Visiting Angels Cheshire
Home careAcross Cheshire East
Home care with the same trusted carer at every visit.
- Dementia care
Founders’ company
Home care
Support in the home they knowRegulated by the Care Quality Commission
Overview
Home care means trained carers coming to someone’s own home to help with everyday life: getting up and dressed, washing, meals, medication reminders, company and getting out. It can be a short daily visit or a carer who lives in, and it can change as needs change.
Stay in familiar surroundings
Their own routines, neighbours, garden and pets stay part of daily life.
As much or as little as needed
From a short daily visit to round-the-clock live-in care.
Inspected and rated
Registered agencies are inspected by the CQC and given a public rating.
Who checks them
Care Quality Commission (CQC)
Agencies that provide personal care must be registered with the CQC, which inspects and rates them.
Find a homecare agency on the CQC website (opens in a new tab)When it may be time
- Washing, dressing or getting up has become difficult
- Meals are being missed or medication forgotten
- They have had a fall, or are coming home from hospital
- Family carers are stretched, or live too far away to help every day
- They are lonely, or have stopped going out
Types of home care
Visiting care
Carers come at set times, from a short call to several hours. The most common kind of home care.
Live-in care
A carer lives in the home, usually with their own bedroom. An alternative to a care home for higher needs.
Overnight care
A carer stays awake, or sleeps over, to help during the night.
Reablement
Short-term help after illness or a hospital stay to rebuild everyday skills. Arranged by the council or NHS and free for up to six weeks.
Dementia care at home
Carers trained in dementia, with familiar faces and steady routines.
Companionship
Company, outings and help around the house. Services that give no personal care do not have to register with the CQC.
Local home care agencies
Each is labelled so you know how we know it. The founders’ company is shown first.
Angels at Home Care Services
Home careWilmslow
Personal care, safety checks and respite, Wilmslow
- Dementia care
Belong at Home Domiciliary Care Agency - Macclesfield
Home careMacclesfield
Belong's home care service, Macclesfield
- Dementia care
Paying for it
- Anyone can ask the council for a free care , whatever their savings.
- If the council arranges care, a financial assessment decides what the person pays. For care at home, the value of their home is not counted.
- People with savings above the upper limit (currently £23,250 in England) usually pay for their own care.
- is not means-tested. It can help with costs for people over State Pension age who need help because of an illness or disability.
- The council can make a direct payment so the family can choose and arrange care themselves.
- Agencies usually charge by the hour, and live-in care by the week. Ask for a written price list that includes evenings, weekends and bank holidays.
Rules and figures are for England and change from year to year. Your navigator can check what applies to you.
Questions to ask
- Are you registered with the CQC, and what is your current rating?
- How do you make sure we see the same carers each week?
- What is the shortest visit you offer, and what can be done in it?
- How are your carers trained, including for dementia?
- What happens if a carer is ill or running late?
- How much notice do we need to give to change or stop care?
Things to watch out for
- Visits so short that care has to be rushed
- Prices that leave out weekend, bank holiday or mileage charges
- Introductory agencies, where carers are self-employed and the family takes on more responsibility for checks and cover. Ask which model an agency uses.
- Contracts with long notice periods
How your navigator helps
- Tell us what’s going onAnswer a few short questions. It takes about a minute, and nothing is shared until you choose.
- Get a free plan with local servicesWhat to do first, help you may be entitled to, and local services near you, each labelled so you know how we know it.
- A local navigator calls, if you needLeave your details and a navigator will call, usually within one working day, to help you act on the plan.
Founders’ company
Our founders also co-founded Visiting Angels Cheshire East, a home care company. When home care might help, we always show you other local providers too.
Common questions
How quickly can home care start?
It depends on the agency and on local demand. Some can start within days; others have waiting lists. Your navigator can help you find out who to call first.
Can we have care just for a few weeks?
Yes. Many families start with short-term care after a hospital stay, and reablement arranged by the council or NHS may be free for up to six weeks.
Is home care cheaper than a care home?
For a few hours a week, usually yes. For round-the-clock needs, live-in care and a care home can cost a similar amount, so it is worth comparing both.
Related guides
Explore other areas
Care homes
When home is no longer the right place
Residential, nursing and dementia care homes, short respite stays, and how to compare them well.
Later-life lawyers
Legal decisions, in place in good time
Lasting powers of attorney, wills, deputyship and advice on care fees from specialist solicitors.
Financial planners
Making the money last
Specialist later-life advice on paying for care, care fees annuities, equity release and protecting a partner.