Home Instead

On this page

• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

Caring – this means we looked for evidence that the provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect. At our last assessment we rated this key question outstanding. At this assessment the rating has remained outstanding. This meant people were truly respected and valued as individuals; and empowered as partners in their care in an exceptional service.

This service scored 95 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The provider was exceptional at treating people with kindness, empathy and compassion and in how they respected people’s privacy and dignity.

For example, a person’s anxiety had increased and their confidence had declined followed the death of their spouse and the effects of the COVID lockdowns. After stopping driving following a minor accident, they accepted support from Home Instead, beginning with shopping trips and companionship from a carefully matched staff member. Through trust, consistency and gentle encouragement, the person rebuilt their confidence and reconnected with their community. Later, following a diagnosis of dementia and a hospital admission, live-in care was introduced. The team focused on recovery, nutrition, medicines management, mobility and emotional wellbeing, ensuring support was shaped around the person’s preferences, strengths and independence.

This exceptional support resulted in the person regaining weight, strength and confidence, enjoyment of daily walks, tending to their garden and attending family weddings. Relatives reported the person was happier than they had been for years.

People told us they were treated with kindness, compassion and dignity. Their comments included, “They always treat me with kindness and respect. They are a kind and good company and they talk to me a lot. I look forward to them coming” and “They treat me with respect and are very kind, caring and patient.” Relatives echoed this and said, “Last month [family member] and the carer made me a birthday card which I was touched to receive. They always treat [them] with respect” and “They treat [family member] with respect, prompt [them], kind, caring, respectful, patient and have a sense of humour with [them].”

The registered manager told us they ensured people were always treated with kindness and compassion. They ensured there were regular conversations and reviews with people, so they could identify any concerns and deal with these promptly.

The provider treated people as individuals and was exceptional in how they made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. The provider took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

When a person’s health had deteriorated, support was organised around the home they had lived in for more than 50 years, involving family, familiar routines, preferred nightwear and the way the person wanted intimate care delivered. Staff explained each stage of the support, protecting the person’s privacy and paused when requested. This increased support enabled the person to remain in their own home, surrounded by loved ones, while relatives received practical respite whilst remaining involved in the care.

Another person who experienced confusion, anxiety and reluctance to accept personal care was gently supported with familiar routines, reassurance and gentle encouragement. This enabled care to continue without coercion. During visits, the staff engaged the person with crosswords, conversation and the involvement of their spouse. As a result of this support, described improved comfort, more stable mood, reduced isolation and the person regularly being left in good spirits.

Care plans detailed people’s wishes and preferences, and we saw evidence that the staff knew and respected these. The management and care staff were dedicated to ensuring people’s needs were met and often went above and beyond to ensure this.

The registered manager and staff knew people’s individual needs and were committed to ensuring they were treated as individuals. This included their faith and sexuality.

The provider was exceptional at promoting people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

People were always at the centre of every decision made at the service and staff often went above and beyond to improve people’s lives and remain as independent as possible. For example, one person had suddenly lost their sight. This traumatic event had been difficult for the person to deal with, and this had had a deep effect on them, their wellbeing and day to day living. The provider introduced a specific staff member who gained the person’s trust and took them out to try new activities. They started to participate in a sport specifically for the blind. This helped them meet new people in the same situation who could understand them and provide the support they needed to start enjoying life again. The registered manager stated, “[They are] now more bright and sociable.”

People were consistently supported to have experiences and be an active member of their community. A person whose condition affected areas including short-term memory, organisation, social awareness and decision-making received exceptional care. Despite these challenges, they lived independently in their own flat. The objective of the support given to the person was to enable them to have as full and ordinary a life as possible, rather than allowing their disabilities to unnecessarily restrict their choices.

For example, they had supported him to attend music and food festivals, take holidays and weekends away, visit family and their best friend, and pursue their own social interests. The provider ensured they were paired with a staff member who shared the same musical interests and this had helped the person pursue something that was genuinely important to them rather than simply participating in activities selected for them. The person’s relative told us, “Their care and patience and genuine desire to enhance [family member’s] life, provide consistency of support and enable him to be as independent as possible whilst remaining within the safeguarding parameters we have worked on collectively with [family member].” They added, “We have worked with Home Instead for several years now and I cannot fault the consistency of their professional, caring attitude towards [family member].”

People’s choices, aspirations and independence were encouraged and promoted. Their personal, cultural, social and religious needs were understood and respected. These were sought during the initial assessment and recorded in their care plans. People’s care plans included their background, preferred activities and what made them happy and fulfilled.

The provider was exceptional in how they listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff responded to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress.

The management and staff listened to people and provided flexible care to help ensure people’s needs were responded to. For example, we saw evidence care staff remained with people when an immediate need could not safely or compassionately be left unresolved at the scheduled end of a visit. This demonstrated both organisational flexibility and individual judgement at the point of care, with support shaped around the person’s immediate comfort, reassurance and continuity.

The provider demonstrated they often went above and beyond to provide support at short notice and to keep people safe. For example, following receipt of a call from a relative living abroad, worried about their family member’s condition deteriorating, they had immediately driven there to check the seriousness of the situation, made enquiries about respite care and called local care homes who may have had vacancies. The registered manager explained, “[Relative] was very upset… We ended up putting live in carers in place within days. They are still getting this support and it is working well. It was terribly sad because the neighbours were getting frustrated and the poor [person] had cognitive impairment and needed the help.”

The management and staff listened to people and provided flexible care to help ensure people’s needs were responded to. For example, if something happened during a visit, and the care worker had to stay with the person, the office staff would arrange for another care worker to step in and help.

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care.

The registered manager spoke positively about the staff team. There were systems in place to identify if staff had any specific health or wellbeing needs. The registered manager told us, “We have worked really hard on this. We had feedback, the staff wanted more social gatherings. We set up coffee mornings to give them the opportunity to attend. In terms of welfare, this is something we touch on when doing appraisals and supervisions.”

The provider had an ‘Employee support program’ which staff could access as needed. For example, when a staff member had a bereavement, they were signposted to a charity where they may be able to obtain a grant. The registered manager added, “We give them the time they need, and make sure it does not impact the hours they can work. When somebody is signed off, we check in with them to ask how they are, do return to work.”

The provider offered a financial reward to staff who successfully referred potential candidates to work for the service. They also sometimes offered gift vouchers to staff who had worked in an exceptional way. For example, covering sickness at short notice to ensure people’s care was not affected. The registered manager told us, “They are really and truly valued.”

Staff told us they were supported within their role and enjoyed working for the company. One staff member said, “Yes, it is a good place to work. I enjoy meeting new people and making a difference to clients’ lives, and the flexibility the job offers. There is nothing I don’t like” and another said, “The staff are all very friendly and helpful and office staff are understanding of any concerns I may have or if I need to take a day off. I enjoy working for Home Instead.”