Care homes provide accommodation and personal care, for example support with washing, dressing or moving around.
Some homes can provide nursing care as well as personal care because they employ registered nurses. The term care home does not include NHS hospitals, private hospitals and clinics.
Care homes are regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) who is responsible for regulating care and support in England.
Legally appointed representative
The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) applies throughout England and Wales to protect adults who lack mental capacity. Among other things, the MCA provides for adults who lack capacity to be legally represented either by:
someone they chose and appointed through a Lasting power of attorney (an attorney) while they still had capacity, or
if the adult did not appoint an attorney, by a deputy appointed by the Court of Protection
Shared Lives Scheme
Shared Lives Schemes are an alternative to care in a care home or other more formal care arrangements.
Schemes offer people who need care the opportunity to live in a family environment rather than a formal care setting.
Schemes are regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) who are responsible for regulating care and support in England.
Significant benefit
In this context, ‘significant benefit’ means that the assessment should occur at a time when:
it is possible to predict the young person’s care and support needs when they turn 18 with reasonable confidence
the assessment won’t unnecessarily disrupt the young person’s life (for example when they are in the middle of exams or undergoing medical treatment would not be the best time)
information will help the young person (or their family / carers) to consider options for meeting care and support needs when the young person turns 18.
Supported Living Accommodation
Supported living accommodation is accommodation other than in a care home:
in premises which are specifically designed or adapted for occupation by adults with needs for care and support to enable them to live as independently as possible, or
which is provided in premises intended for occupation by adults with needs for care and support where personal care is available if required (but not premises which the adult owns or occupies other than as a tenant or licensee)
The personal care elements of services delivered in supported living accommodation are regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC)
Supported self assessment
Supported self-assessment is carried out jointly between the adult and a social worker from the Council. It gives adults the opportunity to complete some of the paperwork themselves in their own words.
The council’s role in a supported self-assessment is to assure the information provided to us. This means ensuring we have a full picture of the adult’s situation before making an eligibility decision or providing advice based on the information supplied.
This may involve talking to someone involved in the adult’s day to day care, or a health professional or another person who understands the impact of their condition on day to day life.
Wellbeing
Wellbeing under the Care Act relates to:
personal dignity and the right to be treated with respect
physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing
protection from abuse and neglect
the person’s control over day to day life, including over any care and support provided and the way it is provided
participation in work, education, training or recreation
