About Sehlam Home Care

Who we are

Sehlam Home Care is a home care service in Ghana. Our nurses and doctors support people in their own homes, including:

• older people who want to stay at home as daily life becomes harder;
• people living with a disability or a long-term illness, who need regular help or nursing care;
• people recovering after an illness, an operation or a stay in hospital.

Care is usually arranged by family. Often it is an adult son or daughter, and many of them live outside Ghana. Some people arrange care for themselves. Whoever contacts us, we start by listening.

We offer two ways of arranging care. With visiting care, a caregiver or nurse comes to the home at agreed times. With live-in care, a caregiver lives in the home and gives steady support through the day. The assessment helps the family decide which suits the person, and the arrangement can change as needs change.

Why Sehlam began

Sehlam began with our founder's own experience of caring for unwell family members, and a belief that caring for someone well is a beautiful thing.

Anyone who has looked after an unwell parent, grandparent or sibling knows how much it asks of a family: the broken nights, the worry when you can't be there, the small tasks that matter so much to the person you love. Sehlam exists to share that work, and to do it with the patience and respect the founder believes good care deserves.

How we work

Every arrangement starts the same way: a conversation, then an assessment in the home, then a written care plan and quote that the family agrees before anything begins. The full process is explained on how care works.

A few principles shape that process:

• The person comes first. Their routine, language, faith and preferences are written into the care plan. We ask before we help, and we let people do what they can for themselves.
• Clear limits, stated up front. Each of our 30 services says what is included, who provides it, and what it does not cover. Limits are part of the description, not small print.
• The right person for each task. Caregivers help with daily life. Nursing tasks, such as giving medicines or caring for wounds, catheters and stomas, are done by nurses.
• Families kept informed, with consent. We agree with the person who may receive updates about their care, and how. Families who live abroad can arrange and follow care from a distance; see arranging care from abroad.
• Money handled openly. Shopping and bill payments are only made with written authorisation, and every payment has a receipt. We never ask for PINs or passwords.

What we are, and what we are not

Being clear about our role helps families make safe decisions.

• We are not a hospital. Home care can support recovery and long-term conditions, but if someone becomes seriously unwell they may need hospital care.
• We are not an ambulance service. We can help someone get to appointments, but people who need medical monitoring during a journey need an ambulance. In an emergency, call 112.
• We are not a hospice facility. We can provide comfort-focused care at home alongside the person's doctor or palliative care team; see palliative support.
• We don't diagnose or prescribe. The person's own doctor remains responsible for diagnosis, treatment and medicines. We follow their instructions, share what we observe, and help the person get to their appointments.
• We don't replace the family. Families know the person well. We work alongside them, and we tell them honestly when we think needs have changed.

Values in practice

Words like "compassion" and "dignity" are easy to write. Here is what they mean in our day-to-day work:

• Dignity means a caregiver knocks before entering, keeps the person covered during washing, and speaks to them, not about them.
• Reliability means turning up when the plan says, and telling the family in advance if anything has to change.
• Honesty means telling a family when we can't provide something, or when a situation needs a doctor rather than a caregiver.
• Respect for the home means following the household's ways: where shoes go, how food is prepared, when visitors come.
• Patience means working at the person's pace, even when the task would be quicker done for them.

The organisation behind the care

If you have questions about who we are before you decide anything, ask us when we call. You can also read our frequently asked questions or contact us.