We know that some of the words and phrases that are being used in connection with the transformation of adult social care may be new to you and could be confusing. Our jargon buster will explain these for you.
Adult Social Care Transformation
The name of the programme of work to change the way adult social care services are managed in Leicester.
Advocate
Someone supports you to speak for yourself or speaks for you.
Within adult social care transformation, an advocate will help a service user or carer to have their say and ensure that their choices and needs are met.
An assessment, which can also be known as an 'assessment of need' looks at an individual's needs to identify the support that they require and which are most important. It also shows the risks if no help was given...more information on Assessment.
Assistive Technology
Equipment that helps people to remain independent, healthy and safe in their own homes, by helping them to manage risks and/or make day to day tasks easier...more information on Assistive Technology.
Brokerage
Someone or an organisation that helps a service user or carer to plan and arrange support and services to achieve maximum independence.
Care Plan
Includes details of a service user’s needs and the package of support being provided by social care and other care providers to meet the identified needs.
Care Manager
A care manager is a professional who will help to manage you care and support. For example, they may be a social worker or community care worker.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of all health and adult social care in England.
A person of any age who provides unpaid support to family, partners or friends in need of help because they have a long-term illness or disability.
Carer Assessment
This looks at the help the carer is providing and how they may be assisted to continue caring...more information on Carers Assessment.
Choice and Control
This is about shaping services to meet people’s needs, rather than shaping people to fit in with the services on offer.
Co-production
Where a service provider, such as the council or an agency, works with a service user to design the package of care.
Day Care
Adult day care (also known as day services) is a non-residential facility where people can socialise, stay active and remain independent in a safe environment, with trained staff at hand...more information on Day Care.
Domiciliary Care
Also known as Home care, domiciliary care helps the elderly and people with disability or long-term illness to remain independent in their own homes, for as long as possible, by providing care, such as personal care and help with some household tasks...more information on Domiciliary Care.
Cash payments made directly to service users or carers so that they can arrange their own support and care services to meet agreed outcomes.
E-market
Website-based system for identifying and buying social care services that will meet people’s requirements as identified in their support plan. The service will be launched early in 2011.
Extra care
Accommodation for older people that provides high levels of care and support on site to enable people to live as independently as possible. People living in Extra care housing schemes have their own, private home but facilities such as a laundry, communal area, and restaurant are provided. It sometimes provides an alternative to residential care.
Guidance issued by the Department of Health to councils about fair charging policies and eligibility criteria for social care.
Independent living
A goal of personalisation. It does not mean living on your own or doing things alone, but being independent and having choice and control over the assistance and/or equipment needed to go about daily life.
The amount of money allocated to a service user to spend on support services to meet their care needs and achieve their outcomes. It includes funding for other services, such as health care and housing related support, as well as social care services.
Micro market
Micro markets help people to have choice about the care and support they receive by increasing the number of social care providers. (See micro social care and support providers).
Are independent and have five or fewer paid or unpaid workers. These providers offer a wide range of services between them, from advice and representation to respite care.
Models of disability
The Medical Model is the traditional view of disability. This sees impairment as being the problem.
The Social Model sees the person as disabled by society. The impairment is not in itself a problem, rather society’s view of it.
Outcomes are the result of care and support. The transformation will see a move away from solely meeting the needs of the service user to achieving outcomes that help them to be more independent.
Person Centred Planning
Person centred planning is a way of assisting people to work out what they want, the support they require and helping them to get it. It focuses on the person’s needs and wants.
Personal assistant
A personal assistant is someone who is employed by a person with social care needs to help him or her to live independently. They may help with tasks such as cooking and cleaning; help with personal care; driving or help getting around; shopping, banking and paying bills.
The amount of money allocated to a service user to spend on social care support services to meet their care needs and achieve their outcomes....more information on Personal Budget.
Personal Care
Care for someone who is unable to care for himself or herself and can include help with washing, bathing, dressing, toileting, getting in or out of bed, eating, drinking and communicating.
Personalisation
The government's word for the new way of arranging services, giving people choice and control over their care and support.
Preventative services
These help people minimise the effects of ill health or disability and identify risks in order to maintain independence.
Putting People First
A joint statement made in December 2007 by the Department of Health, government departments, the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS), other care providers and the Local Government Association (LGA). Putting People First sets out a shared vision and commitment to the transformation of adult social care.
Residential Care
Residential care is for people who cannot continue living in their own home, even with support from domiciliary services. People can stay in residential care for a short time (known as respite care), over a longer period or permanently. Residential care homes are staffed 24 hours a day...more information on Residential Care.
Provides short breaks for both the person being cared for and the carer. It can be provided in residential care homes, through the Shared Lives scheme or at home...more information on Respite Care.
Resource Allocation System (RAS)
The system that is used to decide how much each person’s Personal Budget will be.
Review
An existing service user’s needs and services (the Care Plan) are looked at and a decision made on whether the Care Plan needs to be changing to meet the service user’s needs.
Self directed support
Allows people to be in control of the support they need to live their life by managing their own support, with the help of family, friends or advocates if needed.
Someone who receives services from the council or another provider.
Shared Lives scheme
Shared Lives provides care, support and accommodation for people who need help due to a learning, physical and/or sensory disability or mental health problems.
Specially recruited carers provide this service in their own homes. Care can be in the form of day care or short breaks, as well as an alternative to living in residential care...more information on the Shared Lives scheme.
Signposting
Providing information on services and resources that are available and how someone can access them.
Social Capital
This is care and support that individuals and their carers can get from their local community (family, friends, neighbours, or community groups).
A document that shows how an individual’s support needs will be met. A support plan is written following an assessment between the council and the individual.
Universal services
Includes things like transport, leisure, health, education, housing and access to information & advice.
User Led Organisation (ULO)
ULOs are run and controlled by the people who use their support services. They give people more choice and control over how their support needs are met.
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