Home Support Service

The minimum level of service you can purchase is one hour and then you can increase multiples of half an hour.

Please note, this service is not available outside Age UK Solihull - Head Office's catchment area.

Email: hss@ageuksolihull.org.uk
Telephone: 0121 704 7848

The Home Support Service is a chargeable service for people living in Solihull, who need help to do the jobs they are no longer able to do alone.

What we can help with

The duties we can undertake or help with include:

Carers' respite breaks
- Our highly trained staff will engage the person you care for in activities suitable to their needs, or watch over them, giving you the confidence to take a break and do things for yourself.

Light housework
- Dusting, washing up, cleaning, vacuuming either assisting you or for you under your guidance.

Laundry and ironing
- Washing clothes using your washing machine and washing a few small items by hand if required.
- Ironing assistance or for you with your guidance.

Shopping
- Using the shops you prefer your shopping from
- Doing shopping for you
- Assisting you to do the shopping for yourself

Socialising and getting out and about
- Transport or assistance to social activities and events.
- Getting to the post office, shops, doctors, hospital and other appointments
- Going on a trip to a garden centre or department store

Escorting
- A Support Worker may escort you out by bus, in a taxi, using a transport service such as Ring and Ride, walking and if arranged, in the Support Worker’s own car.
- Please note: a Support Worker is not a carer and is not trained in assisting clients to transfer from a wheelchair or scooter into a vehicle. A Support Worker may only provide a light supporting arm and cannot assist you otherwise to walk or move about.

Finances
- A Support Worker may help you write a cheque or go to the post office to pay a bill, but they are not allowed to manage your finances for you. If you are having difficulty managing your finances, let the Home Support Service office know and we will endeavour to find a service that can assist you.
- If you want the Support Worker to collect your pension or access your bank account you must arrange this with the Home Support Service office and not the Support Worker.

Other Assistance

We can also help with:

- Reading and writing letters under your guidance
- Helping you pay your bills
- Helping you cook a meal
- Walking the dog
- Collecting pensions
- Having a cup of tea and a chat
- Reading a book or newspaper to you
- Helping change the bed
- Respite sits

What we can't help with

Whilst we endeavour to be flexible, there are duties we are not able to carry out, including:

- moving heavy furniture
- personal care including help with dressing, bathing or any medication including drops and creams
- DIY
- decorating
- managing your finances
- standing on anything except safe step ladders
- interpreting what a doctor or any other professional has said
- keeping keys for your property
- removing property from your home
- work in your home whilst you are not there (unless you have prior agreement from the Home Support Service Office).

Support Workers will not be allowed to give you their personal telephone numbers under any circumstances.

Change of duties

If for some reason you do not want the Support Workers to do the task(s) they were due to do you can ask the Support Workers to undertake a different job providing this is something that the Support Workers is allowed and able to do. For example, if you were due to go shopping with the Home Assistant and you weren’t well, you may ask the Support Workers to do the shopping for you. You can choose to cancel the visit but you may be charged for this.

Mileage

If you go out in a Support Worker’s car or if the Support Worker needs to use his/her own vehicle for any of the tasks he/she is undertaking for you, you will be charged for mileage. This charge is currently 65p per mile and will be included on your invoice. Before you sign a timesheet you should check that the Support Worker has recorded the correct number of miles travelled.

Cleaning products and other equipment

You will need to provide the cleaning products for use during the Support Worker’s visit. These products must be safe to use for the purpose you wish them to be used for, if not, your Support Worker will not be able to use them. You will also need to provide any equipment you wish to be used by a Support Worker such as, vacuum cleaner, gardening implements, iron and ironing board. The equipment must be safe.

All Support Workers will be provided with rubber gloves, a tabard to protect their clothing and a power breaker to use when using any electrical equipment.

Expenses

You will need to pay any expenses the Support Worker incurs as a result of undertaking tasks with you or on your behalf. This includes:

- Bus fare
- Meals or drinks you choose to have together
- Entrance fee to any event you go to with the Support Worker or the cost of them going on any trip.
- The cost of parking
- Ring and Ride charge
- Any other charges relating to tasks undertaken with or for you.

Expenses such as the above should be paid at the time of the task/assistance.

If you ask the Support Worker to go shopping for you, we ask you to collect and keep the receipts in case any discrepancies arise. You will be asked to sign a cash sheet when any money is paid to or from the Support Worker. You must inform the office if you are not asked to sign a cash sheet.

You are not expected to pay:

- Any expense the Support Worker has incurred which you have not asked them to incur – unless this is absolutely unavoidable.
- Any parking tickets or speeding fines.

Other Assistance

Please ask us if you require assistance with any other tasks as we may be able to help.