Home Care in Edgware, HA8

Yes, we provide home care in Edgware, mainly as live-in care. After a free assessment at home and a written care plan, a live-in carer moves in with the person, so the distance from our office in Lewisham does not matter. Regular visiting care is harder at the end of the Northern line, and we only offer it where we have a carer available for the times you need.

Why we usually suggest live-in care in Edgware

Edgware is the terminus of the Northern line's Edgware branch, and from Lewisham High Street it takes a carer somewhere between 65 and 80 minutes to get there. That is fine for one long visit now and then. It is not workable for a typical package of three or four short calls a day. Saying so on the first call saves you building a care plan around visits that would keep running late.

A live-in carer solves it. They live in the home, help with personal care, meals, medication and getting out, and are entitled to a proper daily break and a night's sleep. For a couple, one carer can look after both.

Edgware houses and what they need

Edgware was a small town on Watling Street until the Tube arrived in 1924. The southern part then filled up quickly with semis and detached houses, which is still what most HA8 streets look like. That is good news for live-in care: a three-bedroom semi almost always has a spare room for the carer, and a front drive saves arguments about parking.

The less good news is the staircase. In houses of this age it is often steep, with a turn at the top and the only bathroom upstairs. Before care starts we look at whether a stairlift, a downstairs toilet, grab rails or a period with the bed downstairs would make the house work. Barnet Council's occupational therapists assess for equipment and adaptations; ask Social Care Direct about a referral.

Is my Edgware address in Barnet or Harrow?

It is worth checking before you ring anyone. HA8 is split between two boroughs along the A5, the old Roman road called Watling Street. Homes on the east side, including the town centre around Station Road and the Broadwalk, are in Barnet. Homes on the west side, towards Canons Park and Stanmore, are in Harrow. Barnet residents ask for a needs assessment through Barnet's Social Care Direct on 020 8359 5000. Harrow residents go to Harrow Council. Either way, we can provide care in your home.

How much does home care cost in Edgware?

We cannot give a fair figure before we have met the person and seen the house, so we quote in writing after the free assessment. If you want the council to help, it will first assess the person's needs. It will then carry out a financial assessment, which decides what you contribute. The process is set out on gov.uk. Where someone's needs are mainly health needs, the NHS may pay through NHS Continuing Healthcare. A council budget can be paid to you as a direct payment and used with our agency. More is on our Barnet home care page.

Respite for families in HA8

If you are the main carer, a live-in carer from us can step in for a holiday or a hospital stay of your own. That is our respite care service. Barnet Carers carries out carers' assessments by phone or online, so the drive to North Finchley is not needed. Jewish Care's nearest campus is Sandringham on Common Road, Stanmore, just over the border, and its helpline (020 8922 2222) can tell you what it runs there.

What we can help with in Edgware

• 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