Care and support for adults

Page contents:

    Useful organisations Related articles

    Getting help at the right time means you can plan ahead and make choices that are right for you.  You can begin this conversation with staff at Newcastle City Council who offer information and advice to help adults and carers to live independently at home.

    Do you have care and support needs?

    If you’re having problems managing at home, you may have care and support needs. This may be due to illness or disability, short term or long term. You may struggle to:

    • get dressed and washed
    • prepare food
    • remember to take medication
    • move around your house
    • carry out everyday tasks
    • get out and about easily

    Community Health and Social Care Direct (CHSCD) at Newcastle City Council give information, signposting and support to adults in Newcastle who are finding some day to day activities more difficult. This could be anything from moving around your home, activities of daily living or caring for someone.

    Telephone: 0191 278 8377

    Email: scd@newcastle.gov.uk

    Who provides care and support

    Care and support can be:

    Local help

    There are lots of services that can support you. You can arrange care and help to make your life easier.  Community Health and Social Care Direct (CHSCD) can give you information about the services that can help you. This includes:

    Reablement Services to help you return safely to home and rebuild your independence

    Short term rehabilitation services to help you regain skills you have lost. For people who have been discharged from hospital and need support to recover further.

    Home Care where a professional care worker can visit you regularly to help you get dressed, washed and light cleaning. Read more about the home care agencies in Newcastle

    Cleaning services and Laundry services to lighten your domestic load.

    Day services that have a range of activities, meals and transport. To help you to get out and socialise.

    Meals at Home delivered to you so you can reheat them

    Equipment, aids and home adaptations to make it easier for you to manage at home. There is help to pay for home adaptations.

    Care homes or Nursing Care where you move into housing and be cared for by qualified carers. Read more about Care homes in Newcastle.

    Personal alarm systems and telecare can allow you to call for help in an emergency, remind you to take medication, and more.

    Independent Age have a national telephone helpline for advice on care, benefits, getting help at home and adapting your home. They can arrange a follow up appointment for more detailed discussions

    How can the Council help you?

    How well are you managing at home?  Are some daily tasks becoming more difficult?  If things are changing and you want to chat about things then contact:

    The Council staff will talk to you about your daily living experiences including topics such as: managing common daily chores, bathing, toileting and dressing, moving around your home, preparing meals and drinks and night time/sleep and going out.

    In some cases, you may qualify for financial help from the Council, but even if you don’t, they will inform you about what services are available to you to make your life easier.

    The Care and Support process at Newcastle City Council

    1. Contact Community Health & Social Care Direct team at Newcastle City Council. They will talk to you to find out if you or your carer needs help.

    2. Conversation about your needs: to find out how you are managing daily living tasks and getting out and about. They will provide information and advice on next steps whether you’re eligible for support from the Council or not; and they can itemise a support plan.

    3. Carers conversation: available for all carers to find out what the impact of caring is on your life/lifestyle/work

    4. Financial assessment: looks at how much money you have and if you can access funding from the Council to help pay for your care and support.

    5. Personal budgets: to pay for your care and support. You can manage your own care and support or Newcastle City Council can do this for you.

    6. Direct Payments: from your personal budget allows you to purchase your own care and support services directly.

    Private arrangements to meet your care needs

    You can arrange your own care and support privately. There are a number of organisations that can help you to plan and arrange your care:

    • People Plus can help you to employ a personal assistant, arrange other care services, manage your personal budget and direct payments.
    • Disability North offer independent living advice and support. This includes employing a personal assistant, managing your personal budget and direct payments.
    • FirstStop Housing options for older people free online service and telephone helpline to help you make choices about your housing and care options.
    • PayingForCare  a national information and advice service helping you make informed choices about paying for care.

    Support for Carers

    A carer is someone who provides unpaid help and support to an adult family member, parent, friend, partner, child or neighbour who could not manage without their help. This applies to adults, children and young carers looking after an adult.

    • Looking after someone read more about carers support that is available in Newcastle. This includes short breaks for carers for rest and recuperation.
    • Carers needs you are entitled to a carers needs conversation from Newcastle City Council to find out what support is available to you.
    • Carers Wellbeing Fund you can apply for funding to allow you to take a break, learn something new or prepare for employment.
    • Kinship Carers – Caring for young relatives read more about carers support that is available to you in Newcastle.

    If your home no longer suits your needs

    If your home no longer suits your needs or if adaptations to your home would be too expensive. There are other housing options to explore. These include: a retirement flat, sheltered accommodation or extra care housing which offers more care and support. Read these articles:

    Help with health costs

    Your conversation with Newcastle City Council enables you to chat through your needs, your concerns and your hopes and plans for the future and listen to their information and advice.  Read more about the needs conversation.

    In some cases, your conversation may reveal that you need help from the NHS services.  Read

    Help with health costs and continuing health care costs.

    Reviewing your needs

    Your care needs may change.  You can speak to Newcastle City Council staff at any time and may need a review. Contact Community Health & Social Care Direct. There must be a significant change in your circumstances for a full review to be carried out.

    If you’re not happy with the outcome of your conversation and report

    Speak to your social worker or the person who you spoke to.  You can ask to speak to their manager if this doesn’t resolve your issue.

    There is an adult social care complaints procedure if you feel that the issue can’t be resolved through discussions.

    Advocacy: help to get your voice heard

    Advocacy is free, independent support to help you to get your voice heard. Advocacy services pair you up with an independent advocate who is on your side if you need support. They can:

    • help you to find information
    • talk things through with you to find out what you want
    • support you to get your views across at appointments and meetings
    • help you to understand your rights
    • use services if you are unable to do so by yourself

    Read more on InformationNOW about the local advocacy services. There is help for people using NHS services and people with other needs such as: mental health, care and support, Dementia, and people with learning disabilities or autistic people.

    The Council has provided the Legal & General links for information purposes only. Please note that the Council neither recommends nor endorses any products or services accessed via these links. For full details, please see their website advertising statement 

    Last updated: September 14, 2023