Why Is a Minimum of a Two Hour Care Visit Beneficial?

At Ashridge Home Care we pride ourselves on our commitment to our clients. One of the aspects of our service is ensuring that our visiting care has a criteria that the minimum amount of time our carers will spend with their client is 2 hours.

What are the benefits of a two hour care visit?

A minimum of a 2-hour visit in domiciliary care is beneficial for a number of reasons, including:

• It allows the carer to provide more comprehensive care. In a shorter visit, the carer may only have time to provide basic care, such as washing and dressing. However, a 2-hour visit allows the carer to provide more comprehensive care, such as:

• • Companionship and social interaction: This is especially important for people who live alone or who are isolated from their family and friends.
  • Help with household tasks: This can include things like cooking, cleaning, and shopping.
  • Assistance with personal care: This can include things like bathing, dressing, and toileting. It also means that more time could be taken to wash and style hair or carry out a wet shave which is unlikely to happen in shorter visits.
  • Medication management: This can include helping the person to take their medications on time and correctly. The carer can also check that supplies are not running low and ensure repeat prescriptions are ordered.
  • Specialist care: For people with complex needs, such as dementia or Parkinson’s disease, a 2-hour visit allows the carer to provide more specialised care. This could be some reminiscence work, looking through old photographs, helping to create rummage bags or boxes, using props to stimulate memory, listening to music, working on sensory activities. The list is endless.

• It allows the carer to build a better relationship with the person they are caring for. This is important because it helps to create a sense of trust and familiarity. When the carer and the person they are caring for have a good relationship, the care is more likely to be effective and enjoyable for both of them. 

• It can be the start of an introduction to accepting care and support. Hourly care is a great way of introducing a positive experience that hopefully will allow the person to feel more in control and open to the idea of increasing the care support and yet remaining in their own home.

• It reduces the number of visits that the person needs. This can be beneficial for the person because it reduces the disruption to their daily routine. It can also be beneficial for the carer because it allows them to provide more efficient care.

• It can be more cost-effective. While a 2-hour visit may cost more than a shorter visit, it can actually be more cost-effective in the long run. This is because a 2-hour visit allows the carer to provide more comprehensive care, which can reduce the need for other types of care, such as hospital visits or residential care.

For many people, a 2-hour visit is the best way to ensure that they receive the care they need to live independently and safely in their own homes.