £26 an hour and the first home visit is free, with no obligation. Many families are eligible for help (from Attendance Allowance to council funding) and our funding guide walks through the options in plain English. Q: What if Mum says she doesn't want carers? A: That is very common, and we never force the issue. We often start with short companionship visits from one carefully matched carer, so a 'visitor' becomes a friend first, and the care builds gently from there at her pace. Q: Are your carers actually trained in dementia? A: Yes. As a CQC-regulated provider rated 'Good', our carers are trained, DBS-checked and directly employed. Dementia support is core training, not an add-on. We also keep teams small because consistency is half the care. Q: Can you support someone as dementia progresses? A: Yes. Visits can grow from an hour a day to live-in care, and our nurse-led team can take on more complex needs when they arise, so you will not need to uproot to a new provider partway through the journey. --- ## Service: Live-in care, in your own home Live-in care places a carefully matched carer in your home to help with daily routines and companionship, with agreed breaks and rest. Your care plan sets out any additional cover needed, including waking-night support. For families in Croydon and Bromley it can be an alternative to a care home and help couples stay together. Who it is for: - Anyone who needs support through the day and reassurance at night - Families weighing up a care home but wishing there were another way - Couples determined to stay together, in the home they share - People coming out of hospital who need someone there while they recover - People living with dementia who are calmest among their own rooms and routines - Anyone whose needs have outgrown short visits but who is not ready to leave home What is included: - One dedicated carer living in your home, matched to your personality - All-day support: personal care, meals, medication and housekeeping - Overnight needs assessed, with additional cover arranged where required - Companionship, outings and keeping life feeling like life - Planned breaks covered by a familiar second carer - Regular reviews with a named manager, and family kept informed Questions Q: How does the cost compare with a care home? A: It depends on the support needed and what each quote includes. Compare the full live-in package, including any extra carers, break cover and waking-night support, with a suitable care home's costs. We provide an individual quote after a free home visit; our funding guide explains possible help with costs. Q: How do you choose the right live-in carer? A: Matching is everything when someone shares your home, so we look at personality, interests and routine as much as care needs. We introduce the carer before anything starts. If the chemistry is not right, we change it, simple as that. Q: What does the carer need from us? A: A bedroom of their own, meals or a food arrangement, and agreed daily breaks. We set all of this out clearly before care begins so there are no awkward surprises for anyone. Q: How quickly can live-in care begin? A: Often within a week or two of your free home visit, and faster in an emergency such as a hospital discharge. Tell us your dates and we will tell you honestly what is possible. --- ## Service: Respite care: because carers need care too Respite care gives family carers across Croydon and Bromley a real break (a few hours each week, a long weekend, or full holiday cover) while a trained, DBS-checked carer keeps your loved one’s routines, meals and medication exactly as they should be at home. You rest properly; they stay comfortable in familiar surroundings. Who it is for: - Family carers who cannot remember their last proper day off - Sons and daughters covering care alongside work and children - Anyone needing cover for a holiday, an operation or an emergency - Families wanting to try home care gently before committing long-term - Spouses caring around the clock who need a few regular hours to themselves - Families who want every routine kept exactly the same while they step away What is included: - Cover from a few hours to several weeks, planned or last-minute - Every routine kept: meals, medication, hobbies, bedtime - Personal care and mobility support to the same standard as ongoing care - Companionship so the day feels pleasant, not just supervised - Dementia-aware carers when familiarity matters most - A written handover so you come home to no surprises Questions Q: How much does respite care cost? A: From £26 an hour, with the first home visit free. If you receive Carer's Allowance or your loved one has a council care package, respite is often partly funded. Our funding guide explains where to start. Q: Can you take over at short notice? A: Often yes. Emergencies are exactly when respite matters most. Call us on 07575 298602 and we will