A new scheme has been launched by the Department of Health and Social Care which aims to help people with care needs to stay safe, independent and to live at home.
The service is designed to help people who have been assessed as having care needs to maximise their level of independence by learning, or relearning, the skills necessary for daily living. The service is available for people who are at significant risk of losing their safety and independence. The service is based in people’s own homes and is available for up to six weeks.
Since starting with an initial pilot scheme in July, the Reablement Team has supported 93 people to regain their independence and live successfully in their own homes either with no or significantly reduced ongoing care needs. The service is specifically designed to help people to live as independently as possible, and is targeted towards those leaving hospital, or preventing people having to be admitted to hospital.
Minister for Health and Social Care, Howard Quayle MHK, said:
'The Department is committed to furthering its ability to provide care as close to people’s homes as possible. Time and again feedback shows us that those who need care wish to remain as independent as they can living in their own home for as long as they can. This new and innovative scheme meets that need, enabling people with care needs to learn the skills needed to both regain and maintain their independence with appropriate support from our committed health and social care team.
'As well as benefitting individuals through improving their quality of life and confidence, the scheme is more cost effective than institutional based care such as someone remaining in hospital or having to move to a residential home.'
Reablement can help facilitate quicker discharge from hospital and may prevent or reduce readmission to hospital or into long term care. Achieving the full potential of reablement relies on working with a variety of health and social care professionals. Success relies on the commitment of the service user and on some occasions their families to take part in the programme.
The core of the Reablement Team has been drawn from the former Community Care and Hospital to Home teams, both of which achieved a 98% success rate in enabling people to maximise their independence and remain in their own homes. This success and the need to widen the scope of the service has seen additional staff allocated from within existing resources. This has enabled the Department to double the capacity of its rehabilitation services. The Reablement Team includes support workers, referral and assessment officers and occupational therapists with input and assistance from social workers and other professionals.
Referrals can be made to the scheme by a number of health and social care professionals. On receiving a referral an assessment will be carried out by the team, involving the service user, at which goals will be agreed and outcomes set. These are monitored throughout the reablement period.
The team continue to use the facilities within the Hospital to Home Unit at Southlands to support the reablement programme. This enables individuals to carry out exercises using equipment which may not be available in their own homes. It is also still available, along with night time only respite in the Department’s resource centres, for those who need some night time support as part of the rehabilitation process.
