Looking out for someone at home
You have noticed something, and you are not sure what to do
Most people get in touch after a small thing they cannot quite forget. You do not need a crisis, and you do not need to have worked out the answer first.
Things people tell us they have noticed
None of these means anything on its own. Two or three together are worth a conversation.
- They hold onto the furniture on the way across the room.
- They have started sleeping downstairs, or stopped going up at all.
- The bath has not been used for a while, and nobody mentions it.
- The house is darker than it used to be, and bulbs have not been changed.
- Post is piling up, or a bill has gone unpaid.
- The garden has got away from them.
- There is less food in the fridge than there should be.
- A bruise or a knock they explain away quickly.
- They have stopped going out as much, and you are not sure why.
Recognise a few? Describe them to us, and we will tell you honestly whether we can help.
How to raise it without a row
Start with the house, not the person
"That top step has always been dodgy" lands better than "you are not managing". The house can be criticised. Your dad would rather not be.
Ask what would make life easier
People usually know. It is often something small and practical, and rarely the thing the family was worrying about.
Leave the decision with them
It is their home. If they say no to a rail today, they may say yes in six months. Pushing usually sets it back.
Let someone else be the outsider
Advice from a son or daughter can feel like a judgement. The same advice from a tradesperson who has seen a hundred staircases is just information.
How we help, and how we keep you in the loop
You should not have to find a tradesperson from two hundred miles away, then chase them to find out whether they turned up.
We talk to your parent first
They are our customer. We ask what they want, we explain the options, and we take no for an answer.
You can join the visit by video
If you live away, be there on a video call. Same conversation, same rooms, and you can ask your own questions.
Everything in writing, and trackable
The plan, the prices, the approvals and the visit notes all sit on the portal. You can look at any time, from wherever you are.
We do the chasing, not you
We arrange it, manage it and check the work. If a job goes wrong, it is ours to put right.
A note for the person being looked out for
If your family sent you this page, they are not trying to take anything away from you. This is about staying in your own home, on your own terms. You decide what happens in your house.
Describe it to us and see what we say
Tell us what you have noticed. Nothing you say commits anyone to anything.