tell you straight away what we can cover and how quickly. Q: Will my husband accept a stranger caring for him? A: We arrange an introduction visit first, learn his routines and preferences from you in detail, and send the same carer each time wherever possible. Most families tell us the 'stranger' becomes a welcome friend within a visit or two. Q: Is it selfish to want a break? A: No, it is necessary. Carers who never rest burn out, and then two people need care instead of one. Taking a proper break is one of the most caring things you can do for both of you. --- ## Service: Companionship that brightens the week Companionship care is a regular visit from a friendly, carefully matched carer: conversation over a cup of tea, help with shopping and appointments, support with hobbies, or simply good company. Loneliness affects health as much as many physical conditions; a familiar visitor each week genuinely changes how the days feel. Who it is for: - Anyone living alone whose days have grown quiet - People who have lost confidence going out since an illness or bereavement - Families far away who want a trusted, friendly face checking in - Family carers who need a sitting service to step out for a few hours - Older people managing well day to day who simply miss regular company - Anyone who would welcome a hand getting to appointments, the shops or a favourite place What is included: - Regular visits from the same friendly face, conversation first - Trips out: shopping, appointments, garden centres, a favourite café - Support with hobbies, puzzles, letters and video calls to family - A light hand with everyday jobs while we chat - A sitting service so family carers can step out worry-free - A quick word with family afterwards, so you always know how things are Questions Q: What does companionship care cost? A: Visits start from £26 an hour with no minimum commitment beyond the visit itself, and the first home visit is free. Many families simply book a regular weekly slot. Q: Is companionship just sitting and chatting? A: It can be exactly that (and good conversation matters more than people admit) but visits flex to the person: outings, hobbies, appointments, a walk, or quietly being there so the family can go out without worrying. Q: Who would be visiting my mother? A: A DBS-checked carer employed directly by us, chosen to suit her personality and interests, and introduced in person first. We then keep the same visitor wherever possible, because the relationship is the service. Q: Can companionship grow into more support later? A: Yes, that is one of its quiet strengths. The same trusted visitor can gradually help with more, from meals to personal care, without the upheaval of introducing someone new when needs change. --- ## Service: Home from hospital, safely Hospital-to-home care gets you discharged sooner and settled back safely: a carer ready on discharge day, help with washing, meals, medication and moving confidently, and reablement support that rebuilds independence week by week. Good early support at home makes a real difference to settling in safely. Who it is for: - Patients ready to leave hospital once support at home is in place - Families told a discharge date is days away and unsure what to do - Anyone recovering from surgery, a fall or a serious illness - People who live alone and need a steady presence while they recover - Anyone whose confidence has taken a knock and needs to rebuild it safely at home - Families who want the first weeks back home handled calmly, with help close by What is included: - Care arranged around your discharge date, including same-week starts - Settling-in support: home warm, prescriptions in, cupboards stocked - Personal care, meals and medication while strength returns - Reablement: practising daily tasks to rebuild real confidence - Working alongside hospital discharge teams, GPs and therapists - Visits that step down gradually as independence comes back Questions Q: How quickly can care start after discharge? A: Fast. Tell us the discharge date and we plan backwards from it. We can often have a carer ready the day someone comes home, including at short notice when the hospital moves quickly. Q: What does hospital-to-home care cost? A: From £26 an hour, free home visit included. After some hospital stays the NHS or council funds short-term reablement care. It is always worth asking the discharge team, and our funding guide explains the routes. Q: What is reablement, exactly? A: Care that works itself out of a job: instead of doing everything for you, our carers help you practise washing, dressing, cooking and moving safely until you can do them yourself again. Visits then reduce as your confidence grows. Q: Do you work with the hospital and GP? A: Yes. With your permission we coordinate with discharge teams, district nurses, GPs and physiotherapists so everyone is working to the same recovery