arranging help at home - a self-help guide
TRANSCRIPT
LONDON BOROUGH OF BROMLEY
ADULT AND COMMUNITY SERVICES
ARRANGING HELP AT HOME - a self-help guide
LARGE PRINT VERSION
www.bromley.gov.uk October 2007 edition
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SELF HELP GUIDE
CONTENTS PAGE
About this guide 4 Information and advice for older people 5 Information and advice for people with disabilities 6 Help with parking – the Blue Badge scheme 7/9 Information and advice for people with mental health needs 10 Arranging Personal or Domestic Care 11 Age Concern Care Brokerage Service 13 Age Concern Foot care Service 14 What to look for in a Home Care Agency 15 List of Bromley Care Agencies 20/28 Bromley Carelink Alarm Service 29 Looking for a Care Home 30/31 Coping with Disability – Equipment to help you 32/35 stay independent Medical Loan Services 36
Shopping Services 38/40 Shopmobility 41 Jobs around the home 42/43 Getting Around – Transport 44 Keeping Warm – where to get useful advice 45 Consumer advice 47 Safeguarding your home 49 Welfare Rights Advice 52 Local Support Groups 53 What If my needs change 54 How to contact us 55 Complaints, Comments 56
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Other Formats This guide can be made available upon request in other formats, such as audiotape or Braille: please contact Kent Association for the Blind on 0208 464 8406. If English is not your first language and you need help in understanding this guide, please contact Bromley Social Services on 0208 461 7777
www.bromley.gov.uk About this guide This guide tells you how to arrange care and help for yourself from home care agencies, home shopping services and voluntary organisations working in the borough. The guide is intended to help you and your carers if:
• you do not qualify for help from Bromley Social Services or,
• you prefer to arrange and pay for your own care.
We hope it will give you an idea of what is available in the borough and to provide information and advice to help get you started in arranging the support you feel you need either for yourself or for someone you look after.
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www.bromley.gov.uk Information and Advice for Older People If you are looking for information about help available to support an older person living in Bromley, Age Concern Bromley, with funding from Bromley Council, publishes a comprehensive Guide to Services for Older People, called “Making more of life” which covers:
• Advice • Housing • Money • Transport • Health • Social Services and other related services • Social and leisure activities including local lunch
clubs and the Council’s Home Library service for people who are unable to visit their local library.
Copies of Making more of life are available from:
Age Concern Bromley Community House South Street Bromley Kent BR1 1RH Tel: 020 8315 1850.
Website: www.acbromley.org.uk Email: [email protected] (general enquiries) Email:information&[email protected] (information and advice enquiries) Office hours: Mon to Thurs 9.00 to 5.00, Fri 9.00 to 4.30. Continued on next page 5
www.bromley.gov.uk Information and Advice for Older People For specialist Welfare Rights advice for people aged 60 and over, queries about State Retirement Pension and Pension Credit or to arrange a home visit to help you claim additional state benefits, see entry about The Pension Service on page 50.
Information and Advice for People with Disabilities There is a wide range of useful information on the Directgov website which is the Government guide to public services: www.direct.gov.uk Subjects covered in the section for Disabled People include: Employing a professional carer or personal assistant Home and Housing options Education and Training Motoring and Transport Leisure and Recreation Financial Support Health and Support Rights and Obligations Travel, Holidays and breaks Caring for Someone? Useful Contacts 6
www.bromley.gov.uk Help with Parking – the Blue Badge Scheme The Blue Badge scheme offers parking concessions for disabled people with severe walking difficulties who travel either as drivers or passengers. The current legislation governing the issues of Blue Badges is:
• The Disabled Persons (Badges for Motor Vehicles) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2000 SI 2000/1507
• The Disabled Persons (Badges for Motor Vehicles) (England) Regulations 2000 SI 2000/682
• The Local Authorities Traffic Orders (Exemptions for Disabled Persons) (England) Regulations 2000 SI 2000/683.
These regulations set out the categories and descriptions of disabled people who may be eligible. The eligibility criteria for Blue Badges are entirely separate from the eligibility framework for getting help from Adult and Community Services. Bromley residents applying for Blue Badges for the first time or renewing an existing badge can get application forms and guidance notes at any library in the borough or the Main Enquiry desk at the Civic Centre.
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www.bromley.gov.uk Help with Parking – the Blue Badge Scheme Application forms and guidance are available from the Customer Service Centre, Bromley Civic Centre, Stockwell Close, Bromley BR1 3UH, email [email protected] or by telephone on 020 8313 7629. The Customer Service Centre administers the scheme on behalf of Adult and Community Services and will issue a badge:
• If you meet the criteria for an automatic badge according to the regulations issued by the Government’s Department of Environment, Transport & Regions (DETR), or
• The applicant is approved following an
assessment by the Occupational Therapist, based at Lewis House
There is a fee of £2 for issuing the badge. To find out if you qualify for a badge, contact the Council’s Customer Service Centre and ask for an application form, or you can pick up an application pack from borough libraries.
