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Home Care (also called Care at Home) services are provided through the Western Isles Integrated Joint Board (IJB).
The comforts of home mean a lot to people – whether they are growing old and less able, if they live alone and are just back from hospital after an operation or an illness, or if they have some other condition which makes them less able than most to cope with the ordinary tasks of daily life.
The purpose of the Home Care Service is to provide care to people in their own homes. The level of care will be decided following an assessment by a Care Assessor or a Social Worker to ensure that the care being provided is sufficient to meet individual eligible needs.
For further information contact Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (tel. 01851 600501) and ask for either the Home Care or Care at Home service.
Faire
The ‘Faire’ service gives an automatic link from the user’s home telephone to the computerised alarm receiving centre in Stornoway, which is staffed by a team of trained operators. The staff will handle calls efficiently, quickly summoning help when it is needed. Conversations can be in English or Gaelic. To visit the Faire service website click here.
Other useful links
Support for Unpaid Carers
A carer is anyone who looks after a friend or family member due to old age, addiction, disability, physical or mental illness. ‘Looking after’ can mean helping with things like shopping, domestic tasks, emotional assistance and personal care. If this sounds like you, you may be a carer. Find out more at: www.nhsinform.scot/campaigns/support-for-unpaid-carers
Additional local support can also be found on our dedicated ‘I am a Carer' page.
Care Information Scotland
Care Information Scotland (CIS) is a phone, webchat and website service providing information about care services for people living in Scotland. Telephone 0800 011 3200 or visit www.careinfoscotland.scot
Money/Benefits
You can find out what benefits you could get and how to claim them using the free to use and anonymous online Benefits Calculator at www.gov.uk/benefits-calculators
Alternatively, you can find out if you are eligible for benefits or grants, or are entitled to additional benefits by contacting your local Citizens Advice Bureau on 0800 028 1456 or visit www.citizensadvice.org.uk/scotland
Useful Services Infosheet
This useful infosheet details a wide variety of local and national agencies and support services and links. This includes Cost of Living Support Scotland, MoneyHelper, Tighean Innse Gall, Citizens Advice Bureau, Western Isles Foodbank, Social Security Scotland, Samaritans and Home Energy Scotland. Click here to view.
Safer Outer Hebrides
The Safer Outer Hebrides website offers details of local and national organisations – offering public protection advice, assistance, and information. Details of upcoming events is also listed.
Frederick Andrew Trust
The Frederick Andrew Trust provides grants for women who have recently experienced an illness or injury, to pay for help around the house, therapy to support their recovery, or for a short rest break.
The charity exists to support the health and happiness of women across the UK at a time when they need it the most and has helped women of all ages and backgrounds who have been affected by a medical condition. Find out more here.
The Blue Badge Scheme supports people with significant mobility problems by helping them park closer to their destination, and therefore have easier access to the services they want to use. The Scheme applies regardless of whether the disabled person is the driver or the passenger of the vehicle.
Find out more here. or contact Comhairle nan Eilean Siar's Health & Social Care Department tel. 01851 822708.
Do you feel you need care support at home? Are you, or do you have a loved one who is unable to return home due to a lack of home carers in your local area?
Self-directed Support (SDS) assists people who need social care to live independently and with the right support. If eligible for SDS, you would play a role deciding how that social care is organised and provided to you. There are 4 options to access SDS:
- Option 1: A Direct Payment – The payment is made direct and you organise support yourself. This means you becoming an employer and recruiting a suitable individual to provide personalised care services to your individual needs and wishes.
- Option 2: An Individual Service Fund – You choose and direct your support and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar or another organisation arranges it all and handles the finances.
- Option 3: Comhairle nan Eilean Siar organised – When Comhairle nan Eilean Siar organises your care from their staff and from their preferred providers.
- Option 4: A Combination – A combination of any of the first 3 options.
Useful Support Services
Advocacy Western Isles offers Self Directed Support Services to support you, even if you have been assessed as not eligible for care input from Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. Contact Advocacy Western Isles by emailing: office@advocacywi.co.uk or tel. 01851 701755.
Western Isles Community Care Forum (WICCF), offer an online Personal Assistant Directory to help you find a suitable employee quickly. The WICCF website also hosts a Contract of Employment template and other useful information. Contact WICCF via email: info@wiccf.co.uk, tel. 01859 502588 or visit: www.wiccf.co.uk
Harris Voluntary Service can provide a Payroll Service for those recruiting a Personal Assistant for a small charge. Tel. 01859 502171
Care Information Scotland offers support if you are looking after an adult, need care yourself or are planning for your future care needs. This includes information about your rights, care home costs and support. Visit www.careinfoscotland.scot or tel. 0800 011 3200.
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar can arrange a carer's assessment if you’re an unpaid carer. This will help them understand how they can also support you. Visit: cne-siar.gov.uk or tel. 01851 822708 or 600501.
Firstly, it is important to note the difference between a Will and a Power of Attorney – a Will only applies after your death, whereas a Power of Attorney only applies while you are alive.
A Power of Attorney (or POA) is a legal document in which you grant someone that you know and trust, authority to take action or make decisions on your behalf, when you no longer have capacity to do so. For example, to safeguard your financial and health wishes when you are alive but, for whatever reason, are no longer able to do so yourself.
The law says you have capacity if you are capable of acting, making decisions, communicating decisions, understanding decisions or remembering decisions. However, every year thousands of people across Scotland (at any age) can lose capacity – it could be due to an accident, a head injury, a stroke or an ongoing progressive illness, such as dementia. Accidents or illnesses can happen at any age, so the sooner you complete your Power of Attorney, the better.
It also, and most importantly, means that should you no longer have capacity and are without a Power of Attorney, no-one (including your spouse/partner, parent(s) or anyone else) is legally able to manage your health or financial affairs on your behalf. Should this happen, it is likely that the Social Work Department would take control of decisions relating to your health and financial affairs. Your family/friend(s) may be able to overturn this via a Guardianship Order through the Court process, but it should be noted that this can be a timely and costly process.
Once completed, your Power of Attorney should be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian as soon as possible. If you wish, your solicitor can safely hold onto the deed for you until you are unable to make decisions for yourself.
You may also be eligible for Legal Aid to help you set up your Power of Attorney. Find our more at mypowerofattorney.org.uk
Power of Attorney: Local Short Films
To raise awareness on the importance of having a Power of Attorney (PoA), NHS Western Isles has partnered with local solicitor firms Ken MacDonald & Co, Anderson Macarthur Solicitor & Notaries and MacDonald MacIver & Co Limited, to develop a series of 6 short information films.
To watch, click on the films opposite to watch on this page, or simply click on the titles below to watch on YouTube:
Part 1: The importance of a Power of Attorney and how it differs from a Will
Part 2: Common misconceptions about a Power of Attorney
Part 3: Types of powers, choosing a trusted individual and the key points to know
Part 3: Types of powers, choosing a trusted individual and the key points to know (Gaelic version)
Part 4: Why a Power of Attorney is not just for older or unwell individuals
Part 5: Arranging a Power of Attorney, registration process and financial support
Part 6: The difference between a Power of Attorney and Guardianship Order.
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