Getting Started
New to
seeking information on care services?
Where to begin?
What care and
services are available?
Need a prompt?
Know what you are looking
for?
Useful health
information
New to seeking information on care services?
The Care Information Scotland website and telephone service provides information about a range of care services for older people living in Scotland.
This is a handy guide to help you get started if this is the first time you are looking for support for yourself, a friend or family member and really do not know where to start.
Remember that, at any point whilst you are looking at this web site if you feel you need some assistance and further help with finding information then you can speak to one of our Information Advisors by telephoning 08456 001 001 (10am to 8pm Monday to Friday or on a Saturday 10am to 4pm).
Where to begin?
You should start by considering What care do I need? and how you may go about getting these and how to pay. The link above will take you to the first main page of Care Information Scotland and you will be able to click on each of the subject headings that are in bold letters to get more information on the subject you are interested in.
An important part in your search for information is to understand that, if you want to receive help from your local authority in providing for example support at home, day care or a place in a care home, an assessment of your care needs (Click here for details) will need to be undertaken. It is a good idea to get an assessment of your care needs even if you think you may fund care and services yourself.
What care and services are available?
There are a range of care and services including those that;
- Can help you live at home including meals services, equipment and adaptations, community alarms and handyman services.
- Provide sheltered or supported housing, mainly for people aged 60 or over, which you can buy or rent from providers such as a Local Authority, housing association or private company.
- Allow you to live somewhere where you can be looked after (Care Homes)
- For more information on advocacy please see Advocacy Information and Support.
Need a prompt?
Another starting point for you may be to look at questions other people have asked which are brought together in a useful list.
Know what you are looking for?
You can find a list of care services and support groups if you know what you are looking for. You can also look at a list of care homes if you want to see further information.
Useful health information
If you are looking for information on health conditions or to make sure, for example, that you are prepared for winter or look at useful common health questions then you can use NHS inform. This is a new national health information service providing a coordinated approach and a single source of health information for the public in Scotland and can be accessed at http://www.nhsinform.co.uk or if you prefer to speak to somebody you can telephone 0800 22 44 88 (8am to 10pm)
last updated 13/07/2011
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