Customer Service Centre, Bromley Civic Centre Stockwell Close, Bromley BR1 3UH
Telephone 020 8313 7629 email [email protected]. 8
www.bromley.gov.uk Help with Parking – the Blue Badge Scheme You can find more information and download application forms from the Council’s website http://www.bromley.gov.uk/ Transport and Street Services/Parking pages. See also the DETR website www.mobility-unit.dft.gov.uk/#concessions
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www.bromley.gov.uk Information and Advice for People with Mental Health Needs Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, working with Health and Adult and Community Services and voluntary organisations in Bromley, also publishes a comprehensive Directory of Mental Health Services which covers: • Accommodation • Advice including Benefits advice and advocacy
services • Counselling • Drop-in services • Helplines • Local support groups and services • Newsletters • Referrals to other organisations • Self-help • Training.
Copies are available from local Community Mental Health teams. We recommend that you use the Oxleas Directory of Mental Health Services together with this guide, if you are looking for information about help available to support a person with mental health needs living in Bromley. Help for those who are suicidal and despairing is available 24 hours a day from the Samaritans Telephone: 01689 833000.
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www.bromley.gov.uk Arranging Personal or Domestic Care We hope that this guide will be useful to people who are not eligible for our help, and who want to make private arrangements for personal or domestic care. Help with domestic or personal care at home is available from a range of independent agencies. The Care Standards Act 2000 requires all home care agencies that offer personal care such as assistance with washing, dressing, toileting or bathing to be registered and regularly inspected. The Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) assesses the quality of care provided by all of the homes and care services for older people and younger adults throughout England, as listed below: • Care homes • Care homes providing nursing care • Care homes for younger adults • Adult placement schemes • Domiciliary care agencies • Nurse Agencies
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www.bromley.gov.uk Arranging Personal or Domestic Care
CSCI has been set up as a single, independent authority to ensure consistent quality of service and to improve the level of protection for vulnerable people. You can get copies of inspection reports on Home Care Agencies, which meet the National Minimum Standards for Domiciliary Care from the Commission for Social Care Inspection. The telephone number of the local office of the Commission for Social Care Inspection, covering agencies in Bromley, Bexley and Greenwich is 020 8308 3520. Copies of inspection reports of registered care providers within Bromley can also be seen on the CSCI website www.csci.org.uk
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www.bromley.gov.uk Age Concern Care Brokerage Service Bromley Council funds a Care Brokerage scheme with Age Concern which is a preventative service aimed at helping older people maintain their independence and community involvement, by assisting those older people who need help to arrange their own personal care service. Age Concern Care Brokerage Service is available to older people aged over 65 , resident in the London Borough of Bromley who would not be eligible to receive services provided and funded by the Council and who can afford to pay for their care themselves. The brokerage service will carry out an assessment of need, provide information, advice and where appropriate, arrange services and support older people throughout service planning and delivery of the care required. Age Concern staff can also provide welfare benefit checks and assist people claim benefits which can help pay for the services they arrange. They will carry out regular reviews to ensure that the care provided is still required and meets the agreed outcomes of the care support plan. They will monitor the older people supported by the brokerage scheme and refer them back to the council when their needs increase to the point that they would be eligible for social care services funded by Bromley Council.
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www.bromley.gov.uk Referrals to the service can be made through Bromley Social Services Direct, other health and social care staff and local voluntary organisations or can be made direct by telephone to Age Concern Bromley on 0208 315 1850. Age Concern Foot care Service – CLIP IT Age Concern has also introduced a simple nail cutting service for older people who are unable to bend to cut their own nails but who do not have health care needs which require specialist treatment provided by NHS foot care services. The cost is £16.00 for first appointment ( which includes the purchase of a personal set of instruments) and £8 for follow-up appointments. If you are taking steroids, or have ischemia, are immuno suppressed, have a circulatory disorder or ingrown toenails you will need to see a podiatrist which Age Concern can arrange at additional cost. For more information or to book an appointment please telephone 0208 851 2707.