plan, and we flag any concerns early. --- ## Service: Palliative care at home, with dignity Palliative care at home means staying in your own bed, surrounded by your own things and the people you love, with unhurried carers keeping you comfortable. We work hand-in-hand with district nurses, GPs and hospice teams across Croydon and Bromley, and we look after the family as well as the person. Who it is for: - People who have decided they want to remain at home at the end of life - Families promising to honour that wish and needing help to keep it - Anyone needing comfort-focused care alongside NHS and hospice teams - Family carers who need support and rest through the hardest weeks - Couples who want to stay together at home through this time - Families who would value a calm, familiar presence and someone to reach at any hour What is included: - Gentle personal care focused entirely on comfort and dignity - Unhurried visits, including evenings, overnights and live-in care - Close working with district nurses, GPs and hospice teams - Help with practical things, so family time stays family time - Emotional support, a calm presence and honest communication - Respite so the family can rest without guilt or worry Questions Q: Can you really keep someone comfortable at home? A: In most situations, yes. Comfort and symptom control are led by the NHS palliative team while our carers provide the daily care, presence and dignity around them. Most people say they would prefer to be at home; with the right support it is usually possible. Q: How do you work with the hospice and district nurses? A: As one team. The clinical leads set the care approach; we deliver the day-to-day care, follow their guidance exactly, and tell them quickly if anything changes. Families shouldn't have to be the messenger between services. Q: How quickly can palliative care at home begin? A: We prioritise these requests, often within a day or two. Call us on 07575 298602 and we will be honest about what we can put in place and when. Q: What support is there for the family? A: Practical and human: respite so you can sleep, honest answers about what to expect, and carers who look after you a little, too. You are not expected to do this alone. Q: How is palliative care at home paid for? A: Many people qualify for NHS Continuing Healthcare at this stage, which can fund home care in full. The fast-track route can be arranged within days; the palliative team or GP can apply. Where care is self-funded it starts from £26 an hour, and we cost everything openly at the free home visit. --- ## Nurse-led clinical care: Tracheostomy & airway care at home Many people with a tracheostomy can be cared for at home rather than in hospital. At Fabulous Homecare, trained carers provide suctioning, stoma and inner-tube care under a nurse-led plan, with competency checked for your specific tube before any visit. We are CQC-registered for clinical care and rated “Good”, across Croydon and Bromley. What it involves: - Airway suctioning to keep breathing clear, as often as your care plan sets out - Cleaning and checking the stoma (the opening in the neck) and the skin around it - Inner-cannula (inner tube) care and changes - Changing tube ties and checking the tube is secure and comfortable - Humidification to help keep secretions loose - Watching for early signs of a blockage or infection and following the plan Knowing when to suction, and how we keep it right Suctioning is not done to a fixed clock. Carers are guided by what they can see and hear: noisier or bubbly breathing, a chest that is visibly working harder, a change in colour or comfort, or secretions the person can no longer clear themselves. Your plan sets how often to check and the signs that mean suction is needed sooner, so care follows your relative’s day rather than a rigid timetable. At the start of every visit carers check that a clean suction unit, spare inner tubes and a spare outer tube are ready at the bedside, and they record the colour and amount of secretions so any change (thicker, discoloured or blood-streaked) is picked up early and passed to your nurse or GP. Because the same small team visits, they come to know your relative’s normal, which is exactly what makes a change easy to spot. Questions Q: Can your carers actually do tracheostomy suctioning, or only nurses? A: Suctioning and routine airway care are delivered by our trained carers under a nurse-led plan, but only after they have been competency-checked on your specific tube and routine. Our Registered Manager, a registered nurse, oversees the plan and the sign-off. Q: What happens if the tube blocks during the night? A: Your plan includes a written escalation routine agreed with your clinical team. The carer clears the tube using the steps they have been signed off on, and calls 999 and the named on-call contact without delay. The plan sets out exactly who to call, day