What Is Physical Care and Does Your Loved One Need It?

Physical care is a specialised service that provides hands-on support to individuals who require assistance with their physical day-to-day tasks and responsibilities. 

It specifically revolves around the physical care needs of service users, whether they be elderly, recovering from an illness, or suffering from a long-term health condition or disability. 

If you’re exploring the option of physical homecare for yourself or a loved one for the first time, we’re here to support you. Read on to learn more about this type of homecare and how it can benefit you and your family.

What does physical homecare include?

Physical care encompasses a range of tasks and support. All of which share the same goal — to help the individual stay safe and comfortable in their familiar home environment, despite any physical ailments they may have.

Physical care typically covers the following:

Mobility assistance

• Assisting with transfers between beds, chairs, wheelchairs, and vehicles.
• Walking alongside service users and providing support with mobility aids.
• Helping a loved one move around the home safely (out of bed, to a chair, into a wheelchair, etc.)
• Providing families and relatives with advice on home adaptations and mobility aids.

Personal hygiene and self-care

• Assisting with bathing, showering, washing, and toileting.
• Supporting with grooming tasks like hair care, oral hygiene, shaving, and skincare.
• Dressing and undressing with dignity and respect.

Learn more about personal homecare services.

Medication management

• Reminding or assisting with medication, ensuring it is taken in the right dosage and at the right time.
• Assisting with medical equipment.
• Organising regular prescription pick-ups.

Feeding and nutrition

• Preparing nutritious meals suited to the service user’s dietary needs.
• Encouraging hydration throughout the day.
• Assisting with feeding.
• Monitoring for unusual signs, including weight loss and loss of appetite.

Comfort and safety support

• Conducting frequent repositioning to limit the risk of pressure sores.
• Keeping rooms within the home free from clutter and maintaining clear walkways.
• Providing reassurance whenever needed so service users feel confident and secure. 

Specialist support (if applicable)

• Supporting individuals with long-term and chronic health conditions, such as arthritis, respiratory illnesses, and mobility impairments.
• Providing dignified assistance in the form of end-of-life care.
• Collaborating with families and healthcare providers to meet complex needs.
• Adding new streams of care into individual care plans to suit requirements.

How do you know when it’s time to explore physical homecare?

Every service user is unique, which can make it extremely difficult for families and relatives to know when it’s time for physical care to be considered. The warning signs aren’t always easy to recognise, but here are some key indicators you may start to notice:

• They’re struggling with their mobility and finding it harder to move around safely and effectively.
• They’re neglecting their personal care, often wearing the same clothes day after day and showing signs of poor hygiene.
• They’re losing weight and skipping meals due to finding meal preparation and food shopping too physically demanding.
• They’re missing their medication regularly and struggling to administer it correctly.
• They’re suffering from increasingly frequent slips, trips, and falls.
• They’re requiring more help than your family can provide.

We understand that witnessing these changes can be incredibly distressing for service users and their families. 

However, it’s important to remember that professional physical support can ease the pressure on both parties and help your loved one stay safe, comfortable, and independent in their home environment.

Who provides physical homecare?

At Nuliving, all of our homecare services are delivered by our compassionate and capable branch team members. 

They are trained to support all of the physical care needs that we have discussed today, working closely with service users, families, and healthcare professionals to create tailored care plans for each individual.

Our team prides itself on building genuine, meaningful connections with service users at every stage of care, allowing them to feel empowered, safe, confident, and in full control of their daily routines.

As a fully CQC-regulated organisation, we ensure that our staff meet the national standards of quality and safety in care at all times.

How to begin the transition to physical homecare

We know that the transition to physical homecare can be a challenging process for service users and their families. With this in mind, we like to make the journey as smooth and stress-free as possible, allowing us to act in the best interests of the service user at all times:

Before homecare begins

Before anything else, it’s important to talk openly with your loved one. It’s essential that their feelings on the matter are heard and respected, and that they’re encouraged to share their thoughts and concerns at every point during the transition.

If they seem reluctant towards the idea of physical homecare, you could always start by introducing light support initially, before gradually introducing more visits. This can help ease the transition and help the service user feel more comfortable.

What we do at Nuliving

Once you’re ready to begin the process, we’ll follow the streamlined steps below at your own pace:

1. Free, no-obligation initial consultation: This is where we have a discussion with you and/or the service user to learn about their routines, health requirements, and personal preferences. We also encourage you to share any questions or concerns with us at this stage so we can reassure you as best as possible.
2. Personalised care plan: Once we have all of the information about the service user, we’ll take all the time needed to design a bespoke care plan covering all of their physical care needs. We’ll share this with you and the service user, and we will be happy to make any necessary adaptations or adjustments.
3. Care commences: Our branch team members will bring the care plan to fruition, providing consistent and compassionate support.
4. Ongoing updates and reviews: Communications don’t stop there. We’ll frequently be in touch to discuss adjustments, reviews, and feedback to ensure ongoing safety, comfort, and dignity.

Find out more about our physical homecare services today

If you’re researching physical homecare services and you are looking for a reliable homecare provider in North Yorkshire or Cumbria, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team today. 

We’ll be happy to assist you and your loved one in any way possible. Together, we can provide homecare that empowers them, encourages them, and helps them feel confident in their day-to-day life once again.

• Category:Homecare Support & Services