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www.bromley.gov.uk What to look for in a Home Care Agency? Price The price per hour for the care you receive will vary depending upon the time taken to perform the task/s you want the carer to do. You should expect to pay more for personal care services such as help with washing or bathing than domestic tasks like shopping, housework and laundry. The cost per hour will also vary depending upon what time of day or night service is required, and you will pay more per hour for weekend or Bank Holiday care. What to look for in a Home Care Agency? Some agencies will not visit for less than half an hour or charge extra for short visits. Make sure that you know exactly what you would be charged for the help you want. Before you book an agency to do any work for you, ask for a list of prices so that you can compare the cost with other agencies in your area. As a private buyer you may have to pay VAT, so check whether the price you have been quoted includes this. Most agencies send a monthly invoice requesting payment, but check in advance what payment arrangements each agency has for its private customers. 15
www.bromley.gov.uk Quality of Care You will want to be satisfied with the quality of the service you will receive from an agency. All registered agencies should have a statement of qualities and standards that you can expect from them, which you can ask to be sent to you. Do ask the agency how they recruit and train their staff, whether they always take up references. All staff should be trained to carry out the tasks you ask of them. Under the terms of the Data Protection Act 1998, any personal information you give to an agency or their employees must be kept securely. You can ask how the agency ensures confidentiality of information about its service users. What to look for in a Home Care Agency? You should ask for a copy of the agency’s complaints procedure before you book a service from them. Health & Safety All staff employed by agencies should have a basic understanding of health and safety issues including the lifting and handling of both people and goods. The agency should let you know what staff can and cannot move. The agency will need to visit your home to
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www.bromley.gov.uk complete a health and safety check so that they can assess any risks for you and for their staff. Meeting Your Needs When you are buying care services yourself, it is up to you to tell the agency the priority and timing of the tasks you would like them to do for you. Ask if they can meet your needs and discuss how long they think it would take to carry out the tasks you want them to do in your home. Remember that health and safety legislation imposes limits on the services the agency can offer. The agency should explain this to you if it has to place restrictions on the way it meets your need for care. You can ask for a carer of your own sex to help you with intimate personal care such as washing, dressing or bathing. You can ask for someone who speaks your own language, or has an understanding of your culture or religion. All agencies should have comprehensive equal opportunities policies which state how you and your carers can expect to be treated, particularly in terms of gender, race, religion, sexuality, disability etc.
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www.bromley.gov.uk Insurance The law requires agencies to have third party insurance for its staff, so that you can make a claim in situations where you believe them to have been negligent, for example, if they have broken or damaged your property while working in your home. If someone is going to be working in your home regularly, it may be advisable for you to have insurance to cover this. If you already have household insurance, you may want to discuss this with your insurers. If you don’t have insurance, the Association of British Insurers can give you the names of reputable companies that it has registered Tel: 020 7600 3333. Arranging Personal or Domestic Care Contract All agencies we work with have experience of working with private customers and should have a standard contract, which clearly sets out the service it is going to provide for you and the terms and conditions. The agreement should be easy to understand: before you sign it, make sure that you ask questions about anything that is not clear to you. You can also contact the Citizens Advice Bureau for advice.
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www.bromley.gov.uk The information in this guide cannot cover all the agencies and groups available locally and you will be able to find details of other agencies or support organisations in your local Yellow Pages, listed under,
• Nursing agencies and care agencies • Disability –Information and Services • Charitable and voluntary organisations • Information Services
and in Thomson Local under, • Local Area Guide Helplines • Nursing Agencies, • independent care providers.
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www.bromley.gov.uk List of Bromley Agencies The Commission for Social Care Inspection is responsible for ensuring that agencies providing personal care deliver a safe reliable service, which meets the National Minimum Standards of the Care Standards Act 2000. The following list contains details of registered agencies providing services within the Bromley area. √ Indicates agencies working under contract to Bromley Council. You should ask for any inspection reports that are available before making private arrangements for home care services with any of the agencies listed. You can also check the Commission for Social Care Inspection Web Services Directory for latest information by visiting: www.csci.org.uk Bromley Council cannot be held responsible for or accept any liability for any loss, damage or injury arising from any private contract made by any individual with any of the providers listed here.
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Agency Address Manager Tel No.
