Adult Social Services
If you or someone in your family is aged over 18 and needs extra support to live independently, they may be able to get support from Adult Social Services. This is run by Bradford Council.
Adults who may need extra care and support include:
- older people
- people with learning disabilities
- people with physical disabilities
- people with mental health problems
- people with drug and/or alcohol issues
- carers (someone who regularly looks after a child or a sick, elderly, or disabled person)
You can ask for help from social services yourself.
Or a professional such as a family doctor (GP) can ask for help on your behalf. This is called ‘making a referral’. If a professional makes a referral to social services, they must tell you.
After this, an assessment will be made to find out what you or your family member needs.
Find out more about Adult Social Services.
Examples of help you may be able to get from adult’s social services:
- care at home with bathing, dressing, cooking, eating
- getting around your community
- care away from home, such as day centres or short breaks
- accommodation with staff who can provide extra care, such as nursing
- helpful equipment or changes to your own home
- support for people who are carers
You may have to pay towards some or all of the costs for the care.
The Council will decide how much you need to pay. Under the Care Act 2014, all councils are required to carry out an assessment if you tell them you need care and support, even if there is a possibility you may have to pay.
You can also find out about hundreds of local community groups and charities.
They can help you live independently, including hobbies and social activities. They can help you with gardening and around the home.
Where to live – with help
Adult social services usually try to support you to stay in your own home. This means you can be more independent and it is cheaper. But if you need more support than this, there are different types of accommodation in Bradford for adults. Here are some of the main types available.
Independent living with support
This means having a home of your own with extra support and services available if you need them.
- Sheltered Housing
- Extra Care Housing
Care homes
Care homes offer accommodation for a group of people. Most are run by a private company, or by Bradford Council. You may be able to get help with the cost of living in a residential care home from Bradford Council.
There are two main types of care home.
- Residential Care Homes offer personal care only, for example meals and washing. You receive health care from your normal GP or nurse who visits you.
- Nursing Homes offer the same care but they also have their own nurse on site.
There are also some care homes for specialist needs, for example for people with dementia.
Choosing a care home
If you are looking for a care home you should make your decisions carefully. Important things to consider include:
- how many staff there are and how welcoming the staff are
- what the facilities are like
- what activities there are for residents
- how independent you can be while living there
- what the fee is and can you get help with the costs
You can get more advice about finding a care home.
All care homes in England are inspected regularly by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). You can find the report and rating for any care home on the CQC website.
Dementia
Dementia is not just being forgetful when you get older. It is not a type of mental illness. It is the name for the symptoms caused by diseases which attack the brain. There are different types of dementia. Older people are more at risk of dementia. People under 65 can also get it, although this is quite rare.
Symptoms can include memory loss, changes in mood and behaviour, confusion, hallucinations, difficulty communicating, problems with distances and movement.
If you think you or someone you care for has dementia, you should speak to a health professional such as your GP.
The Alzheimer’s Society can also provide information, advice and support for people and carers.
Palliative care
Palliative care is for people living with a serious illness – and they will not get better.
The care usually aims to treat pain and other physical symptoms. It supports people with their emotional and social needs. It includes caring for people who are near the end of their life.
Palliative care is usually provided in a hospital, or in the patient’s own home, or in a hospice.
A hospice is usually run by a charity. It offers accommodation and care, as well as support for family and friends.
Depending on the patient’s needs, the care may include medicines, therapies, counselling, activities, spiritual support. It may involve different professionals including GPs, community nurses, specialist doctors or nurses.
