Care and support for adults in Swindon

What is adult social care?

If you or someone you know needs support with everyday tasks, Social Care might be suitable. Social care offers practical support such as personal care or assistance in carrying out tasks, including guidance on how to do them independently.

Paying for social care

Please note: Unlike NHS services, Social Care from any local authority is not free. Read more about what you might need to pay and ensure you are comfortable with this before contacting us.

Adult Social care includes:

  • assessment of your needs
  • provision of service or allocations of funds through a personal budget to enable you to purchase your own care and support such as:
    • adaptations to your homes, equipment and gadgets to support you to live your life as independently as possible
    • care and support in your own home or to help you access the community
    • care and support in a care home
    • a direct payment to help you to arrange your own care and support
    • different types of housing such as supported housing or extra care housing

Social care helps you maintain independence if you need support with everyday tasks due to health conditions or illness.

If you need support with the following, you may require social care assistance: 

  • Looking after yourself
  • Looking after your home
  • Looking after your money
  • Being able to socialise
  • Being able to work or volunteer

Your needs may be short-term or more lasting. We can provide advice, guidance, and support in either case. You have a legal right to an assessment of your care needs and finances.

If you are concerned about abuse or neglect you should report a safeguarding concern

Other useful services

Before you get in contact to discuss your care and support needs, you should also consider the following services:

Services that could help with things like:

  • housework
  • cleaning
  • food shopping
  • meals

You can visit our support at home service directory. Here you will find details of organisations that may help you live independently.

If life feels too hard and you are unable to cope, remind yourself that you won't feel this way forever. Urgent support and tools you can use to keep safe, are provided below.

Urgent mental health support

If you are concerned about someone who may harm themselves, please see the NHS website.

  • Call 999 if can’t keep yourself or others safe
  • Dial NHS 111, then press option 2 for urgent help
  • Phone the Samaritans on 116 123 or visit the Samaritans website

Tools and resources to keep safe

If you are struggling with your mental health and it is not improving with self-help - NHS tools, speak with your GP, or if you have one, your Lead Practitioner in your Community Mental Health team.

Mental health issues are common and treatable. The sooner you seek help, the better. Also check out the support available both locally and nationally.

You can search our mental wellbeing webpage for support and services in your area offered by local charities, community groups, businesses and other organisations.

Cornwall Rural Community Charity supports unpaid carers with:

  • mutual support, social contact and access to services
  • the Carers Support Line, providing help, guidance and advice to carers in their caring role
  • 1:1 support, a complete carer’s assessment and talk through, either face-to-face or by telephone
  • providing specialist benefit checks, to make sure you and the person you care for are getting the correct level of benefits
  • help accessing funding, if eligible
  • carer groups and activities
  • access to breaks and complementary therapies, training sessions and self-help groups
  • bereavement support following the death of your dependant

You can access these services directly through Cornwall Rural Community Charity.

Live Well Swindon is the first point of contact if you want to make lifestyle changes.

Information, advice and signposting on a range of lifestyle topics is available, such as:

  • being more physically active
  • weight management
  • stopping smoking
  • connecting to community life; volunteering, befriending for ongoing companionship
  • managing a long-term health condition

To find out more, contact the Live Well Hub on 01793 465513 or visit Live Well Swindon Hub. To make a referral, complete the online form below:

Live Well Swindon Hub referral form

Citizens Advice Swindon provides advice on debt, benefits, employment, immigration, legal, consumer issues and much more.

Contact them on 0344 4994 114 or visit the Citizen Advice Swindon website.

For health services such as compression stockings and eye drops, contact your community nurses or your GP.

Community nurses provide care to patients at home or in residential homes, many of whom have long-term conditions or disabilities. This includes assessment, advice and treatment.

Community nurses will also work with you and your family, often in partnership with other health care professionals.

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