Preparing for a Care Needs Assessment is vital for ensuring you get the most from the assessment. While the assessment is based on how you present on the day, there are some things you can do to prepare yourself, your loved ones, and the assessor.

To help you feel ready for your assessment, we've created a guide on what you can do in the days leading up to the assessment, the day of the assessment, and the days after the assessment.

What is a care needs assessment?

A care needs assessment is a conversation about how you like to go about everyday life at home to assess the kind of support you need to help you live independently for as long as possible. A qualified and friendly assessor will speak with you and discuss many different aspects of your life at home. You’ll be asked questions about what you’d like to achieve (for example, help to get dressed in the morning or support with taking your medication).

It can be helpful to have a care needs assessment if you’ve noticed that you’re struggling to live on your own without support or have noticed changes in your ability to do everyday tasks. The assessment can help to give you perspective about your care needs and provide you with a sense of direction to build a care plan tailored to you. The report is provided directly to you so you can take it to whichever care provider you are planning on using to support your needs.

What should I do in the days leading up to the assessment?

Before the assessment takes place, it’s a good idea to have an open discussion with your loved ones about the possible outcomes of the assessment and how you will address the comments raised within the report. For example, if full-time care is recommended will you move into a care home? And how will you fund your care?

Care needs assessments tend to evaluate all aspects of your life, so it’s important to consider this and the overall outcome of the assessment when preparing for it.

Have ideas in mind such as:

• The number of hours care you would like
• Tasks you feel you need help with
• Your desired outcome

Care needs reports are usually provided based on how the individual was on the day the assessment was completed. But no one can predict how they will feel on the day, so having notes about how you feel on good days and bad days can help the assessor understand how you feel about your care needs or capacity on the good days as well as the bad. Keeping a diary can help provide insight to the assessor which may be taken into consideration.

What should I do on the day of the assessment?

It’s a good idea to have a trusted person with you on the day of the assessment that you feel comfortable around. This is usually a family member or healthcare assistant. They can be with you for the duration of the assessment.

Before the assessment starts, make sure you are comfortable. This includes having something to eat, using the toilet, and having a glass of water or a warm drink with you where the assessment will take place.

It can be helpful to have information about any medication you currently take or any care that you currently receive so that this can be taken into consideration when building the report. Details of the Lasting Power of Attorney or Deputy appointed by the Court if one is in place can be helpful to have on the day too.

What is covered in a care needs and capacity assessment?

One person’s care needs may differ from the next, but there are certain areas that your assessor will cover to ensure they fully understand and can make a sound judgment of your healthcare needs and personal care needs.

The assessor will cover areas such as your daily living preferences such as likes and dislikes, food and drink preferences, and, your personal care preferences.

They will also cover your independent living skills, so this will cover tasks such as your ability to organise your day by yourself or locking doors at night. Understanding your independent living skills is a good indicator of the type of care you require because if you possess the basic ability to care for yourself, it's likely you will be able to remain in your own home.

The assessor will cover areas such as your current abilities, any physical difficulties you're having (and the risks that might present), your emotional and social situation, your support network and any health or housing requirements you may have. The assessor will also ask your relative what they would like to happen. You can be present during the meeting and help to answer any questions.

What questions are asked during the assessment?

Each assessment is different, depending on the situation of the individual. But here are some questions which the assessor may ask you to get a better understanding of your needs and/or capacity:

• What do you want to achieve from the assessment?
  

• Do you have any existing physical health conditions? For example, COPD or diabetes.

• Do you have any existing mental health conditions? For example, depression or dementia.

• Do you take any medication?

• How do you manage with your mobility?

• What activities do you like to partake in?

• Are you able to look after your own home?

• Is your home suitable for your needs?

• Are you able to wash and dress yourself?

• Have you had any falls?

• What is your diet like?

• Do you have regular meals?

These questions are only a guide to the type of questions that may be asked during the assessment. Questions can be adjusted based on the information provided prior to and during the assessment.

What happens after the assessment?

The assessor will write up a report of what happened throughout the assessment. The report is written from the assessor's perspective having considered all the information they had available to them prior to the assessment and on the day of the assessment. The assessor usually provides two options that they believe are the most suitable and least restrictive to provide the support you need.



If the report concludes that an extra provision of care is needed, then a care plan can be drawn up with your primary care physician and local authority. This will include whether a care home or home care is the most suitable option.