By Tinga Umera, Managing Director, Nexus Care Services
When people think about home care, they often envision carers helping with washing and dressing in the morning or a meal prepared and shared at lunchtime.
However, some of the most important support we provide focuses not only on the day-to-day tasks, but also on the medication support and welfare checks that are vital to keeping people safe and healthy at home.
These medication and welfare visits rarely make the headlines, but for many of the people we support they are what makes living independently at home possible.
Beyond those we care for, they also do far more for the wider health and care system than they are usually given credit for, especially as we enter the darker, winter months when the potential for hospital visits increases.
Medicines are the most common intervention in healthcare and for many older people managing them is a daily juggling act, especially if they have conditions that impair their cognitive abilities.
Close to 15 per cent of people in England now take five or more medicines a day, with seven per cent taking eight or more, according to the Government’s National Overprescribing Review.
The more medicines someone takes, the greater the chance that something goes wrong if they don’t have the support that they need in their home.
The same review found that around one in five hospital admissions among people over 65 is caused by the adverse effects of medicines.
Researchers have estimated that 237 million medication errors occur in England every year.
Most cause no harm, but around 66 million are thought to be potentially clinically significant.
Then there is the question of whether medicines are taken at all.
NICE guidance cites estimates that between 30 – 50 per cent of medicines prescribed for long-term conditions are not taken as intended.
That might mean a forgotten dose or tablets taken at the wrong time of day by someone unsure of their routine.
All of these factors combined highlight the potential risk of not having medication carefully monitored and administered at home.
A good medication visit is about much more than handing over a blister pack. Because our carers get to know the people they support, they notice when something has changed.
Someone who has suddenly become drowsy or unsteady on their feet may be reacting to a new prescription.
Careful observation and early intervention are, therefore, a key part of every medication visit.
Flagging that to a GP or pharmacist early can stop it turning into a fall or a hospital admission.
Moving between care settings is a particular pinch point. Figures cited by NICE suggest that between 30 – 70 per cent of patients experience an error or unintentional change to their medicines when they move from one setting to another.
When someone comes home from hospital with a new bag of medicines and a discharge letter, a carer who can check what has changed and help them settle into the new routine can prevent a swift return to the ward.
National guidance supports this approach. NICE’s guideline on managing medicines for adults receiving social care in the community sets out how home care providers should assess the medicines support people need and work closely with health professionals. We see that as the baseline, not the ceiling.
Welfare visits are sometimes seen as the lightest form of home care, but in practice they can be among the most valuable.
Loneliness in later life is a serious and growing issue. Age UK estimates that 940,000 people aged 65 and over in the UK are often lonely and that around 270,000 older people in England go a week without speaking to a friend or family member.
Its research found that nine in ten older people who are often lonely are also unhappy or depressed.
For someone living alone, a regular visit from a familiar face can be the anchor of the day. It is a chat over a cup of tea, and the reassurance that someone will notice if things are not right.
That noticing is where the real value lies. Around one in three people over 65 has a fall each year, rising to around half of those over 80. Malnutrition is another hidden risk, with an estimated 1.3 million older people in the UK affected and the vast majority of them living in the community.
A carer who calls in every day will spot an empty fridge or an unexplained bruise and can act before a small problem becomes a crisis.
There is a long-running debate in our sector about short visits, and rightly so. Nobody should have their personal care rushed into fifteen minutes.
NICE guidance on home care is clear that visits of less than half an hour should only be used where the care worker is known to the person and there is enough time to complete a specific task or check that someone is safe and well.
That is exactly the role medication and welfare visits should play. They work best as part of a wider package of support, delivered by carers who know the person, with enough time built in to talk as well as to check.
At Nexus Care Services, we deliver more than 2,500 care calls every week to people across Sutton Coldfield, Lichfield, Tamworth and the wider West Midlands.
Medication and welfare visits are a core part of that work, and we give them the same attention as any other.
Every carer who supports people with medicines is trained and has their competency assessed, including through observed practice, before undertaking medication support independently.
We aim to send the same small team of carers to each person, so that relationships build and changes are spotted early.
Our digital care records mean that each visit is logged as it happens and our office team can see straight away if a dose has been missed or refused.
We work closely with GPs and community pharmacists, and our nurse-led complex care team, launched in September, means clinical advice is never far away when someone’s needs change.
As the colder months arrive, the risks for older people living alone grow. Darker evenings and poor weather keep people indoors, while the NHS braces itself for its busiest time of year.
A well-timed medication or welfare visit can help someone stay well at home and out of hospital, and that matters more now than at any other point in the year.
For families, these visits bring peace of mind that someone is checking in. For commissioners and NHS partners, they are one of the simplest and most effective forms of prevention available.
To find out more about medication support or welfare visits for yourself or a loved one, please get in touch with our team.
We genuinely believe that our carers provide the best service available.
If you need care in Sutton Coldfield, Tamworth or Lichfield, please get in touch with our friendly and approachable team.