or night. Q: Have your carers supported a tracheostomy before? A: Yes. Tracheostomy and airway care is part of the complex care we provide. We are CQC-registered for “Treatment of disease, disorder or injury” and rated “Good”, and we competency-check each carer for your specific tube before they visit. Q: How quickly can care start after a hospital discharge? A: Often within days, and faster when a discharge is time-critical. Tell us the situation and we will be honest about what we can put in place and when. Q: Will it cost us, or can it be funded? A: Many complex packages are funded in full through NHS Continuing Healthcare, which is not means-tested. Our funding guide explains the routes, and we can help with the application. --- ## Nurse-led clinical care: PEG & enteral feeding care at home If your relative is fed through a PEG or another feeding tube, that care can usually continue at home rather than in hospital. Our trained carers set up and give feeds, flush the tube, give prescribed medicines and care for the stoma, under a nurse-led plan, with competency checked for your specific tube. We are CQC-registered for clinical care and rated “Good”. What it involves: - Setting up and giving feeds exactly as the dietitian’s plan sets out - Flushing the tube before and after feeds and medicines - Giving prescribed medicines through the tube where the plan allows - Caring for the stoma (the opening where the tube sits) and checking the skin - Recognising and acting on a blocked or dislodged tube - Keeping the pump, giving sets and routine clean and safe Preventing blockages, and what we do if one happens Most day-to-day trouble with a feeding tube is a blockage, and most blockages are avoidable. Carers flush the tube with the volume of water your plan specifies before and after every feed and every medicine, give medicines in the form the pharmacist has advised, and never mix medicines into a feed unless the plan says so. Those small, consistent habits are what keep the tube running. If a tube does run slowly or block, carers follow the written steps they have been signed off on, usually a gentle warm-water flush using the technique in your plan, and stop and call the dietitian, nurse or on-call contact if it does not clear, rather than forcing it. The plan also covers what to do if the tube comes out, including protecting the stoma opening and contacting your team quickly, because a tube is far easier to replace within the first hours. Questions Q: Can carers manage PEG feeds, or does it have to be a nurse? A: Feeds, flushes and routine tube care are delivered by our trained carers under a nurse-led plan, but only after they have been competency-checked on your specific tube and feeding regime. Our Registered Manager, a registered nurse, oversees the plan. Q: Can you give medicines through the tube? A: Yes, where they are prescribed for the tube and the plan allows it. Carers are trained to prepare and give medicines through the tube safely, and to flush before and after, following your pharmacist’s and clinician’s guidance. Q: What happens if the tube comes out or blocks? A: Your plan includes a written routine agreed with your dietitian and clinical team. Carers stop the feed, follow the steps they have been signed off on, and call the named contacts (and 999 if needed) without delay. Q: How quickly can feeding support start after discharge? A: Often within days, and faster when a discharge is time-critical. Tell us the situation and we will be honest about what we can put in place and when. Q: Will it cost us, or can it be funded? A: Many complex packages are funded in full through NHS Continuing Healthcare, which is not means-tested. Our funding guide explains the routes, and we can help with the application. --- ## Nurse-led clinical care: Ventilator care at home Living with a ventilator does not always mean staying in hospital. With a nurse-led plan, our trained carers give day-to-day support for ventilated and respiratory needs at home (checking the equipment, responding to alarms and working with your respiratory team), with competency confirmed for your specific setup before any visit. We are CQC-registered for clinical care and rated “Good”. What it involves: - Day-to-day support for the ventilator and breathing circuit as the plan sets out - Checking the equipment, batteries and alarms are working at each visit - Responding to alarms using the steps carers have been signed off on - Suctioning and airway care where there is also a tracheostomy - Keeping equipment and the surrounding area clean and ready - Watching for early signs of distress or infection and acting on the plan Responding to alarms, and supporting a weaning plan A home ventilator alarms for a reason, and knowing what each alarm means is part of every carer’s competency check for that exact machine. A low-pressure or disconnection alarm prompts carers to check the