How Enabling Care Supports Elderly Independence at Home
As we get older, it’s natural to lose a sense of independence. This can be extremely difficult and disheartening for family members, but especially for the loved ones affected.
Staying safe and happy in the home may become more of a challenge with age, but that’s exactly what enabling homecare services aim to address.
As a CQC-regulated homecare provider, we’re here to tell you the ins and outs of enabling care. Our goal is to equip you with everything you need to know, so you can make an informed decision about your own or a loved one’s care.
What is enabling care?
In the simplest terms, enabling care is designed to empower individuals — especially the elderly — to stay active, independent, confident, and social. Enabling care and support aims to help service users stay as self-sufficient as possible.
In this way, enabling care teams work with the service user, not just for them.
It is also common for enabling care services to be combined with other types of elderly homecare services to create a comprehensive care plan.
An example of enabling care in action
For example, personal homecare services revolve around completing a task for the service user, whereas enabling care focuses on building confidence and independence alongside extra support when required.
This could mean, rather than preparing every meal for the service user, the carer will instead assist them in cooking for themselves by offering guidance, safety support, and compassionate encouragement.
Learn more in our guide: How Does Home Health Care Work?
Who requires enabling care?
Enabling care is for any age group, but most notably for older adults who want to maintain their independence while receiving the right level of support.
It’s also a great option for those prioritising autonomy when recovering from illness, injury, or living with a disability.
Why do enabling care services matter?
Enabling care is an extremely important type of care because it offers the service user a friendly and encouraging social connection, as well as hands-on support when required or combined with other homecare services.
Enabling homecare delivers a variety of benefits, which can also extend to the service user’s family through peace of mind that their loved one is safe and well looked after:
Supported physical health
Enabling care services can encourage mobility, daily activity, and feelings of independence. All of which can help you or a loved one build on their physical strength, balance, dexterity, and general fitness.
Enhanced mental wellbeing
Enabling care gives control back to service users, allowing them to make decisions in their daily life and routine. This increased sense of autonomy can improve self-esteem and reduce feelings of sadness and loneliness.
Improved social connection
Enabling care also offers support in attending community events, visiting friends, and connecting with loved ones either in person or through video calls. Social connections are integral to well-being, especially for older age groups.
Compassion, dignity, and respect
Enabling care centres around the service user’s abilities and strengths — not their limitations and challenges. This creates a growing sense of compassion, dignity, and respect between care provider and service user, which can help build a more positive personal identity.
With enabling care, service users benefit from help with current physical needs if required, as well as emotional and mental well-being support. In some ways, it’s the best of both.
The Nuliving approach to enabling care
Nuliving is a CQC-regulated organisation with over 30 years of providing high-quality homecare services across North Yorkshire and Cumberland.
We take a holistic approach as standard, and prioritise the individual needs of all of our service users. As such, our enabling care services are completely bespoke and personalised to every unique need and challenge.
When you or a loved one receives enabling care services from our team, they can be combined with our other homecare services to achieve the very best outcomes:
- Personal homecare services: Support with daily activities, ranging from medication management to dressing.
- Complex care nursing: Specialist assistance for those with advanced or long-term health conditions.
- Physical care needs: Help with mobility aids, transfers, and other physical care requirements.
- Domestic homecare: Non-medical support around the home, from cleaning to organising.
- Dementia homecare: Our dementia homecare services enable us to provide tailored support, focusing on familiarity and comfort for those with dementia.
- Companionships and outings: A friendly face and company over a cup of tea, games, local outings, and more.
Promote independence at home with enabling care from Nuliving
At Nuliving, we offer bespoke enabling care for you or your loved ones in North Yorkshire and Cumberland. Our ultimate goal is to help every service user enjoy greater independence, maintain dignity, and improve their quality of life.
To find out more, take a look at the areas we cover, and please don’t hesitate to get in touch with your nearest Nuliving branch team if you have any questions.
