Home Care in Barnes, SW13

Yes, we provide home care in Barnes. Of all the Richmond neighbourhoods, Barnes is the easiest for us to reach from Lewisham by train, so visiting care is a realistic possibility here when a carer is free at your times, and live-in care can be arranged in any home with a spare bedroom. We begin with a free assessment in your home and a written care plan.

Getting a carer to SW13

From Lewisham, a carer takes Southeastern to Waterloo East, walks through to Waterloo and catches a South Western Railway train to Barnes or Barnes Bridge, roughly 55 to 65 minutes in all. That is still a long commute for a short visit, so we can only offer regular visits when the rota allows. Once in Barnes, buses including the 33, 209, 265, 378, 419 and 485 cover the village. Barnes is inside a controlled parking zone, and a carer who drives may need Richmond's operational parking permit.

Georgian, Victorian and 1930s Barnes

The housing in Barnes varies more than people expect. Around the Pond and the Green, and along The Terrace by the river, are large Georgian houses and Victorian townhouses. Between Castelnau and Lonsdale Road is an estate of 1930s houses built by the Henry Boot company. There are terraces off Church Road and the High Street, and mansion-style and modern flats too.

Each brings its own problem. The older houses often have long staircases and narrow halls where a wheelchair will not turn. The 1930s houses are more manageable, and a downstairs room can often become a bedroom. In a mansion flat, the question is whether the lift takes a wheelchair and whether there is a spare room for a live-in carer.

What the Hammersmith Bridge closure means for care

Hammersmith Bridge has been closed to motor traffic since 2019. It has reopened to people walking and cycling, but cars and buses still cannot cross. For families this matters in two ways. Relatives driving in from north of the river face a long detour through Putney or Chiswick, which makes popping in to check on someone harder than it used to be. And there are fewer bus links north, so a carer coming from that direction will take longer. Live-in care avoids both problems, since the carer is already in the house.

Who pays for home care in Barnes?

Either the family, the council or, for people whose needs are primarily health needs, the NHS through Continuing Healthcare. Richmond Council decides council support after a needs assessment and a means test. We quote in writing after our free assessment, so you know the cost before agreeing to anything.

The council route for SW13

Barnes is part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, so requests go to Richmond Adult Social Care through its referral page or on 020 8891 7971. Outpatient appointments may be at Queen Mary's Hospital in nearby Roehampton, which is in Wandsworth, but that does not change which council you deal with. Our Richmond upon Thames page has the full detail.

Respite for Barnes families

If you look after someone, ask Richmond for a carer's assessment. It can lead to respite, short breaks and a Carer's Emergency Card. Privately, we can bring in a live-in carer for a week or two, or a sitter for an afternoon when we have a carer available. Read more on respite care.

Services in Barnes

• Personal care
• Live-in care
• Sit-in service
• Home help
• Palliative care
• Nail care

What we can help with in Barnes

• Personal care, washing and dressing
• Medication prompting and support
• Meals, laundry and home help
• Companionship and getting out
• Dementia care at home
• Support after a hospital stay
• Short breaks for family carers
• Live-in care when needs grow