circuit, the connections and the person first; a high-pressure alarm prompts them to look for a blockage or the need to suction. Carers always follow the written order of checks agreed with your respiratory team, and call for help the moment the person, not just the machine, needs it. Ventilator settings are prescribed and changed only by your NHS respiratory team, never by carers. Our role is to run the settings exactly as prescribed, record the readings, and flag anything that drifts from your relative’s normal. Where someone is working towards less time on the ventilator, we support that at home by keeping to the weaning timetable the clinical team has set and reporting honestly how each period off the ventilator has gone. Questions Q: Can someone on a ventilator really be cared for at home? A: Often, yes, with a nurse-led plan and the right support in place. We are CQC-registered for clinical care and rated “Good”, and carers are competency-checked on your specific equipment before they visit, working alongside your respiratory team. Q: Do carers respond to ventilator alarms? A: Yes. Responding to alarms is part of the written plan agreed with your respiratory team, and carers are signed off on exactly what to do, including switching to back-up where the plan provides it, and calling 999 and the on-call contact without delay. Q: Do you work with our respiratory team? A: Always. The plan is built with the respiratory team already involved and shared with everyone who needs it, so the care at home follows the same routine and escalation steps they have set. Q: How quickly can support start after discharge? A: Often within days, and faster when a discharge is time-critical. Tell us the situation and we will be honest about what we can put in place and when. Q: Will it cost us, or can it be funded? A: Many complex packages are funded in full through NHS Continuing Healthcare, which is not means-tested. Our funding guide explains the routes, and we can help with the application. --- ## Nurse-led clinical care: Wound & pressure care at home Pressure sores and slow-healing wounds can often be cared for at home, not just in hospital. Our trained carers reposition, check the skin and look after pressure areas at every visit, and support the dressing routine your district nurse has set, all under a nurse-led plan, across Croydon and Bromley. We are CQC-registered for clinical care and rated “Good”. What it involves: - Repositioning to a set schedule to take pressure off vulnerable areas - Checking pressure areas daily across heels, the sacrum (base of the spine) and hips, and reporting any change - Keeping skin clean and dry and applying prescribed barrier creams - Helping use pressure-relief aids (cushions and special mattresses) correctly - Supporting the dressing routine your district nurse has set, between their visits - Watching for early signs of skin breakdown or a wound infection and following the plan Questions Q: Will your carers do the wound dressings, or does a nurse? A: Wound dressings and wound assessment are led by your district nursing or tissue-viability team. Our trained carers carry out the day-to-day pressure-area care, skin checks and dressing support in their plan, under our nurse-led oversight. We reinforce the nursing team, we do not replace them. Q: What do carers actually do about pressure areas? A: They follow a repositioning schedule, check the skin at every visit (heels, sacrum and hips), keep skin clean and dry with prescribed creams, and make sure cushions and pressure-relief mattresses are used correctly. Anything that looks like it is breaking down is reported to the district nurse straight away. Q: What happens if a wound looks infected at the weekend? A: Carers follow a written escalation plan agreed with your clinical team: they report signs of infection to the district nurse or GP without delay, and call 999 if your relative is unwell in themselves. The plan sets out exactly who to call, day or night. Q: Can wound and pressure care be funded? A: Many complex packages are funded in full through NHS Continuing Healthcare, which is not means-tested. Our funding guide explains the routes, and we can help with the application. --- ## Nurse-led clinical care: Catheter & stoma care at home Living with a catheter or a stoma does not mean a hospital stay. Our trained carers handle the daily care (emptying and changing bags, keeping things clean, watching output and caring for the skin) with dignity, under a nurse-led plan across Croydon and Bromley. We are CQC-registered for clinical care and rated “Good”. What it involves: - Emptying and changing drainage, leg and night bags hygienically - Keeping the catheter (the thin tube that drains the bladder) and the area around it clean, and checking it drains freely - Watching urine output and colour, and looking for signs of a urine infection (a CAUTI, a catheter-associated