Regaining your independence after hospital

A guide to the Harrow Reablement Service

Reablement helps people, who have difficulties with daily activities, to regain independence through learning and re-learning skills.

Reablement aims to improve people's skills and confidence with daily life skills. For example personal care activities, preparing meals or even help with their mobility. This empowers them to remain living in their own home. Reablement comprises a short and intensive period of support, usually offered in a person’s own home.

  • It is offered free of charge
  • It is not means tested
  • It is only offered to people who the Council believes will benefit. This is because not everyone will be able to learn, or re-learn skills

Key features of the reablement service for Harrow citizens

  • Focuses on strengths to promote and maximise independence and wellbeing.
  • Rebuilds confidence after:
    • a bout of illness
    • deterioration in health
    • an injury
    • a hospital admission, or an acquired disability
  • Different to traditional home care as it calls on care providers to stand back and encourage self-care skills, that may have been lost.
  • Supports regaining or retention of skills, to manage with minimal or no support.
  • Short-term and intensive.
  • A focus on restoring independent functioning, rather than resolving healthcare issues.
  • Aims to prevent re-admission to hospital such as a premature move to a care home, or delay, reduce or minimise the need for ongoing Homecare.
  • Aim of setting and working toward meaningful goals. Aims to reconnect Harrow residents with their communities to reduce social isolation.
  • Can help to reduce the amount of care needed from carers and family.
  • Ensures support to live independently and remain in your own home as long as possible.

Who is it for?

Reablement is not appropriate for everyone. It's only for people who can regain full or significant independence in the short term. Reablement is provided after an initial assessment by an Adult Social Care Worker. The service is available to Harrow residents aged 18 and over who:

  • Are returning home after spending time in hospital due to a bout of illness, surgery, or a fall.
  • Are feeling frail and in need of support to remain at home. Or may be deteriorating in health and functional abilities, and need more support.
  • Those discharged from hospital to a temporary placement, sometimes called a “step-down” bed, and need help getting home.

If you meet either of the following criteria you may be eligible for Reablement:

  • Already receiving social care services and have been discharged from hospital
  • Have changing health and functional abilities which may require an increased level of support at home

If you are suitable for Reablement your existing home care support will be temporarily suspended. This will include any financial contribution’s you make towards that care for the duration of the Reablement period. The Reablement support will be free of charge. People leaving hospital with severe or profound ongoing health or care needs do not qualify Reablement. This is because it will not help to significantly improve their situation.

The information in these pages is also available as a downloadable brochure: A Guide to Harrow Reablement Service