AG Care √
183 Torridon Road London SE 6 1RG
Mrs H Jones
020 8695 0044 Fax:0208 695 1515
Amazing Care and Nursing Agency
Burnhill Business Centre, Provident House Burrell Row, Beckenham BR3 1AT
Mrs V Amodu
020 8249 6544 Fax: 020 8249 6547
Bromley Mind MINDcare √ (Specialist dementia service providing home support and day care)
20b Hayne Road BeckenhamKent BR3 4HY
Mrs C Easton
0208663 0499
Fax: 020 8650 8372
Bridges Healthcare Ltd
Suite 9 71 –75 High Street ChislehurstKent BR7 5AG
Ms S Clements
020 8468 7888 Fax: 020 8468 7444
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Agency Address Manager Tel No. Care UK Community Care Services √
39 Bellegrove Road Welling Kent DA16 3 PB
Miss Georgina Stocker
020 8298 9148/9Fax: 020 8303 4801
Carewatch Bromley √
1 Roberts Mews High Street Orpington BR6 0JP
Mr N Cheung
020 8663 2538 Fax: 020 8663 2539
Community Options Ltd (Specialist enabling service supporting adults with mental health needs)
40a Napier Road Bromley BR2 9JA
Vacant
020 8313 9725 Fax: 020 8313 9703
D R C Home Care Services
177 Beckenham Rd Beckenham Kent BR3 4PT
Mrs Grace Odaki-Olam
020 8658 6191
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Douglas Care & Domestic Services (Recruitment Agency providing domiciliary care workers on contract)
The Lodge 243 High Street Bromley Kent BR1 1JF
Mrs S Freeman
020 8460 0034 Fax: 020 8313 0312
Goldsborough Homecare √
1st Floor Garrard House 2-6 Homesdale Road Bromley BR2 9LZ
Ms D Beadell
020 8466 7999 Fax: 020 8466 8452
Kent Care at Home (Leonard Cheshire) (Out of borough but providing services to Bromley residents)
Powerhub Business Centre St Peters Street Maidstone Kent ME15 0ST
Mrs A Carroll
01622 670065
Kentish Nursing & Homecare Agency
9 Kelsey Park Road, Beckenham Kent BR3 6LH
Mrs C Timmins
020 8658 4455 Fax: 020 8658 4245
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Agency Address Manager Tel No. Keratome √
21 27 Upper Wickham Lane Welling Kent DA16 3AB
Jan Errington
020 8301 9240 Fax: 020 8304 3926
Mackley Home Care Ltd √
Mackley House Oakley Road Bromley BR2 8HG
Mrs A Schorfield
020 8289 2817 Fax: 020 8249 2417
Medichoice Healthcare√
Premier House 4 Cobden Court Wimple Street Bromley BR2 9JF
Vacant
020 8466 5440 Fax: 0208 460 6344
Nightingale Homecare
19 Sundridge Avenue Bromley Kent BR1 2PU
Mrs P Stennett
020 8466 9664Fax: 0208 464 3683
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Agency Address Manager Tel No. Prestige Nursing Ltd √
Branch Office 1st Floor, Leo House Railway Approach Wallington Surrey SM6 0JJ
Donna Carroll
020 8773 9928
Redspot Homecare Ltd √ (Head office in Redbridge registered with CSCI)
34 Catford Hill Catford London SE 6 7JF
Mr E Kureya
020 8690 7371 Fax: 020 8676 9213 020 8518 4166
Surecare Bromley √
50b Chatterton Road Bromley BR2 9QE
Miss S Fielder
020 8464 9088 Fax: 020 8464 2981
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Specialist Agencies Providing Live-in Carers within Bromley Agency Address Manager Tel No.
Agincare Ltd (Live-in Service)
2nd Floor 7/7a Salisbury Street, Blandford DT11 7AU
Denise Chrippes
01258 489490 Fax: 01258 480115
Alters Recruitment Ltd
20 Church Street Stratford London E15 3HX
Violet Mariyacha
020 8279 1515 Fax: 020 8279 1533
Douglas Care
The Lodge 243 High St Bromley Kent BR1 1NZ
Mrs S Freeman
020 8460 0034 Fax: 020 8313 0312
European Nursing Agency
Unit 2c Smallford Works Smallford Lane St Albans AL4 0SA
Lynn Joyce
01727 825000 Fax: 01727 825005
Continued on next page
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Specialist Agencies Providing Live-in Carers within Bromley
Medichoice Healthcare
West Hill House West Hill Dartford DA1 2EU
John Lockwood
01322 311311 Fax: 03122 394944
Prospect Tree Health Care Services
Unit 28 Battersea Business Centre 99 -109 Lavender Hill London SW11 5QF
Dr Oge
020 7978 7768 Fax: 020 7978 7706
www.bromley.gov.uk Arranging Personal or Domestic Care Remember to check
Is the agency registered under the Care Standards Act 2000?
Compare agency prices for the help you want
Quality standards – ask for copies of inspection reports if you want personal care
Can the agency provide the care you want safely?
Does the agency understand your needs?
Be sure that you are happy with the contract before you sign it.
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www.bromley.gov.uk Bromley Carelink Alarm Service Many people who live on their own, especially those who are frail or disabled, may worry about what might happen to them if they were to have an accident or suddenly need help at home. Bromley Council offers an alarm service called Carelink, which gives you the freedom to live independently but also the security of knowing that you can always get help when you need it. For a small weekly charge, Carelink staff are available to respond to your call 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. The alarm unit is installed underneath your telephone and supplied with an alarm trigger, which can be worn around your neck or carried with you in your home. It is very simple to install a Carelink alarm but you do need a modern plug-in phone socket and a 3-pin mains power socket within 2.70 metres (9 feet) reach of the telephone point. For more information, please telephone Carelink on 020 8466 0046 and ask for our leaflet, “Bromley Carelink Alarm Service – Peace of Mind at the Push of a Button”.
