Service
Health and medical support
Medication support, health checks, wound and catheter care and recovery support, delivered by nurses within the plan set by the person's doctor.
Living with a long-term condition
Support with long-term conditions
Day-to-day help to follow the plan the person's doctor has set: medicine routines, regular checks, meals that fit their advice, and someone who notices when things change.
Following the doctor's plan, every day
Long-term conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart failure or the effects of a stroke are mostly managed at home, day after day. The person's doctor sets the medical plan; living with it is often the hard part: remembering medicines, checking readings, eating in a way that fits the advice, and getting to appointments.
Support with long-term conditions helps the plan work in daily life. A nurse sets up and reviews the support; caregivers help with the routine in between.
Who stays responsible for what
Clear roles keep people safe:
| Who | Responsible for |
|---|---|
| The person's doctor | Diagnosis, medical decisions, prescriptions, dose changes, target readings |
| Sehlam nurse | Reviewing the care plan, giving medicines as prescribed, checks, escalation to the doctor |
| Sehlam caregiver | Daily routine, medication reminders, meals, noticing and reporting changes |
| The person and family | Decisions about care, consent to share information, supplies and appointments |
We never start, stop or change medicines, and we don't change diet plans. If something seems wrong, we report it.
What support can include
Depending on the assessment:
- Medicine routines. Reminders for medicines the person takes themselves, or medicines and injections given by a nurse as prescribed. Our guide to medication reminders and nursing administration explains the difference.
- Regular checks. Blood pressure, pulse, temperature and blood sugar where the doctor has asked for them, recorded so the doctor can see trends.
- Meals that fit the advice. For example, less salt, or controlled sugar, cooked the way the person likes. We follow dietary advice from the doctor or dietitian; we don't prescribe diets.
- Foot checks for people with diabetes, with a nurse involved if there are concerns.
- Exercises prescribed by a physiotherapist, for example after a stroke.
- Appointments. Reminders, preparing questions, and going with the person if they'd like.
Noticing changes early
With the person's doctor, we agree which readings or symptoms mean someone must be called, and who. Caregivers and nurses report changes the same day: new swelling, breathlessness, very high or low blood sugar readings, chest pain, confusion, or a fall.
If the person seems seriously unwell, call 112 or go to the nearest emergency department straight away.
Arranging support
Many people with a long-term condition need visiting care at set times, such as a morning check and medicines. If the condition affects mobility or safety through the day, live-in care may suit better. The assessment looks at the condition, the current plan and the home, and recommends what would help.
Common questions
Can a nurse adjust insulin or blood pressure medicines?
No. Only the prescribing doctor can change doses or the medical plan. A nurse gives medicines exactly as prescribed, records readings and contacts the doctor when the plan says a reading needs attention.
Which conditions can you support?
Common examples are diabetes, high blood pressure, heart failure, chronic lung conditions, kidney disease, arthritis and recovery after a stroke. The assessment looks at the person's actual condition and plan, rather than a label.
Do we need to buy equipment such as a blood pressure monitor?
Usually the family provides home equipment, and the assessment will tell you what's needed. We check that equipment works and is used correctly, and record readings for the doctor.
Will you talk to my mother's doctor?
With her consent, yes. We can share readings and observations, help arrange appointments and pass on the doctor's advice to the family members she has authorised.
Related
Understanding care
Medication reminders and nursing administration: the difference
Why a reminder and a nurse giving medicines are different services, and how to keep medicines safe at home.
Care option
Visiting care
A caregiver or nurse comes to the home for agreed visits, from a short daily call to longer shifts.
Talk to us about support with a long-term condition
Tell us about the condition and what's becoming hard to manage day to day. We'll call you back and talk through what might help.