Adult Social Care: opportunities and choice for all

Many people have the misconception that adult social care translates into residential or nursing care but this couldn’t be further from the truth.

We provide care and support to a wide range of individuals and their safety and wellbeing is our priority. Our aim is to give people choice and control of their own care and support to make sure they can live their lives as they choose.

The following five areas will give you an insight into our department and how we could support you and your family.

Reablement services

A new service to help give older people more choice when considering their long-term care is being developed in Hampshire.

‘Time to think’ (reablement) beds are designed to give older people who have had a stay in hospital and would, under the current system, be at risk of going into long-term residential care, time to regain confidence and daily living skills that would support their return home.

If the older person is eligible and is assessed by the hospital discharge team as being suitable for the service, they will agree a structured programme of reablement care and support with a care manager.

Among the 65 beds being set up across the county, there will also be designated facilities for those suffering from dementia.

The way that social care is delivered in Hampshire will soon be changing

Self-directed support – a new approach that gives people choice and control over the care they receive will be phased in across Hampshire from April 2010.

People who are eligible to receive funding from Hampshire County Council Adult Services, and require on-going support, will be able to choose the kind of care and support they feel best meets their needs. People will be given an indication of the level of funding they are likely to receive, and will be able to use this to develop their own support plan.

Expert help will of course be on hand to assist in making these new choices, and services and staff will continue to provide support as they have done before.

For more information visit www.hants.gov.uk/sds.

Transforming learning disability

Our learning disability services are going through an exciting time, as they work to improve the lives of people with a learning disability. This work will involve people with learning disabilities and their carers.

The key to people being able to live their lives as they choose is for them to be able to access the services that we all use. Our learning disability strategy will be focussing on housing, employment, adult learning and college provision, sport and leisure, and transport.

The changes will also mean a much better range of day opportunities, education, housing and supported employment.

Safeguarding adults is everybody’s business!

Safeguarding adults means making sure that vulnerable adults are protected from abuse.

If you or a vulnerable adult you know is at risk from being harmed in any way by another person please do not ignore it.

• Contact Adult Services on 0845 603 5630*.

• If you think a criminal offence has been committed call the police on 0845 045 45 45.

• More information is available at www.hants.gov.uk/safeguarding.

If you contact Adult Services because you suspect a vulnerable adult is being abused or you are being abused yourself:

• your report of abuse will be taken seriously

• your report will be looked into fully and fairly

• you can get help and support.

Care choice

A new website aimed at helping people in Hampshire make the right choices about their care has been created.

The Care choice website enables people to carry out a self-assessment to help determine what care and support they may need.

Like the Guide to Better Care and Support — a free publication for all Hampshire residents — it also provides comprehensive, practical information on all aspects of independent living, how to arrange care and support and information for carers.

Visit the site, which has been shaped by service users and carers, at www.hants.gov.uk/carechoice. For your free copy of the guide call 0845 603 5630*.

For further information contact Adult Services on 0845 603 5630* or visit www.hants.gov.uk/adult-services.