urinary tract infection) - Emptying and changing the stoma pouch and caring for the skin around the stoma (the opening on the tummy) - Checking the stoma’s output and appearance at each visit - Managing leaks discreetly and encouraging fluids as the plan allows Questions Q: Who changes the catheter, your carers or a nurse? A: Inserting or changing a urinary catheter is normally led by your district nurse. Our trained carers do the daily care (emptying and changing bags, hygiene and checking it drains) and only take on a catheter change if they have been specifically competency-checked for it, under our nurse-led plan. Q: Do your carers change a stoma or colostomy bag? A: Yes. Emptying and changing the stoma pouch and caring for the skin around the stoma is part of the daily care our trained carers provide, once they have been competency-checked on your routine. Stoma reviews and any problems stay with your stoma nurse, who we keep in the loop. Q: What happens if the catheter stops draining at night? A: Carers follow a written plan agreed with your clinical team: they act on the steps they have been signed off on and call the district nurse, GP or 111 without delay, and 999 if your relative is acutely unwell. The plan sets out exactly who to call, day or night. Q: Can catheter and stoma care be funded? A: Many complex packages are funded in full through NHS Continuing Healthcare, which is not means-tested. Our funding guide explains the routes, and we can help with the application. --- ## Nurse-led clinical care: Diabetes care at home Good diabetes support helps someone keep to their routine and stay independent at home. Our trained carers check and record blood sugar, support meals and foot care, and, where they are competency-checked, give insulin or tablets exactly as prescribed, under a nurse-led plan across Croydon and Bromley. Everyday medication reminders are part of our personal care; this is the clinical, nurse-planned support. What it involves: - Checking and recording blood-glucose readings as the care plan sets out - Giving insulin or oral diabetes medicines where a carer is competency-checked, exactly as prescribed - Recognising a “hypo” (low blood sugar) and acting on the written hypo protocol, and acting on very high readings the same way - Supporting regular, diabetes-friendly meals and fluids - Daily foot and skin checks, and reporting anything that needs attention - Keeping the GP and diabetes team’s plan followed, day to day Questions Q: Can your carers give insulin, or does it have to be a nurse? A: Carers can give insulin and oral diabetes medicines, but only once they have been competency-checked on that person’s regime and strictly as prescribed. Our Registered Manager, a registered nurse, oversees the plan. Setting the regime and any dose change stays with the GP and diabetes team. Q: What do carers do if there is a hypo? A: They recognise the signs of a low blood sugar and act on the written hypo protocol straight away, and call 999 for a severe hypo where someone is drowsy or unresponsive. Very high readings are acted on the same way, and reported to the diabetes team. Q: Is this the same as medication reminders? A: No. Everyday reminders to take tablets are part of our personal care. This nurse-led clinical support is for insulin administration and blood-sugar-led care, where carers are competency-checked and the plan is overseen by a registered nurse. Q: What does diabetes care at home cost? A: Care starts from £26 an hour. Some people qualify for help through their council, NHS Continuing Healthcare or Attendance Allowance. Our funding guide explains the routes in plain English, and we can help you ask. --- ## Care by condition: Stroke care at home After a stroke, many people are best supported at home rather than in a care home. In Croydon and Bromley, our trained, DBS-checked carers help with mobility and transfers, personal care, communication and medication on time, working around the plan your stroke team and therapists have set. We are CQC-rated “Good”. A stroke can change movement, speech and confidence, often down one side of the body. Our role is practical, everyday support at home: we are not a therapy service, but we keep to the routines your physiotherapist, occupational therapist and speech and language therapist (SALT) have set, so the work carries on between their visits. Questions Q: Can someone be cared for at home after a stroke? A: Often, yes, with the right support and an honest assessment of needs. Our trained, DBS-checked carers help with mobility, personal care, communication and medication at home, working alongside your stroke team. Where needs are higher, our nurse-led team can take on more. Q: Can you help with physiotherapy or speech exercises at home? A: We are not a therapy service, but our carers support the exercises and routines your physiotherapist and speech and language therapist