Choosing care
What happens during a home care assessment?
An assessment is a conversation and a visit, not an exam. Its job is to understand the person, their home and their routine well enough to suggest care that fits, before you decide anything.
Families often feel unsure about the assessment: what will be asked, whether their relative will feel judged, and whether agreeing to an assessment means agreeing to care. This guide walks you through it.
Where the assessment fits
- You get in touch. You send a short request or ask us to call.
- We call you back. We listen, answer questions and check that we can help where the person lives.
- The home assessment. A visit to understand the person's needs, routine, home and wishes.
- Care plan and quote. You receive the plan, what's included and not included, and the cost.
- You decide. Care starts only if, and when, you agree.
An assessment does not commit you to care. Any fee for the assessment visit is confirmed with you before the visit is arranged.
Who carries it out
The assessment is carried out by a nurse, who looks at both everyday needs and any health needs. If the person has nursing needs, such as wounds, a catheter or medicines that must be given, these are assessed carefully because they decide who should provide the care.
Who should be there
- The person who needs care. It's their life and their home. Even if they find conversation tiring, their views come first.
- A family member or friend who knows the daily routine, if the person would like them there.
- Relatives abroad can often join by phone or video. Our guide to arranging care from abroad explains how.
What the assessment covers
| Area | Examples of what's discussed |
|---|---|
| Daily routine | Waking, washing, dressing, meals, rest, sleep, faith practices |
| Personal care | What the person manages alone and where they need a hand |
| Moving about | Walking, getting up from chairs and bed, stairs, any falls |
| Health | Current conditions, recent hospital stays, the person's doctor |
| Medicines | What is taken, when, who manages it, and how it's stored |
| Eating and drinking | Appetite, diet advice, swallowing, drinking enough in the heat |
| Memory and mood | Confusion, low mood, anxiety, loneliness |
| The home | The bathroom, the route to the toilet at night, lighting, steps, space for a live-in caregiver |
| Family and support | Who helps now, who lives nearby, who should receive updates |
| Preferences | Language, gender of caregiver, routines and things that matter to them |
Detailed health information is collected privately, during the assessment, not through the website.
How to prepare
You don't need to prepare anything formal, but these help:
- The medicines the person takes, or a list or photos of the labels.
- Hospital or clinic letters, including a discharge summary if there has been a recent stay.
- The doctor's name and how to contact the clinic.
- Notes on what has changed, with rough dates.
- Questions you want to ask. Write them down beforehand.
It also helps to talk with the person beforehand about why the visit is happening, in a way that feels respectful to them.
How long it takes
It depends on the person's needs and how much there is to talk about. Allow enough time for an unhurried conversation and a look around the home. Ask when the visit is arranged how long to set aside.
What you receive afterwards
After the assessment you receive:
- A care plan describing what help is suggested, when, and who provides it: a caregiver, a nurse, or both.
- What is included and what isn't, so the limits are clear from the start.
- A quote for the suggested arrangement, which might be visiting care or live-in care.
You can ask questions, request changes, take time to discuss it as a family, or decide not to go ahead. If you're comparing options, our guide to what affects the cost of care at home explains what drives the price.
Questions you might ask at the assessment
The assessment is a two-way conversation. You're also finding out whether the arrangement would suit your family. Questions families often ask:
- Who would provide the care day to day, and would it usually be the same people?
- How are caregivers introduced to the person before care starts?
- Which tasks would need a nurse, and how often would a nurse visit?
- How will the family receive updates, and who is allowed to receive them?
- What happens if a caregiver is unwell or can't come?
- How often is the care plan reviewed, and what happens if needs change quickly?
- How is money handled if the caregiver does shopping or pays bills?
There are no wrong questions. If something in the answers doesn't feel right for your family, say so; the plan can be adjusted before anything is agreed.
If the person doesn't want care
An adult who can make their own decisions has the right to decline care, even when the family is worried. If that happens, the assessment can still be useful: it may point to a smaller first step, such as company a few times a week, that feels more acceptable. Keep the conversation open.
If things are urgent
An assessment is for planning care, not for emergencies. If someone is seriously unwell, call 112 or go to the nearest emergency department. If someone is about to leave hospital, tell us when we speak; our guide to preparing the home for a return from hospital covers what to arrange before discharge.
This guide is general information, not medical advice for a particular person. Talk to the person's doctor about their health, treatment and medicines.