The Reablement Service - questions and answers
This page answers questions around
Reablement. Please click the links below to go to answer you need
to read. If your question is not answered here or you would like to
discuss this issue in more detail, please contact our Customer
Service Centre on 01738 476700 or e-mail: enquiries@pkc.gov.uk.
The Reablement Service: what it is and why it is being
introduced
Service users and their families: what the new service will
mean for them
What will the
Reablement Service do?
The Reablement Service will help primarily older people live
safely and as independently as possible in the comfort of their own
homes. We will help people regain the skills they need to do the
things they would like to be able to do for themselves. This could
be anything from washing and dressing to preparing meals. It may
also mean providing the person with other services and support such
as telecare or a meals service.
Reablement changes the culture of home care from 'doing to' or
'doing for' our service users to 'doing with' them.
This approach supports what research has shown that people want
for themselves: to be able to go on living their lives
independently in their own homes and communities.
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Who is it for?
The Reablement Service is for new clients referred to us for an
assessment to meet their social care needs, and where appropriate,
for existing clients whose care package needs to be re-assessed. It
will be introduced in Perth City Centre area initially. See below
for more information on this.
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Why is the Council introducing
this?
The number of older people in Perth and Kinross is expected to
increase so much in the future that our services, if they stayed as
they are just now, could not cope with demand. This would leave
vulnerable, older people at risk. We must change how we deliver
services so that we can provide people with the care they need,
when they need it.
Research shows that the great majority of older people across
Scotland want to remain and be cared for in their own homes and
communities. Scottish Government objectives require all councils to
take steps to help people remain in their own homes as
independently as possible.
The Reablement Service will allow us to provide care for
increasing numbers of older people, meet Scottish Government
objectives, and help older people to go on living in their own
homes and communities.
The Reablement Service will help people live more independent
lives. When someone becomes more independent they need fewer home
care hours of support. This means that time and resources become
available to meet demand from an ever-increasing number of other
people.
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When is the Council introducing
the service?
A report proposing the introduction of the
service was approved by the Housing and Health Committee on 19 May. It will
be introduced on a phased basis, so that we can assess through
evaluation and consultation what works best in implementing it. It
will be introduced in Perth City area between 1 October and 31
March 2011.
A further report will then be submitted to the Housing and
Health Committee with timescales for introducing the service across
the whole of Perth and Kinross.
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How do you know it will work
for people?
Meeting the needs of every individual who uses our services
remains our key focus. Reablement services are already up and
running in other local authority areas, and showing clear benefits
for the older people using them. Before seeking committee approval
for introducing the service here, we carried out a great deal of
research and considered at length how it would work in Perth and
Kinross. We are confident that the Reablement Service is the right
option and that it will work well for our residents.
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What about people
whose health doesn't allow for independence?
Some conditions, such as advanced dementia or end of life care,
will not benefit from reablement. If this is the case, we will
ensure that individuals receive the on-going support they
need.
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Are private care providers
involved in the Reablement Service?
We already use private and voluntary sector providers and this
will continue. As explained, given the challenges we face, it is
not sustainable to carry on providing home care in the same way we
do now. Moving to reablement means moving to 'working with' rather
than 'doing to or for clients'. We are meeting with private and
voluntary care providers to discuss how the whole social care
sector can move in that way.
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When will they start
using the service?
All new clients referred to the Perth City area from 1 October
will be referred to the Reablement Service where there is potential
for them to benefit from it (see question 6). Any
existing client who needs their care re-assessed, for example
following a hospital stay, will move to the Reablement Service.
Other existing clients in the Perth City area, and other
locality areas, will carry on receiving care as they do now.
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Will all service users switch
to the Reablement Team?
Existing clients will move to the Reablement Team if their
current care package needs to be reassessed. Otherwise, care
arrangements for existing clients will remain the same.
The focus on meeting people's individual needs remains the same:
this is about giving people the care and support they need to enjoy
living as independently as possible in the comfort of their own
homes.
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How will people be referred to
the service?
In the same way as they are currently referred to social care
services.
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What will the reablement
process be for people?
We will spend up to six weeks working with clients, who have the
potential to benefit from the Reablement Service (see
question 6), to help them relearn the skills and confidence
they need to live as independently as possible.
We will help them to achieve the things they would like to be
able to do for themselves. This could be anything from washing and
dressing to preparing meals. It may mean providing the person with
other services and support such as telecare or a meals service. The
amount of care and support they receive, during and after this six
week reablement period, will depend on how much they need.
At the end of the reablement period, some people will be able to
live fully independent lives, and so will no longer have to depend
on care services. We will also arrange support for the people who
need some level of on-going care.
Service users and where appropriate their carers, will be involved
in any decisions made about care throughout this process.
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Will there be an impact on
clients' families or carers?
The reablement process focuses on what is realistic for people
to be able to do for themselves and to make on-going support
available where required.
Where clients re-learn skills and confidence to live more
independently, families or carers will see a reduction in the
amount of on-going support received by their family member.
On-going support will be reduced only where the client's need
for support is reduced.
Families, carers and clients can be reassured that, although the
service they receive may change, the focus on meeting people's
individual needs remains the same.
Families and carers, where appropriate, will be involved in any
decisions made about care throughout the reablement process.
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How will clients find out
about this?
We are writing to existing clients in the Perth City area to let
them know about the Reablement Service, and that they will continue
to receive the same care from us that they do now. They will be
referred to the Reablement Service if their care needs to be
re-assessed and where there is potential for them to benefit from
it.
The Service will be fully explained to anyone who is referred to
it.