have set, so they carry on between their visits, which is often where the day-to-day difference is made. Q: Can you help with communication difficulties after a stroke? A: Yes. Carers take time and use the approaches your speech and language therapist recommends for changed speech (aphasia), so conversations and everyday choices stay possible. Q: How quickly can stroke care start at home? A: Often within days of your free home visit, and faster when a hospital discharge is time-critical. Tell us the situation and we will be honest about what we can put in place and when. Q: Will it cost us, or can it be funded? A: Care starts from £26 an hour, with a free first home visit. Help is often available through your council, NHS Continuing Healthcare or Attendance Allowance. Our funding guide explains the routes. --- ## Care by condition: Parkinson’s care at home Living with Parkinson’s often means support that keeps step with a changing day. In Croydon and Bromley, our trained, DBS-checked carers help with medication on time, mobility and balance, mealtimes and personal care, working around the routine your GP and Parkinson’s nurse have set. We are CQC-rated “Good”. Parkinson’s affects movement, balance and sometimes speech, and symptoms can vary through the day. Getting medication at the right time matters more than with almost any other condition. Our role is practical, everyday support at home that keeps to the timings and routines your GP and Parkinson’s nurse have agreed. Questions Q: Can you help with Parkinson’s medication timing? A: Yes. Timing matters with Parkinson’s, so we plan visits around it. We prompt and support the medicines your GP has set out at the times agreed with your Parkinson’s nurse, and record each one, because being late can affect the day. Q: Can someone with advanced Parkinson’s stay at home? A: Often, yes. With the right support and an honest assessment of needs, care can grow from a single visit to live-in support, and our nurse-led team can take on clinical needs such as PEG feeding when they arise. Q: Can you help on the harder, slower days? A: That is exactly what home care is for. The same familiar carers adjust the pace to the day (more time when mornings are stiff, lighter touch when things flow), keeping dignity at the centre. Q: How quickly can Parkinson’s care start? A: Often within days of your free home visit, and sooner when something urgent has happened. Tell us the situation and we will be honest about what we can put in place and when. Q: Will it cost us, or can it be funded? A: Care starts from £26 an hour, with a free first home visit. Help is often available through your council, NHS Continuing Healthcare or Attendance Allowance. Our funding guide explains the routes. --- ## Care by condition: MS care at home Multiple sclerosis (MS) can mean good days and harder days, so support needs to flex. In Croydon and Bromley, our trained, DBS-checked carers help with fatigue, mobility, continence and personal care, at the pace each day allows, around the plan your MS team has set. We are CQC-rated “Good”. Multiple sclerosis (MS) affects people differently and can change from day to day: fatigue, mobility, sensation, bladder and bowel function and heat sensitivity among them. Our role is practical, everyday support at home that flexes with the day and keeps to the routines your MS nurse and therapists have set. Questions Q: Can care flex with good days and bad days? A: Yes. That flexibility is the point of home care. The same familiar team can do more on the harder days and step back on the good ones, and add visits quickly through a relapse, so support always matches the day. Q: Can you help with continence and catheter care? A: Yes, discreetly and with dignity. Carers support bladder and bowel routines, and catheter care where your district nurse has set it up and shown how it should be done for you. Q: Can someone with advanced MS stay at home? A: Often, yes, given the right support and an honest assessment of needs. Care can grow to live-in support, and our nurse-led team can take on clinical needs such as PEG feeding when they arise. Q: How quickly can MS care start at home? A: Often within days of your free home visit, and sooner when a relapse or discharge makes things urgent. Tell us the situation and we will be honest about what we can arrange and when. Q: Will it cost us, or can it be funded? A: Care starts from £26 an hour, with a free first home visit. Help is often available through your council, NHS Continuing Healthcare or Attendance Allowance. Our funding guide explains the routes. --- ## Care by condition: Brain injury care at home After an acquired or traumatic brain injury, the right support at home is built on routine and familiar faces. In Croydon and Bromley, our trained, DBS-checked carers help with structure, prompting, supervision and personal care, working around the goals your