What is Reablement?

Reablement is planned, short term and intensive support

Reablement focuses on helping an individual gain independence and better functioning rather than resolving their healthcare issues.

Reablement is not about ‘getting rid’ of home care; it is about supporting people to achieve outcomes relevant to their situation and to live as independently as possible.

Aim

To engage, encourage and motivate service users to achieve their maximum level of independence through a personalised Reablement plan which is agreed in partnership with colleagues from Adult Social Care and local NHS hospitals and Community Health Services.

What is Reablement?

Reablement is about minimising your need for care after a crisis. We help adults gain back their independence after an illness or accident. It is usually delivered over a six week program that provides short term support to help you learn new ways of doing things and regain your confidence. A successful reablement program will mean you do not need as much help as you may have first thought. As you improve and your needs change the amount and type of support you get will be reduced to suit how much more independent you are becoming.

A welcome back home is our hospital discharge service suitable for adults who want to return home after an operation or treatment, but who will require additional support in the short term.

Reablement Support will be provided within these areas:

• Relearning personal care tasks, such as dressing, washing, toileting, bathing, shaving, care of hair, hands and feet, dressing and undressing.
• Relearning domestic tasks, such as cooking, cleaning, laundry, empty and cleaning commodes.
• Rebuilding confidence at all stages of the Reablement programme.
• Mobility training – as part of an exercise plan.
• Maintaining and rebuilding social care contacts with family, friends and community
• Rebuilding confidence at all stages of the Reablement programme.
• Mobility training- as part of an exercise plan.
• Utilising exercise plans, aids, adaptations and assistive technology that promotes independence
• Our staff team will make sure you have essentials after arriving home
• Support with hospital outpatients (OPA) appointments.

What happens as a result of reablement?

Reducing the need for ongoing support is the most widely reported outcome and is central to the ‘invest to save’ argument underpinning reablement.

Research suggests that following reablement people’s need for social care services is reduced by 60 per cent compared to if they had used conventional home care.

Other results show that up to 63 per cent of reablement users no longer need the service after six to 12 weeks, and that 26 per cent had a reduced requirement for home care hours.

Some studies show lasting benefit: for example, in one study 85.5 per cent of people no longer required a service up to 12 months after the end of the reablement service. This compares with 57 per cent of people who had used conventional home care.

Reablement also significantly improves people’s wellbeing, particularly in terms of restoring their ability to perform usual activities and increasing their perceived quality of life.