Care at Home Isn’t Working
Sometimes a home care package is arranged but the reality doesn’t match what was agreed. Missed visits, poor continuity, unsuitable care or changing needs can all make an arrangement difficult to sustain.
What does “isn’t working” actually mean?
Visits are being missed
Care isn’t being delivered when it should be, or visits are regularly cancelled.
Times are consistently unsuitable
The visits may happen, but not at times that meet the person’s actual needs.
Too many different carers
Constant changes can be particularly difficult for people with dementia, communication difficulties or anxiety.
The care isn’t being delivered properly
The agreed tasks may not be completed or the person’s dignity, safety or preferences may not be respected.
The person’s needs have changed
The provider may be delivering the package that was agreed, but that package may no longer be sufficient.
You can’t get problems resolved
Concerns may become more serious when there is no clear route for communication and escalation.
First ask: is the provider failing to deliver the package — or has the package itself become unsuitable?
Those are different problems and may require different solutions.
If the provider isn’t delivering what was agreed
Keep a simple record of missed visits, late visits, cancelled visits and specific concerns.
Be specific about what happened, when it happened and what impact it had on the person.
Ask for a clear response and, where appropriate, what will change.
If the issue is not resolved, use the provider’s complaints process and consider whether another organisation needs to be involved.
If the person’s needs have changed
Don’t assume the provider can simply absorb additional needs into the existing package.
If the person now needs more frequent visits, longer visits, two carers, more supervision or different types of support, the care package may need to be reviewed.
Read: When Home Care Isn’t Enough →
When should you consider changing provider?
Changing provider can be appropriate when the existing arrangement cannot reliably meet the person’s needs or when repeated concerns have not been resolved.
But switching provider won’t necessarily solve a problem caused by an unrealistic care package or needs that have significantly increased.
Keep evidence
If you need to escalate a concern, contemporaneous records can make it much easier to explain what has happened.
What happened?
Record the date, time and nature of the issue.
Who was contacted?
Keep notes of conversations and responses.
What was the impact?
Explain how the problem affected the person’s care, safety or wellbeing.