Home Care in Walthamstow Village

We can provide home care in Walthamstow Village, either as visits or with a live-in carer. The Village is a short walk from Walthamstow Central, about an hour from our Lewisham office, so visits depend on whether we have a carer free for your times; ring us and we will give you a straight answer. Everything starts with a free assessment in the home and a written care plan.

Old houses, small rooms

The Village is the oldest part of Walthamstow. St Mary's Church goes back to the 12th century, the timber-framed Ancient House across the road from it dates from the 15th century, and the almshouses nearby, including the Monoux Almshouses, were built in the 16th and 18th centuries. The council made it a conservation area in 1967. Around that core are streets of small Victorian terraces and cottages, and a fair number of houses split into flats.

Lovely to look at, but awkward when someone becomes frail. The staircases in these cottages are narrow and often steep, the landings are tight, and there may be no room for a stairlift without a struggle. Conservation-area rules also affect what can change on the outside of a house, such as a ramp at the front door, so check with the council before planning one.

Inside, the realistic answer is often to move life downstairs: a bed in the front room, a commode, and personal care visits built around that. We talk this through at the assessment, without assuming anyone wants to give up their bedroom.

Is a Village cottage big enough for live-in care?

Sometimes. A live-in carer needs a bedroom of their own, and plenty of two-up, two-down cottages have one, usually the small back bedroom. A one-bedroom conversion flat does not, so visits would be the route there. Live-in care works the same in E17 as anywhere else, because the carer lives in, and they get daily breaks and cover on days off, which we arrange.

Getting to the Village

Walthamstow Central (Victoria line and Overground Weaver line) is a short walk to the west, so carers come by train and walk in. That suits the Village, because driving is awkward: Orford Road has timed restrictions on general traffic, and the surrounding streets are in controlled parking zones. If a relative visits by car to take someone to an appointment, plan the pick-up point in advance, and check the council's controlled parking zone page for the hours on your street.

What to ask Waltham Forest Council

If you think your relative may qualify for council help, call Waltham Forest Adult Social Care on 020 8496 3130 and ask for a needs assessment. It can be by phone or face to face, and the person gets a written copy. The council's getting help page also links to an online self-assessment tool. Ask, too, for an occupational therapy assessment if the stairs are the problem. Council-funded care is means-tested; if you pay privately, we quote in writing after our assessment. Our Waltham Forest page has more on funding, Whipps Cross discharges and carers' support.

A break for a husband, wife or neighbour

Many people in the Village are cared for by a spouse who is getting older too. Respite care can be a sit-in afternoon each week, extra visits for a fortnight, or a live-in carer while the main carer has a break or a hospital stay of their own. A carer's assessment from the council can help fund it.

What we provide

• Personal care
• Companionship
• Sit-in service
• Home help
• Dementia care
• Palliative care
• Live-in care
• Respite care

What we can help with in Walthamstow Village

• 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