As we get older, we become more at risk of losing our independence and we fear for our ability to remain able to continue to live safely in our own home. The Independent Living Advisor can support and help you to identify and access your needs to enable you to continue living safely in the home of your choice.
Sometimes, we do not want to ask for any help because we are too embarrassed, or we maybe apprehensive about admitting that we aren’t as self reliant as we once were. This fear of asking for help sometimes means that we may be more at risk of having an injury at home, because we try to do things that we used to be able to do before we got more frail, or more unsteady on our feet.
Safe at home
As people get older they become at more risk of having a fall at home. This would mean that they may need a hospital admission, or may not be able to stay within their own home due to the risk of them falling again.
At The Independent Living Advisor we have expertise in falls assessment and falls prevention. They are able to identify your risk of falling and work with you in seeking help to reduce this risk in the future. We can help you to remain safe and well within your home.
We can identify whether you need any equipment to help you stay independent and safe at home- this can be a smoke detector, movement detectors, falls detector, or a simple lifeline pendant. We can then put you in touch with a reputable and trusted company to install the equipment and show you how simple it is to use it.
As people get older they may have to adjust to living alone and for some people they may feel lonely and isolated. We can put you in touch with a local befriending organisation who will arrange for a volunteer to come and visit you.
If you want to go out, we can help arrange for assisted transport to help you get from your home to a community event, go shopping, get to a lunch club, or meet your friends.
We can also find out who the local mobile hairdressers are, or determine which hairdresser shops are more suited to accommodate your physical or health needs- they may have disabled access, or be more aware of older peoples’ needs.
Health and wellbeing at home
As a result of our 25 years experience in health and social care, we are able to take the time and talk through your health conditions with you. For example, we can work with you to assess your bone health and likelihood of you ever breaking a bone from a fall, or having a hip fracture. We will be able to identify ways in which you may reduce this risk with the overall aim of maintaining your future independence.
We also have specialist experience in the area of Dementia. If you are fearful about developing Dementia or if you have been diagnosed with this condition, we will be able to explain the signs and symptoms of this disease and we hope allay any anxieties that you may have.
We are also able to undertake a ‘functional living assessment’ to identify the challenges you may face day to day as a result of any condition or illness that you may have. We can accompany you to GP appointments to support you in understanding what is being said. We can find out what services your GP provide and what their procedures are for collection or delivery of your prescriptions and medications.
Care at home
We will work with you to identify a reputable household cleaning company to help you with your general household tasks including; vacuuming, laundry, dog walking and similar tasks.
We can identify a credible and trusted home maintenance service in your area to undertake minor household tasks such as fitting grab rails, fitting additional locks, or helping to maintain your garden.
The Independent Living Advisor works with services and companies that promote or maintain peoples’ independence in their own home. The aim is to help keep people healthy and safe – putting them in touch with people who provide services to maintain their social life and try to help them remain physically and intellectually active.
We do not want you to worry about having to remember what we recommend – we will type up all of the information about what you want and what you may need for you to keep for your records.
Home visits
At The Independent Living Advisor we are able to undertake a home visit to meet you face to face and talk through any of your concerns and any of your worries about you continuing to live at home as you have been. With you, we can help to identify any risk to your safety and to your wellbeing.
We are an independent company with a wealth of knowledge and experience in helping people remain independent at home. We can work with you to identify your needs and are able to put you in touch with appropriate reputable agencies and companies to make sure that these needs are met.
We will be with you every step of the way; whether it’s our Nurse accompanying you to your GP visit to support you in discussing your health; help your to identify your risk of falling in your home; arranging for someone to come and help you to clean your home; arranging for a volunteer befriender to come and visit you, for company; arranging transport for you to be able to access activities outside of your home; or arranging for appropriate equipment to be installed in your home to enable you to continue to live independently. You can live safe and well within your own home.
Your future
The Independent Living Advisor can also help you to plan for your future. We can help you to identify your care needs for when you may not be able to manage to continue living in your own home independently. We can help you by researching personal care agencies and visiting supported living accommodation or residential care with you.
For help and guidance on Financial and Retirement planning see our sister site www.heybrookbay.co.uk