What Is Personal Care?

Supporting Daily Living with Dignity and Respect

Personal care forms the foundation of many home care packages, providing essential support with intimate daily activities that have become difficult to manage independently. As we age or face health challenges, tasks that were once simple can become increasingly challenging, affecting both physical wellbeing and confidence.

At Lidder Care, we understand that receiving help with personal care can feel like a significant step. Many people worry about losing their dignity or privacy. That’s why our approach focuses not just on completing tasks, but on delivering care in a way that maintains independence, respect and personal choice.

What Does Personal Care Include?

Personal care encompasses a range of support with daily living activities, tailored to individual needs and preferences. Our experienced carers can assist with:

Bathing and Showering

Our carers provide appropriate support to ensure you can bathe or shower safely and comfortably. This might involve full assistance, supervision for safety, or simply helping with difficult aspects like washing hair or getting in and out of the bath.

Personal Hygiene and Grooming

Maintaining good personal hygiene is important for both physical health and self-esteem. We assist with daily routines including oral care, shaving, hair care, and applying lotions or creams, all according to your preferences.

Dressing and Undressing

We can help with selecting appropriate clothing, managing fastenings and buttons, and getting dressed and undressed. Our carers respect personal choice in clothing and appearance while ensuring comfort and practicality.

Toileting and Continence Support

Discrete, sensitive assistance with toileting, managing incontinence products, and maintaining hygiene helps preserve dignity while preventing related health issues.

Mobility Support

Help with moving safely around the home, getting in and out of bed, chairs or vehicles, and using mobility aids correctly can reduce fall risks while supporting independence.

Medication Management

We can provide reminders to take medication, assistance with opening packaging, or full medication administration depending on your needs and preferences.

The Importance of Personal Care

Proper personal care goes far beyond hygiene – it has significant implications for health, wellbeing and quality of life:

Preventing Health Complications

Regular personal care helps prevent skin problems, infections and other health complications that can arise from inadequate hygiene or mobility.

Maintaining Dignity and Self-Esteem

Feeling clean, well-groomed and appropriately dressed supports mental wellbeing and confidence in social situations.

Supporting Independence

The right level of assistance allows many people to remain in their own homes rather than moving to residential care, maintaining control over their daily lives.

Reducing Family Stress

For many families, personal care can be a source of tension or embarrassment when provided by relatives. Professional carers can ease this burden while ensuring needs are met appropriately.

Our Approach to Personal Care

At Lidder Care, we believe personal care should always be provided in a way that respects individuality and promotes dignity. Our approach includes:

Person-Centred Care Planning

We create detailed care plans based on thorough assessments of your needs, preferences and routines. These plans ensure consistency while remaining flexible enough to adapt as needs change.

Consistent Carers

Wherever possible, we assign the same carers to provide personal care, allowing trusting relationships to develop and reducing the discomfort of having different people assisting with intimate tasks.

Respect for Privacy

Our carers are trained to maintain privacy and dignity at all times, explaining what they’re doing, seeking permission, and ensuring you feel comfortable throughout.

Promoting Choice and Control

We encourage independence and decision-making, supporting you to do as much for yourself as possible while providing assistance where needed.

Gender Preferences

We understand that many people have preferences regarding the gender of carers providing personal care, and we respect these preferences whenever possible.

How Personal Care Fits into a Care Package

Personal care is often combined with other services to create a comprehensive support package:

• Domestic help with household tasks like cleaning and laundry
• Meal preparation ensuring good nutrition and hydration
• Medication management supporting health maintenance
• Companionship addressing social and emotional wellbeing
• Specialist care for conditions like dementia or physical disabilities

The right combination of services depends on individual circumstances, and we regularly review care plans to ensure they continue to meet changing needs.

When to Consider Personal Care Support

Recognising when personal care assistance might be beneficial isn’t always straightforward. Consider seeking support if you notice:

• Difficulties managing bathroom activities safely
• Declining personal hygiene or grooming
• Wearing inappropriate or soiled clothing
• Skin problems or recurring infections
• Increased anxiety about bathing or toileting
• Mobility issues affecting ability to dress or wash
• Family carers feeling stressed or uncomfortable providing intimate care

Early intervention often prevents more significant problems developing and helps maintain independence for longer.

Getting Started with Personal Care

If you’re considering personal care support for yourself or a loved one, we recommend arranging an initial assessment with our care team. This no-obligation discussion allows us to understand your specific needs and explain how our services could help.

During the assessment, we’ll:

• Discuss current challenges and support needs
• Listen to your preferences and concerns
• Explain our approach and services
• Answer any questions you may have
• Outline potential care options and costs

This collaborative approach ensures that any care package we develop truly reflects your needs and wishes.

Contact Us

Our friendly team is ready to discuss how our personal care services could support you or your loved one. We provide care throughout Mansfield and Nottinghamshire, with flexible options to suit different needs and budgets.

Call: 01623 345 500
Email: info@liddercare.com
Address: 19 Market Street, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, NG18 1JG

We’re here to answer your questions and guide you through the process of arranging the right care for your circumstances.