If you’re thinking about moving into a care home, you can contact us to discuss your difficulties and ask us to visit you and carry out a needs assessment to look at your social care needs.
If you have an informal carer, we can also assess their needs too.
You can request a needs assessment by using the contact details on this page. If you think you’ll need help with your care home fees, we’ll also carry out a financial assessment. This will tell us if you have to pay and how much.
What if I’m paying my care home fees myself?
You can have a needs assessment even if you’ll be paying your care home fees yourself.
If you will be paying your own fees and you don’t want a needs assessment, you can move directly into the care home of your choice.
If you find you need help with the fees later, you can request a needs assessment then.
What happens at a needs assessment?
Our assessor will look at whether your needs could be supported at home or whether staying in your own home would put you at risk. They will discuss this with you and your family and agree on the best way to meet your needs.
There are various services that may help you to live safely and independently in your own home. These include things like personal care, supporting you with daily tasks , carrying out small repairs, having a short break in a care home, care for people leaving hospital who may not feel confident about going home straightaway.
If a care home is the best option for you, your assessor will contact your district nurse or community psychiatric nurse to carry out a joint assessment of your care needs. We are required to do this by law.
What happens at a joint assessment?
The joint assessment will be carried out by your assessor and a nurse, either by a visit or with a discussion. Together they will recommend the level of care you need. This may be residential care, nursing care or continuing health care.
Will I have to pay to live in a care home?
You may have to pay something towards the cost of living in a care home.
We’ll carry out a financial assessment to see how much you need to pay and advise you on any benefits you may be able to claim.
The financial assessment will look at your financial circumstances, not your partner’s or your family’s.
Can I choose my care home if I’m getting Council funding?
You can move into your preferred care home as long as:
- it is suitable for the needs that your needs assessment says you have
- there is a place for you in the care home
- the care home accepts the Council’s standard terms and conditions
- the fees are suitable for the level of care you need
Where can I find out about care homes in Cornwall?
You can find details of registered care homes in Cornwall on the Care Quality Commission (CQC) website. The information includes their latest inspection outcome and reviews.
What if I change my mind about my care home?
If you change you mind within the first four weeks of moving into a care home, you or the home can end your contract by giving a week’s notice in writing. We would then help you find another care home.
