Home Care in Whetstone, N20

We do provide care in Whetstone. In N20 that mostly means a live-in carer, because our only office is in Lewisham, around 70 minutes away by public transport, and that distance rules out most short visiting rounds. Where we do have a carer free for regular visits, we will say so; either way, Jackie, our registered manager, starts with a free assessment at home and a written care plan.

Can I get a carer to visit every day in Whetstone?

Sometimes, but not reliably, and we would sooner say that now than miss calls later. Daily visits mean the same carer, or a small group of carers, getting to the High Road at fixed times, often three or four times a day. From south-east London that only works if a carer's other work is close by. Give us the postcode and the visit times you need and we will give a clear answer. If the answer is no, a live-in carer is what we can offer, and for someone who needs help at several points in the day it is often the better fit anyway.

Along the old Great North Road

Whetstone grew up as a stop on the road north out of London, and the High Road still runs through the middle of it, between North Finchley and High Barnet, with the Griffin at the Totteridge Lane crossroads. Off the High Road the housing changes quickly:

• Small Victorian cottages close to the High Road, with narrow stairs and the bathroom often at the back.
• Interwar semis on the side roads towards Oakleigh Road North and Woodside Park, usually with three bedrooms and a front drive.
• Larger detached houses as you head west up Totteridge Lane towards the Green Belt.
• Low-rise flats and retirement blocks, a number of them close to the High Road shops.

A lot of people here have owned the same house for decades. That is a reason to stay, and also the reason the stairs, the bath and the garden all become difficult at once.

Care in a retirement flat

If the person lives in a retirement block, tell the scheme or house manager that care is starting, so they know who is coming and going. Visiting care fits a retirement flat well. Live-in care is harder: most retirement flats have one bedroom, and a live-in carer needs a room of their own. Where that is the case, we will talk honestly about what else could work, including a move to a home with a spare room.

Buses to the hospitals and the carers' centre

Whetstone is better connected than it looks. Totteridge & Whetstone and Woodside Park stations are on the High Barnet branch of the Northern line, and several buses run along the High Road:

• The 263 runs along Whetstone High Road and on to Barnet Hospital, where most N20 patients are admitted and discharged.
• The 383 goes via Woodside Park station to Finchley Memorial Hospital on Granville Road, which runs outpatient clinics but has no A&E.
• The 125, 263 and 383 reach Tally Ho Corner in North Finchley, a short walk from Barnet Carers at Global House on Ballards Lane.
• The 251 and 326 stop at Totteridge & Whetstone station, with the 34 also serving the High Road.

Will Barnet Council pay for home care in Whetstone?

It might pay some or all of it. Whetstone is in Barnet, so the route is Barnet Council's Social Care Direct on 020 8359 5000 for a needs assessment. If the council agrees there is an eligible need, a financial assessment works out the contribution, which depends on income and savings. A personal budget can be paid as a direct payment and used with our agency. If the person's needs are mainly health needs, ask the hospital or GP about NHS Continuing Healthcare. We do not quote figures until we have assessed. Our Barnet home care page has more on the council route, and paying for care explains the means test.

Respite for N20 families

Barnet Carers can carry out a carer's assessment by phone, online or in person, which can open the door to short breaks. With us, respite usually means a live-in carer covering a week or a fortnight so the family carer can rest.

What we provide in Whetstone

• Personal care
• Live-in care
• Companionship
• Home help
• Medication support
• Sit-in service
• Respite care
• Dementia care
• Palliative care
• Complex care
• Hospital discharge support
• Nail care

What we can help with in Whetstone

• 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