Hounslow: Re-ablement team

What is re-ablement?

Hounslow launched its re-ablement service in 2007 as part of an ongoing commitment to personalisation. The dedicated, in-house, re-ablement team receives more than 900 referrals every year. Working in partnership with other social care and health colleagues and alongside community therapists, the reablement team successfully supports half of their service users, through confidence building and helping them learn or re-learn the skills they need to continue to lead an independent life in their own home.

Jill’s story

The team’s manager describes how they successfully supported Jill, an 83 year-old widower who lived on her own: “Jill was referred to us in April 2010 following discharge from hospital after fracturing her wrist during a fall. Jill wanted to regain her confidence in terms of looking after herself and her home. She also wanted to be able to do her own shopping so she could cook her own meals. “The re-ablement team worked with Jill and at the end of just four weeks she was able to get herself up, shower and dress, prepare a drink and meals and go out and about as she wanted. The team also made sure that Jill’s home was safe and arranged for the additional equipment she needed. This meant Jill did not have to go into residential care or have an ongoing care package in her home, which she did not want at that time.”

Names changed to protect individual’s privacy