Chelsea Care

In this story: High proportion of single elderly residents Quality care

Early next year a new company, owned by the Council, will be offering services to support people at home. Chelsea Care will provide practical support such as shopping, cooking, cleaning and gardening, painting or decorating but also companionship and friendship for people who live on their own and need more help to get out, go shopping or visit a library, theatre or cinema.

At the same time Chelsea Care can help guide people through the maze of managing finances, technology and appliances, contractors or other care providers, offering independent reliable advice and support. This is for all ages and all groups, for people with disabilities and those without.

From early 2009 a new Council-owned company, Chelsea Care, will offer a range of services to the borough’s population. It is all part of a bold plan to bring the Council’s expertise in providing care and assistance within reach of all the borough’s older residents and anyone else who needs their services. Crucially, any profits produced by Chelsea Care will be re-invested in the care provided to those most in need.

High proportion of single elderly residents

Our residents are on average the longest lived in the country, with an average life expectancy for women of 87 years and for men of 82, according to the Office of National Statistics.

In addition, Kensington and Chelsea has an unusually high proportion of single elderly people. But currently only those who meet stringent financial and other eligibility criteria can access care and support via the Council.

This doesn’t apply to many of the Royal Borough’s residents, who are financially independent and have to make their own arrangements even though the marketplace for these services may be unfamiliar to them.

They will also be joined by many people who are managing their own personal budgets under the Council’s new care arrangements or who are fully independent because they have private resources.

Quality care

Chelsea Care aims to offer a wider range of high quality services to those who can afford to pay for them as well as to those who qualify for financial support.

Chelsea Care services will include:

• information and advice about individual budgets and direct payments
• practical support like cleaning, cooking, gardening and odd jobs
• personal care and companionship
• “brokerage” – the technical term for helping individuals who plan and manage their own care

The Council will continue to deliver outstanding services to its elderly residents  who have limited means. Those service users who receive an “individual budget” to spend on their care needs will also be able to use Chelsea Care for advice on how to plan their spending.

But for those who have to pay their way, and would welcome the comfort and reassurance of services vetted and delivered by a Council-owned company, Chelsea Care may well provide the type of friendly but expert service that is currently hard to find.

What do you think?

Do you have elderly relatives or know elderly neighbours who  would use this type of service, or other people who would benefit from some more support at home or help with managing the practical aspects of their lives?

Email your comments on this story to rbkcdirect@rbkc.gov.uk