Day Care
What is Day Care?
What does
it cost?
How do I get
it?
Find out
more
What is day care?
Day Care offers personal care during the day for those who are assessed as needing it. It is usually provided in a day care centre run by trained staff or volunteers for those with complex physical and social care needs.
Specially trained staff there can help you learn or re-learn skills as part of a rehabilitation programme (for example, following a stroke) or help you learn to cope with a new disability. Some day care centres are specially designed for people with dementia, or with visual or hearing impairment.
Attendance at day care is usually once or twice a week and transport to and from the day care centre can usually be provided if you need it.
Day care aims to provide you with:
- personal care to meet your individual needs
- skills to promote your independence
- a meal
- the opportunity to meet and mix with other people
- the choice of taking part in varied activities
Meals or sandwiches are also provided in the day care centre,
sometimes for a small charge, and special dietary needs can be
catered for.
If you go to day care, you will have a Care Plan which describes what you will do at the day care centre and what you should get out of it. This plan is regularly reviewed by your Care Manager.
What does it cost?
Most Local Authorities will charge for day care services. If there are any charges, they will be set out in the Local Authority's charging policy. If you are assessed as needing Day Care, and there is a charge, a financial assessment will be carried out by your Social Work Department to find out if you are entitled to assistance with the cost.
You must be told what the service will include and how much it will cost before the service begins.
For more information on paying for care services, see How do I pay for care?
How do I get it?
Ask your Social Work Department for an Assessment of your Care Needs. You can also ask your GP, district nurse or health visitor to arrange an Assessment of your Care Needs for you.
Your needs will be discussed with you during your assessment and the Social Work Department will let you know afterwards in writing what assistance it is able to offer you to meet your assessed needs. For more information about the assessment, see our page on Assessment of your Care Needs.
If you wish to arrange and pay for your own day care you will need to get in contact with a day care provider. See our page on finding a day care service.
Find out more
For details of Day Care services in your area you can contact your local Social Work Department or search our Care Services Directory.
last updated 09/09/2011
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