Sunshine Care is an independent agency that prides itself on providing clients with highest quality of care. We can offer a diverse range of care packages ranging from ½ domiciliary visits to 24 hour specialised Live-in care packages. We operate locally within Plymouth and the South Hams area for domiciliary care and throughout Devon and Cornwall for Live-in Care.  We provide a service tailored to the individuals needs.

As we age, some of us find it difficult to cope with domestic responsibilities and our own personal care needs. Our service is designed to provide care in our customers own homes on a one-to-one basis.

Our team of highly trained and experienced specialist staff provide care for people who may be physically frail or housebound, in the comfort of their own home, whilst maintaining their dignity.

We employ loving and compassionate staff who have a genuine interest in the mental, emotional and physical well being of those they look after.  Our committed staff enable us to provide a community care service of such high quality that we are seen as the first choice provider by many social workers, district nurses, doctors and care managers.  We endeavour to provide that little bit extra to enhance the lives of the vulnerable and elderly who are finding it difficult to cope on their own.

All our staff are police-checked, regularly supervised, well-supported and trained to an exceptionally high standard.  Delivering a consistent quality service is our priority and we ensure this high standard by careful recruitment of the best care support staff we can attract and the ongoing monitoring of their performance throughout their employment.

Sunshine Care provides care for a variety of people, each with their own specific care needs, and so match your requirements with the skill sets and personalities of our care support staff.

A Service User Care Assessment and Care Plan is produced through consultation with each client to ensure we gather accurate information about care needs, wishes, preferences and personal goals.

There may be many reasons why you are looking at care options. You may be looking for a friend, family member or yourself. You may find that a little support is needed with those tasks that are becoming more difficult, or because of restricted mobility through an accident or illness. It may be that your needs aren’t just for personal care, you may need a companion and a housekeeper too.  Whatever your needs may be, Sunshine Care can help, please call us on 0845 2600670

Direct Payments - What are they?

Direct Payments are an alternative way of providing social care services to those people who need support to live independently in the community. Following an assessment of needs and an agreement that eligible needs will be met, South Hams Social Services will give people the choice of having social care services arranged for them or trying a Direct Payment.

Basically, a Direct Payment gives individuals requiring social care support the opportunity to arrange and pay for it themselves. Being able to arrange and control services to meet eligible needs means people can organise their lives flexibly on a day-to-day basis. It also means that people have a bigger choice in how to meet their eligible needs.

Where can I go for help
Contact for Devon
Care Direct: 0845 1551 007
www.devon.gov.uk/

What is diabetes?

Diabetes mellitus is a condition in which the amount of glucose (sugar) in the blood is too high because the body cannot use it properly. Glucose comes from the digestion of starchy foods such as bread, rice, potatoes, chapattis, yams and plantain, from sugar and other sweet foods, and from the liver which makes glucose.

The symptoms of hypoglycaemia can include:

•    headache,
•    mental confusion (which may include aggressive behaviour),
•    slurred speech,
•    abnormal behaviour,
•    loss of memory,
•    numbness,
•    double vision, and
•    Temporary paralysis and seizures (fits).

If you are hypoglycaemic, you may also experience trembling, faintness and palpitations, and excessive sweating. Sometimes, behaviour can be irrational, and disorderly, and may be mistaken for drunkenness.

Where can I get advice?
www.diabetes.org.uk 
www.bda.uk.com (British Diabetes Society)
Tel 0121 200 8080
Fax 0121 200 8081

Hypothermia

I am sure that many of us will welcome the opportunity to help vulnerable neighbours to avoid some of this winter’s dangers.  Without causing alarm, we would like to increase awareness of the symptoms of hypothermia, and we feel that it is important to encourage older people to claim their full range of benefits, and to spend their winter fuel allowance wisely so that they increase their spending on keeping their homes warm.

Hypothermia is caused when the body’s core temperature falls below 35ºC.  The signs and symptoms can be:

•    Shivering at first, muscle stiffness as the body gets colder.
•    Skin cold to touch and pale in colour.
•    Confusion and low response levels, which can lead to unconsciousness.

Generally it is best to wear several layers of thin clothing under a warm jumper as body insulation.  Prepare a warm flask of soup or hot beverage and keep this handy to raise body temperature during cold snaps.  Try to move around and exercise as much as possible.  Keep your phone or piper alarm close to hand.  Change any wet clothing as soon as possible.  Fit draught-proofing to help seal gaps around windows and doors.  Further information about easy exercises you can do while sitting down that will help you to stay warm and mobile is available from the Age Concern Information Line, on 0800 00 99 66.

Other useful Telephone Numbers are:
Warm Front Scheme  0800 072 0151 – for grants to make homes warmer.
Winter Fuel Payment – 08459 15 15 15 for people aged 60 and over.