We know how important it is for you (and our staff) to have your care delivered by the same small team of people and we will always do our very best to provide this. However there will be times when due to staff holidays, sickness or some other reason not in our control it may not always be possible. In these cases we will inform you of any changes in advance.
Home Care FAQ
If you are unsure if Home care is the right service for you, check out our frequently asked questions below. If you are still unsure, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
How long are your care visits?
Our visits can be as often and for any length of time you require, starting from as little as half an hour. Some people might need help several times during the day while others may only just need a shopping visit once a week. We work around what you need.
What hours do care staff work?
Visits can be booked anytime during the hours of 7.00 am until 10.00 pm every day of the year, including bank holidays. Our care staff teams usually work shifts within these times. In addition to visits during these times, we can offer night-time assistance, 24 hour round the clock care and Live-In Care. We can even go on holiday with you and recently one of our care staff accompanied a client on their dream trip to New York.
Can you provide help during the night?
We can usually make arrangements for help during the night, but this does depend on staff availability. A night shift is a solid block of time from 10.00pm at night until 7.00am the following morning. Contact your nearest office to find out more.
How do i book care?
Simply call your nearest Candlelight branch. You can either do this yourself or ask a friend or family member to do it on your behalf. We will be happy to answer any immediate questions and tell you more about the ways we can help. If you are happy with what you hear, the next step will be to arrange for one of our managers to visit you in your own home. This visit is often called an initial assessment and is normally free of charge. It does not put you under any obligation to buy services from us.
When can my care start?
Can your staff take me to appointments?
Yes, this is one of our most requested services. We can arrange for someone to accompany you to medical visits, social visits or just to go to the hairdresser or personal shopping etc.
Can I cancel my care if I need to?
Yes of course you can.
- You can cancel your service at any time during the statutory cooling off period which runs for 14 days following the date of signing your client agreement with us.
- If you no longer require the service or want to suspend it for a period of time you can do this by giving us at least 7 days notice in writing.
- If you need to cancel an individual visit we just ask for 48 hours notice wherever possible, otherwise we may have to make a charge for this visit.
How do I pay my bill?
We ask that people pay by direct debit wherever possible (although we can also accept cash, cheque, BACS, or internet banking) and you will be asked to complete a direct debit form at the time you sign the client agreement.
What training do your staff have?
We value our care staff and we place a very high importance on training and communication. We invest heavily in this to ensure our care staff have the skills and knowledge to enable you to get the best out of your service. We have an excellent internal training department to deliver our courses and all our new staff have a full induction course followed by shadow training before they are allowed to visit you in your home.
Are your staff thoroughly checked?
Yes, your security is very important to us. Our recruitment process is very thorough and the qualifications and employment history of applicants are always verified and references taken up. We check the background of all our staff through the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly called the Criminal Records Bureau) plus proof of their identity and right to work in UK.
Where can i leave compliments or complaints?
We welcome views from our clients and their families about our service as these give us an insight into what we are doing well and where we need to make improvements. So if you are pleased with something we are doing right then please tell us. Likewise if you are not pleased then tell us this as well.
When we receive written compliments about specific care staff we make sure these are passed on to them and this is always very much appreciated. We believe feedback can help us grow, so we share and learn from your feedback.
Should you wish to make a comment or complaint about any part of our service, in the first instance you or your representative should contact the Registered Manager at your local Candlelight branch. This can be done in person, over the telephone or by letter or email.
Every effort will be made to resolve the complaint and a full response provided back to you within fifteen working days.By law we are required to have a complaints procedure that you can ask to see. This will give you full details of how to make a complaint.
If you are not happy with the final outcome you can contact the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO), who provide free,independent advice. Phone: 0300 0610614 or email: [email protected]
Do you supply Telecare alarms or other equipment?
No, we are not able to supply these ourselves, however we are associated with a company called Aster Living who would be able to advise you about their wide range of Assistive Living services. They are recognised and accredited by the Telecare Services Association.
Care in your area
We have branches across the south of England. Find out more about each one, view CQC reports and get contact information by clicking the locations listed in this section. If you need more information please contact us.