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www.bromley.gov.uk Looking for a Care Home If you want to look for a care home for yourself or a relative or friend, whether for a long or a short stay, and don’t know how to go about it, the Government has published very useful advice on all aspects of finding, choosing, arranging and paying for a care home on its public services website www.direct.gov.uk. This is a very good place to start finding out about your rights and the choices open to you. Bromley Council also publishes a booklet containing advice about choosing a care home and a list of care homes in the borough, which are registered by the Commission for Social Care Inspection. Please ask for a copy of the Bromley Adult Care Services Guide, available from Adult and Community Services Area offices, Bromley Central Reference Library and Bromley Social Services Direct at Bromley Civic Centre. It is also available online on the Care Homes page on our website www.bromley.gov.uk
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www.bromley.gov.uk Counsel and Care, an independent charity, also publishes the Brief Care Home Guide and the Complete Care Home Guide which are very useful introductions to choosing, paying for and living in a care home. You can get them from: Counsel and Care Twyman House, 16 Bonny Street London NW1 9PG Advice line: 0845 300 7585 Email: [email protected] Website: www.counselandcare.org.uk
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www.bromley.gov.uk Coping with Disability - Equipment to help you stay independent In Bromley there are several suppliers of disability equipment, which can help you to cope independently with the routines of daily living. You can buy all kinds of gadgets and items of equipment to help you do everyday tasks which you may find difficult, e.g. turning on taps, preparing and eating food, getting dressed or getting in and out of the bath. Advice & Information Many suppliers offer the opportunity to try out equipment before you buy, but you may find it more helpful to make an appointment to visit the Independent Living Centre at Lewis House first. Here you can get impartial free professional advice about suitable equipment or adaptations, and the opportunity to try out useful tools and equipment, so that if you do decide to buy disability equipment independently, you will know what to get. Continued on next page 32
www.bromley.gov.uk Coping with Disability - Equipment to help you stay independent The Independent Living Centre Lewis House 30 Beckenham Road Beckenham, Kent BR3 4LS Telephone: 020 8663 6143 E-mail: [email protected] to arrange to visit the centre or to make an appointment to be assessed by the State Registered Occupational Therapist. Please note:
All assessments at Lewis House are by appointment only
Transport can be arranged if you have difficulty travelling to the centre but a charge may be made for this service.
You can also get advice on suppliers and equipment for specific problems from the Disability Living Foundation telephone helpline, Telephone: 0845 130 9177 Mon – Friday 10am – 4pm Textphone: 0207 432 8009. Continued on next page/ 33
www.bromley.gov.uk Local Suppliers of Disability Equipment Cavell Homecare Services Kent Mobility 13 Station Approach Mobility Sales & Showroom Hayes Unit 6, Sanderson Way Bromley Tonbridge BR2 7EQ Kent, TN9 1QG Tel: 020 8462 8900 Tel: 01732 770 998 www.cavellhomecare.co.uk www.kentmobility.co.uk Neve Mobility Charterwood Mobility 122 High Street 145 Station Road West Wickham Sidcup BR4 0LZ 020 8302 1066 Tel: 020 8777 8866 www.charterwood.co.uk Macks Pharmacy Mobility Care Direct 165 High Street 8 Chesterfield Drive Penge Dartford London DA1 3DB SE20 7DS 0800 298 2511 Tel: 020 8778 5307 www.mobilityuk.net Macks Pharmacy Care Providers Shop 2 Eden Park Avenue 169 Shirley Road Beckenham Croydon BR3 3HN 020 8656 4627 Tel: 020 8650 0087 www.care-providers.co.uk
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www.bromley.gov.uk Coping with Disability - Equipment to help you stay independent Mail Order Companies Ways and Means (Nottingham Rehab Supplies) Findel House Excelsior Road Ashby Park Ashby de la Zouch Leicestershire LE65 1NG Telephone: 0845 6060911 Email: [email protected] Homecraft Ability One PO Box 5665 Kirkby in Ashfield Nottingham, NG17 7QX Telephone: 01623 757955 www.homecraftabilityone.com Keep Able Mail Order Telephone: 08705 20 21 22 for a catalogue or contact via website www.keepable.co.uk or email: [email protected] Please note that the London Borough of Bromley does not recommend any particular company in preference to another and is unable to reimburse you for equipment that you have bought privately. 35
www.bromley.gov.uk Coping with Disability - Equipment to help you stay independent Medical Loan Services Local branches of the British Red Cross in Bromley can offer short-term loan of wheelchairs, and bed cradles: Beckenham Centre 45 Beckenham Road Beckenham BR3 4PR Telephone: 020 8650 4964 Chislehurst Centre Hornbrook House High Street, Chislehurst BR7 5AB Telephone: 0208 467 2363
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www.bromley.gov.uk
Coping with Disability - Equipment to help you stay independent Before you purchase expensive items of mobility equipment you may find it useful to follow this advice, which is taken from “Think Twice– Trading Standards Advice for Older Consumers
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Advertisements for mobility goods, lifter chairs, stair lifts and mobility scooters must display the price fully inclusive of VAT where VAT is chargeable
Ask for details of at least two previous customers before you choose to purchase any mobility goods. Contact the customers to discuss the service and the reliability of the goods and the company.