rehabilitation team has set. We are CQC-rated “Good”. An acquired or traumatic brain injury (ABI) can affect memory, concentration, energy, mood and physical ability, and no two are the same. Our role is practical, everyday support at home (routine, gentle prompting and supervision) that keeps to the goals and approaches your rehabilitation team has set. Questions Q: Do you follow the rehabilitation team’s goals? A: Yes. We take the goals and approaches set by your rehabilitation team and keep to them day to day at home, reporting progress clearly so everyone stays aligned. Q: Can care be funded through a personal-injury settlement? A: Sometimes. Alongside council, NHS Continuing Healthcare and Attendance Allowance, some families fund care through a personal-injury or medico-legal settlement. We can talk through the options at the free home visit. Q: Can you support changes in mood or behaviour? A: Yes. Carers are patient and consistent, and follow the agreed approach for changes in mood or behaviour, which helps keep the day calm, safe and dignified for everyone. Q: How quickly can brain injury care start? A: Often within days of your free home visit, and faster when a discharge is time-critical. Tell us the situation and we will be honest about what we can put in place and when. Q: Will it cost us, or can it be funded? A: Care starts from £26 an hour, with a free first home visit. Help may come through your council, NHS Continuing Healthcare or Attendance Allowance. Our funding guide explains the routes. --- ## Costs and funding Home care in Croydon and Bromley with Fabulous Homecare starts from £26 an hour, and your first home visit is free with no obligation. What you pay depends on how many visits you need and the kind of support involved, and many families get help with the cost through their council, the NHS or benefits like Attendance Allowance. Paying for yourself: Many families fund care privately, paying only for the visits they use, from one hour a week upwards. We agree everything in writing after the free home visit, so there are never surprises on the invoice. If your needs change, the plan and the cost change with them. Council funding & direct payments: Your local council (Croydon or Bromley) can carry out a free care-needs assessment, followed by a financial assessment to see what they would contribute. If you qualify, you can ask for the money as a direct payment and spend it with a provider you choose, including us. Anyone can request an assessment; it is the right first step for most families. NHS Continuing Healthcare: NHS Continuing Healthcare can fund a full care package at home where an assessment identifies a primary health need. Eligibility depends on the nature, intensity, complexity and unpredictability of the needs, not a particular diagnosis or your finances. The fast-track route is for someone whose condition is deteriorating rapidly and may be entering a terminal phase. Ask the GP, district nurse or hospital team about an assessment; we can support it with care records. Attendance Allowance & benefits: Attendance Allowance is a non-means-tested benefit for people over State Pension age who need help with personal care, and it is widely under-claimed. It is paid directly to you and can be spent on home care. Family carers may also qualify for Carer's Allowance. The official pages explain current rates and how to claim. Questions Q: How much does home care cost in Croydon and Bromley? A: Our care starts from £26 an hour, and the home visit where we work out exactly what you need is free, with no obligation. The total depends on how many visits a week you have and the type of support. We put the full figure in writing before anything begins. Q: Will the council pay for my care? A: Possibly. Start with a free care-needs assessment from Croydon or Bromley council, which anyone can request. A financial assessment then decides what the council contributes. Even when families expect to fund themselves, the assessment is worth having: it unlocks other support too. Q: What is the difference between council funding and NHS funding? A: Council funding supports day-to-day care needs and is means-tested. NHS Continuing Healthcare covers people whose needs are primarily health-related. It is not means-tested and can fund the whole package at home. Some people move from one to the other as needs change. Q: Do you charge more at weekends or for short visits? A: We keep pricing simple and agree it in writing before care starts, so you always know what a week costs. Tell us the pattern of visits you have in mind and we will quote it openly at the free home visit. Q: Can we change or stop care once it has started? A: Yes. Your care plan is reviewed with you regularly and can be increased, reduced or paused as life changes. How changes and notice work is agreed in writing before care begins, so you always know where you stand.