October 18, 2018 3.18 pm This story is over 65 months old

Martin Hill: Providing top quality care for those in need

Read the latest column from Lincolnshire County Council leader Martin Hill
Leader of Lincolnshire County Council Councillor Martin Hill

It’s great that we are living longer and this fact should be celebrated along with the advances in medicine that help us to live longer.

However, how we are looked after as we age is generally something we don’t want to think about.

Living longer means that more of us will need looking after, especially if we become frail or find ourselves suffering from a long-term medical condition.

Many of us automatically assume that when we talk about care for older people we mean living in care or residential homes.

However, in the 21st century, more residents are being looked after in their own homes to help them remain as independent as possible for as long as possible.

We do this through home care – practical help delivered alongside personal care. This includes helping people get washed and dressed as well as assisting them to take medication. This help is personally tailored to the needs of the individual.

It is fair to say that looking after vulnerable people in the community is one of the council’s top priorities and we pride ourselves on arranging the best quality service.

In Lincolnshire we have become much more efficient at matching those in need with the relevant support and, as a result, our waiting lists are the lowest they have ever been.

Since 2015 we have seen a significant improvement in the provision of home care. We are constantly monitoring our providers to ensure that they are working to a high standard.

In Lincolnshire our home care is provided by 10 main providers covering 12 zones.

In fact, high-quality care benefits everyone, it can transform people’s lives, supporting them to keep their independence or regain it after a setback.

It can help people return home after a stay in hospital, freeing up NHS resources for other patients.

And it offers vital support for family members or friends – including children and young people – who are care-givers themselves.

So if you or a loved one receives adult care, you’ll know just how important it is to the quality of people’s lives.

If you or member of your family receives county council-arranged home care and wants to find out more please phone 01522 782155.

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Councillor Martin Hill is the leader of Lincolnshire County Council.