The goods must do what they are advertised to do. If they do not perform as they were described to you, contact the company straight away to complain. Give as much detail as possible as to why you are complaining and what you expected from the product.
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If the product has been falsely described, for example, the mobility scooter will not go up the kerb as described in the sales literature, contact Bromley Council’s Trading Standards department for further advice.
Ask about any possible future “trade-ins” after the product has outlived its use
Do you have to use any approved supplier of replacement parts?
Does the company charge for delivery and installation?
Shopping Services The major local supermarket chains offer internet shopping services via a computer or digital television, which include delivery within a specified 2hour time slot.
www.bromley.gov.uk
Sainsburys to You Tesco Waitrose Log on to www.sainsburystoyou.co.uk or telephone Customer Care Team on 0845 301 2020 Mon to Fri 8am to 10.30pm Sat 8am to 9pm Sun 10am to 6pm to register and check that they can deliver to your home address. £5 delivery charge, payment by credit or debit card. Minimum order £25
Log on to www.tesco.com to register. Home delivery charge varies from £3.99 to £5.99 regardless of the size of your order. The charge is confirmed when you book your delivery slot. Payment by most credit or debit cards except Visa Electron. Customer Service Tel: 08457 225533
Log on to www.ocado.com to register. £5 home delivery charge, minimum order £25 excluding delivery charge. Delivery free for orders of more than £75. Payment by most credit or debit cards except American Express. Customer Helpline 0845 399 1122 Mon – Sat 8am to 11pm Sun 12 to 8pm
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www.bromley.gov.uk
Iceland Iceland stores offer a home delivery service, which may assist those who experience difficulties carrying heavy shopping:
If you can get to the store to shop for yourself but cannot carry the shopping home, Iceland will deliver it to your home free of charge if you spend £25.00 or more. Service subject to availability. You will need a Home Delivery card – ask for one at you local store – Petts Wood, Orpington, West Wickham and Hayes.
Log on to www.iceland.co.uk for more details or telephone: Customer Care Team 01244 842842 (national call rates apply).
Wheelchair trolleys available in store
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www.bromley.gov.uk Shopping Services Shopmobility There are Shopmobility schemes at two locations in the borough to help people with limited mobility to shop. Electric or manual wheelchairs and electric scooters are available free of charge to help you get around the shops but it is advisable to pre-book at busy times of the year or at weekends, to ensure that the equipment you need is available when you want to shop. Bromley Shopmobility (The Glades and Bromley High Street) Telephone: 020 8313 0031 Monday to Saturday 8.30am to 5.30pm Sunday 9.00am to 4.00pm Orpington Shopmobility (The Walnuts and Orpington High Street) Telephone: 01689 873796 Monday to Saturday 9.00am to 4.00pm
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www.bromley.gov.uk Jobs around the Home You can get details of approved TrustMark trades people such as builders, roofers, plumbers, painters and electricians from the website www.trustmark.org.uk Trustmark is a scheme supported by the Government, consumer groups and the building industry to help you find reputable firms to do repair, maintenance or improvement work in your home or garden. It covers approved trades organisations and approved scheme operators which have firms covering the following trades: Conservatory companies Damp-proofing Drainage contractors Electricians Fencing contractors General builders Glaziers Heating engineers Kitchen and bathroom installers Painters and decorators Plumbers Roofers Timber treatment companies. You can download a leaflet for homeowners about the Trustmark scheme or a video introduction from the website.
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www.bromley.gov.uk Jobs around the Home Advice sheets on ”Getting Advice on the web or over the phone” and “Making a Complaint” are also available. For older people, Age Concern Bromley has a Repair & Care Service, which is a register of vetted trades people who will undertake home maintenance work at reasonable commercial rates. For people on low incomes who cannot afford to pay for work to be done, Age Concern has a team of volunteers with DIY skills who will assist older people with small jobs around the home. See the Age Concern Guide to Services for Older People, “Making More of Life” for more information or telephone 0208 315 1850.
