Home Care in South Wimbledon

Yes, we provide home care in South Wimbledon. Of the Wimbledon neighbourhoods, it is the simplest for our carers to reach, because the Northern line runs straight here from London Bridge, so visiting care is often possible, subject to which carers we have free. Every package begins with a free home assessment by Jackie, our registered manager, and a written care plan.

Where South Wimbledon is

South Wimbledon grows out of the busy junction where Merton Road, Kingston Road and Morden Road meet beside South Wimbledon Tube station. It is more urban than Wimbledon proper, with traffic, small shops and short residential streets packed in behind the main roads. Merton Park lies to the south-west, Colliers Wood to the east and Wimbledon town centre a short bus ride to the north-west. It all falls within SW19.

Upstairs flats and narrow terraces

Most homes are tightly packed late-Victorian terraces, and many of them have been split into flats. There are also some council-built blocks. That brings particular problems:

• Upper-floor conversions usually have no lift, so a person who struggles with stairs can become stuck indoors.
• Small bathrooms with a bath and no shower make washing hard, and there is little room for a carer to help or for equipment.
• Ground-floor flats are easier, but often have a step at the front door and a narrow hallway.

We go through all of this at the assessment. Where a bath seat, grab rails or a level-access shower would make a real difference, we will suggest asking the council's occupational therapists, because equipment is often what makes personal care safe in a small home.

Medication, meals and personal care

Visiting care here usually means one or more calls a day for personal care, medication support, meals and home help. Medication can be the first thing to slip for someone living alone, so we record clearly what the carer prompts or gives, and we contact the GP or pharmacy if something changes. Companionship and sit-in visits are available too, as is support for people living with dementia.

Two stops from St George's

St George's Hospital in Tooting is the main hospital for this part of Merton. From South Wimbledon it is two stops on the Northern line to Tooting Broadway, and the 57, 131 and 219 buses run the same way via Colliers Wood. When someone is ready to leave hospital, the ward may refer them to Merton's Hospital to Home Team for short-term care and reablement; ask about it before discharge. If ongoing care from us is needed, call while the date is being set. See hospital discharge care.

What does home care cost in South Wimbledon?

We don't quote by phone. We set our fees after the free assessment and confirm them in writing. If you want the council to help pay, contact Merton's Adult Social Care First Response Team on 020 8545 4388 or ASCFirstResponse@merton.gov.uk; there is no online form. After a needs assessment, a financial assessment decides what you pay towards your care. The council's share can come as direct payments, and its Direct Payments Team (020 8545 3415) can help you set them up. If you don't want to handle the money yourself, there is a chargeable Merton Managed Account option. More on funding and NHS Continuing Healthcare is on our Merton home care page.

Day services and support nearby

The council's All Saints Centre in South Wimbledon is a day service for adults with learning or physical disabilities; you can find it on Merton's day centres page. For memory problems, the Alzheimer's Society in Merton takes self-referrals on 020 8687 0922, and family carers can contact Carers First Merton on 0300 303 1555 about a carer's assessment.

Live-in care and short breaks

A live-in carer needs a spare bedroom, which many one-bedroom conversions here don't have. If yours does, live-in care is available. If it doesn't, regular visits and sitting time are usually the way to give a family carer a break. For a longer stay away from home, our supported living home in Kingston upon Thames takes respite guests, and the 131 bus runs from South Wimbledon through Raynes Park and New Malden to Kingston.

What we can help with in South Wimbledon

• 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