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www.bromley.gov.uk Getting Around - Transport London Dial–a-Ride (Orpington) provides pre-booked door-to-door transport for people with disabilities who cannot use public transport. To register as a user, contact them at: Unit 2, Lagoon Road, St Mary Cray, Orpington,BR5 3QX Telephone: 01689 896333 BATH (Bromley Association of People with Disabilities) offers a Community Transport service for people with disabilities. Contact them at Lewis House on Telephone: 020 8663 6286. Taxicard The London Borough of Bromley participates in the London Taxicard scheme, which provides disabled residents with subsidised journeys in accessible taxis. Telephone: 020 7484 2929 for more information about Taxicard. Website: www.tfl.gov.uk/pco/php_taxicard.shtml 44
www.bromley.gov.uk Keeping Warm –where to get advice If you are worried about the cost of heating your home and need advice about energy efficient heating systems or insulation, you may find the following contacts useful: EEAC Energy Efficiency Advice Centres Telephone: 0800 512012 Energy Efficiency Advice Centres provide advice on energy matters including how to obtain grants such as, • The Government’s Warm Front scheme • Low cost or no cost schemes run by local
councils • Low or no cost schemes run by fuel companies
Energywatch Telephone: 0845 906 0708 Energywatch is an independent watchdog set up by the Utilities Act 2000 to look after the interests of gas and electricity consumers. It can provide advice on:
• Fuel debts, what to do if you have been disconnected or are threatened with disconnection
• How to change suppliers • Mis-selling by fuel suppliers • Complaints regarding fuel suppliers • Bill nominee scheme if someone else pays your
bills for you and helps you with your finances • Meter reading every quarter to ensure your fuel
bills are accurate. 45
www.bromley.gov.uk Keeping Warm –where to get advice For anyone worried about paying their next fuel bill the Home Heat helpline can give free and confidential advice on how to be energy efficient, entitlement to extra grants and benefits and cheaper ways of paying for your electricity and gas.
Tel: 0800 33 66 99 www.homeheathelpline.org
Priority Register If your health would be at risk from interruption in the gas or electricity supply because you are of pensionable age, disabled or chronically sick you may want to apply to be included on the Priority Register of vulnerable households, kept by each fuel company. Having your name on the register entitles you to:
• Advance notice if electricity supply is to be disrupted
• Special help if gas supply is interrupted • Password scheme • Free annual safety check if all adults in the
household are eligible for the priority register – please note that this is a safety check only, not a service or repair visit.
To apply for your name to be placed on the Priority register please contact the fuel supplier using the address and telephone numbers shown on your bill. 46
www.bromley.gov.uk Consumer Advice If you have a problem with goods or services that you have purchased, you can contact Consumer Direct, which is a one number service for consumer advice covering all the London boroughs. Tel: 0854 04 05 06 Website: www.consumerdirect.gov.uk Queries requiring further investigation or involving vulnerable residents will be passed on to Bromley Council’s Trading Standards Department for specialist help. Doorstep sellers, rogue traders and other bogus callers may try to target vulnerable older people and people with disabilities. You can protect yourself from theft or exploitation by taking the following precautions:
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www.bromley.gov.uk
Take care before opening the door to anyone. Stop and think. Am I expecting them?
Fit a security chain or door bar and use it every time you open the door
Always ask for identification and do not let the caller into your house until you have checked their identity by ringing their employer – use the telephone directory to check any number the caller gives you, as this may not be a genuine telephone number
Do not agree to anyone carrying out work in your house until you can get a second opinion from a reputable tradesperson to confirm that the work is necessary
Do not agree to any work if the caller tries to pressure you into a decision by saying they are only working in your area today
Never keep large sums of money in the house and keep purses and wallets out of sight, not near the front door.
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www.bromley.gov.uk Safeguarding Your Home You can also get free security advice from your local Police Crime Reduction Officer: Telephone: 020 8284 8081 for Orpington, St Mary Cray and Biggin Hill 020 8284 8934 for Penge, Anerley and Beckenham 020 8284 8889 for Bromley, Chislehurst and Mottingham
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www.bromley.gov.uk Welfare Rights Advice For people aged 60 years or above the local office of The Pension Service (part of the Department for Work and Pensions) can offer the following services: Telephone Enquiries The number to contact for queries relating to State Retirement pension or Pension Credit is 0845 60 60 265 Home Visits Please contact the Pension Service office in Bromley on: 020 8271 5273 or 5274 or 5277 to arrange a home visit if you would like
o a full benefit check to ensure that you are not missing out on claiming entitlement to Pension Credit, Attendance Allowance, Council tax benefit etc.
o to receive help with the completion of application forms
o to have your documents verified to save you sending them to the Pension Centre, or
o to receive advice to direct you to other services you may need
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www.bromley.gov.uk Welfare Rights Advice There are three Citizens Advice Bureaux (CAB) in Bromley, all of which offer benefits advice. CAB – Beckenham and Penge 20 Snowdown Close, Penge, London SE20 7RU Telephone: 020 8778 0921 Tuesday to Friday 10.00am to 2.00pm Open to personal callers on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays 10.00am to 1.00pm and on Tuesday evenings from 4.00pm to 7.00pm for carers and workers.
CAB – Bromley Community House South Street Bromley BR1 1RH Telephone; 020 8315 1940 Monday to Friday 10.00 am to 12.00pm and from 2.00pm to 4.00pm. Open to personal callers Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 10.00am to 2.00pm and on Saturdays from 10.00 to 12.00pm Appointment only on Tues and Thurs.
CAB – Orpington 309a High Street Orpington, Kent BR6 0NN Telephone: 01689 827732 or 01689 874185 10am to 4pm weekdays Open to personal callers Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays 10.00 to 4.00pm. Appointment only on Thursdays
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www.bromley.gov.uk Welfare Rights Advice Age Concern Bromley Information and Advice Service Telephone: 020 8315 1850 Email: [email protected] Website: www.acbromley.org.uk Carers Bromley Freephone Helpline: 0800 015 7700 Email: [email protected] Website: www.carersbromley.org.uk Advice and Information from Voluntary Organisations You can get advice and information about a wide range of local organisations from Community Links, which supports voluntary activities and voluntary organisations throughout the borough. For more information, contact: Community Links Community House South Street Bromley Br1 1RH Telephone: 0208 315 1905 Office Hours: Mon – Thurs 9.00am – 5.00pm Friday 9.00am – 4.30pm See also the Council’s website www.bromley.gov.uk for a full list of Advice and Local Support groups.
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www.bromley.gov.uk Local Groups offering information, advice and support Age Concern, Bromley Tel: 020 8315 1850 Alzheimer’s Society Tel: 020 8460 9245 BATH (Bromley Association of People with Disabilities) Tel & Minicom: 020 8663 3345 Bromley Ablement (confidential counselling service for adults with a physical disability or sensory impairment) Tel: 020 8663 3203 (Minicom available) Bromley Advocacy Alliance (covers Disability Advocacy Service, Continuing Care Advocacy Service on health and care issues, Elders Choice Community and Care homes Advocacy Service, Financial Advocacy Services and Speaking Out – a service for those with limited mobility helping them to speak as a group on a range of issues affecting their lives) Tel: 020 8460 6712 Bromley Advice & Information Service (Substance misuse, particularly opiate and poly drugs misuse) Tel: 020 8313 9696 Bromley Alcohol Service Tel: 020 8663 6883 Bromley Community Drug Project Tel: 020 8289 1999 Bromley Mencap Tel:020 8466 0790 53
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Bromley MIND (Services for adults with mental health needs) Tel:01689 811222 Bromley Racial Equality Council (BREC) Tel: 020 8776 8838 Carers Bromley Freephone: 0800 0157700 Community Links Tel: 020 8315 1905 Deaf Access Tel: 020 8315 2550 Minicom & Text: 020 8315 2552 SMS No: 07732 448 349 Fax: 020 8315 2554 Kent Association for the Blind (KAB) Tel: 020 8461 7397 Lewis House Occupational Therapy Service Tel: 020 8663 6143 What if my needs change? You may have been given this leaflet because you do not meet Bromley Council’s eligibility criteria for adult social care services. If your needs change or increase such that you need help to maintain your safety or support to live at home, please contact us again to tell us about the difficulties you are experiencing. We will give you information and advice and if we think that you may now qualify for help, we will carry out an assessment of your needs.
www.bromley.gov.uk You can find out more about how you can get help from Adult and Community Services from the Council website www.bromley.gov.uk or from our leaflet “Can You Get Help from Social Services?” available from Adult and Community Services area offices. How to Contact Us Bromley Council has a direct telephone line for people contacting Adult and Community Services for the first time or seeking information about the adult social care services we can offer - Bromley Social Services. Further details can be found on our website www.bromley.gov.uk. Phone 0208 461 7777 or Minicom 0208 464 7350 to contact Bromley Social Services If you are in a local hospital, you can contact the Social Work team, which is based at the Princess Royal University Hospital, for advice. The ward staff can give you details. If you want to write to us you can do so by email at [email protected] or to Bromley Social Services Civic Centre Stockwell Close
55Bromley BR1 3UH.
www.bromley.gov.uk Complaints If you are unhappy with the Council’s decision not to offer adult social care, you can use the Council’s Complaints procedure to register your objections. Please ask at area offices for our leaflets ” Information for Customers ” and “Getting It Right” which give full details of how to make comments, compliments or complaints about Adult and Community Services. Comments We welcome your comments on this guide and would be pleased to hear from you on how we might improve future editions. Please let us know what you think by writing to: Quality Assurance Officer Care Services Division Adult and Community Services London Borough of Bromley The Walnuts High Street Orpington, Kent. BR6 0UN October 2007
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