Frequently Asked Questions
Finding the right care can feel overwhelming, so we’re here to make the process as simple as possible. Below you’ll find answers to some of the questions we are most frequently asked about our home care services, the support we provide, and how to get started. If you need any further advice, our caring and experienced team is just a phone call away and will be happy to assist.
1. About Orchids Care
What is Orchids Care?
Orchids Care is a home care provider based in Warmsworth, Doncaster, delivering support to people living in their own homes including personal and specialist care throughout Doncaster and South Yorkshire. We support older people and adults with neurological conditions, learning disabilities and physical disabilities to live safely and independently as possible at home.
How long has Orchids Care been operating?
Orchids Care was founded by Sarah Robson in August 2004, after she identified a gap in local community services while arranging care for a family member. Sarah holds an NVQ Level 4 in Health and Social Care, an NVQ Level 4 Registered Manager’s Award and a Level 5 NVQ in Business Management, alongside a range of specialist accreditations including safe handling of medication, equality and diversity, and safeguarding.
Where is Orchids Care based?
Our head office is at 53 High Road, Warmsworth, Doncaster, DN4 9LX.
What areas does Orchids Care cover?
We provide home care services across Doncaster and the surrounding area, including Warmsworth, Balby, Edlington, Bentley, Wheatley, Cantley, Armthorpe, Hyde Park, Intake, Hexthorpe, Doncaster town centre, Mexborough, Conisbrough, Wadworth, Rossington, Branton, Sprotbrough and Arksey. Covering all DN and most S64 areas If you’re unsure whether we cover your area, please call us on 01302 570729 to check.
Is Orchids Care regulated?
Yes. Orchids Care is registered with and regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the independent regulator of health and social care in England. Following our most recent inspection, we are rated Good overall, with Good ratings across all five key areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors reported that people and their relatives told them staff were caring, and that people’s privacy, dignity and independence were respected. The report also highlighted that the service is well-led, with a positive, person-centred culture and strong quality assurance systems supporting continuous learning and improvement. You can view our full CQC report here >>>
What is home care, and how is it different from a care home?
Home care (also known as domiciliary care) means a support working or assistant visits you, or lives with you, in your own home to provide support with daily living, rather than you moving into a residential care home. It allows people to stay in familiar surroundings, keep their independence and maintain their existing routines, relationships and community connections.
2. Our Staff, Safety and Standards
Are Orchids Care staff qualified and trained?
Yes. All new staff complete a comprehensive induction before they begin working with clients, followed by shadowing shifts, ongoing training including first aid, health and safety, moving and handling, food hygiene, medication awareness, infection control and safeguarding. All staff work towards an NVQ Level 2 in Health and Social Care within two years of starting with us.
How are your team vetted before working with clients?
Every member of our team undergoes an enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) and POVA (Protection of Vulnerable Adults) check, along with reference checks, before they are permitted to provide care.
Is care available outside normal office hours?
Yes. Orchids Care provides care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, including bank holidays. We have the capacity to arrange care at very short notice, including last-minute requests.
Will I have the same person each time?
We aim to provide continuity of care wherever possible so that clients build trusted, familiar relationships with their assistants, which is central to our person-centred approach.
What if I’m not happy with the care I receive?
We welcome feedback at any time and encourage clients and families to raise any concerns directly with our office so we can address them quickly. Care plans are reviewed regularly and can be adjusted if something isn’t working for you.
3. Our Care/Support Services
What is personal care?
Personal care is providing support with daily living activities such as washing, dressing, toileting, medication, eating, drinking and mobility, while promoting independence, dignity, choice and wellbeing.
What support services does Orchids Care provide?
We provide a wide range of person-centred services, including elderly care, neurological care, learning disability support and physical disability care. Depending on individual needs, our support can include personal care, medication prompts, meal preparation, companionship, respite care, shopping, light cleaning, escorting to appointments, wheelchair assistance, night services and daily welfare checks.
Do you offer personal care?
Yes. Our team can assist with personal care and hygiene, including washing, dressing, bathing and continence support, always delivered with dignity and respect.
Do you help with meals and nutrition?
Yes. Your assistant can prepare meals, support healthy eating and provide nutritional support tailored to individual dietary needs and preferences.
Can you help with shopping and household tasks?
Yes. We offer support with shopping, errands and light household duties as part of a wider care package.
Do you provide companionship visits?
Yes. Loneliness and social isolation can have a significant impact on a person’s health, wellbeing and independence, particularly for older people and those with limited mobility.
Your assistant provides genuine companionship, taking the time to build meaningful relationships through conversation, shared interests and emotional support, as well as assisting with practical daily tasks.
We also support people to remain active within their local community by accompanying them to social groups, day centres, religious services, appointments, cafés, shopping trips and other community activities. Our aim is to help people maintain their independence, reduce social isolation and continue participating in the activities that matter most to them.
Can you help with medication?
Yes. Our service provides 4 types of medication support from a check medication has been taken, verbal prompt to take medication, physically passing the medication and finally removing the medication from a lock box and physically passing to the clients, this is done in line with the medications required timing to support clients in taking their medication safely and on time.
Do you offer respite care for family carers?
Yes. We provide respite support to give family carers a break, whether for a few hours, overnight or longer, while ensuring their loved one continues to receive professional, compassionate care.
Can you escort clients to appointments?
Yes. We can accompany clients to medical, social or other appointments, including support with transport and mobility.
Do you provide overnight or night-time care?
Yes. We offer night services, including overnight support and waking-night care, depending on individual needs.
Do you provide live-in care?
Yes. Support can be arranged from as little as one hour a week through to full 24-hour, live-in support, seven days a week.
4. Elderly Care
What does your elderly care service include?
Our elderly care service supports older people to remain safely and independently at home. It can include personal care, help with washing and dressing, meal preparation, medication prompts, shopping, light household duties, companionship, mobility support, help attending appointments and respite support for family carers.
Do you support people living with dementia?
Yes. We provide support for older people living with dementia and other age-related conditions, with care plans tailored to the individual’s specific needs and stage of their condition.
How quickly can elderly care be arranged?
Care can often be arranged quickly following an initial assessment. Contact our team to discuss your requirements and we will work with you to arrange support as promptly as possible. Often we can begin support within 48 hours.
Can elderly care visits be as little as once a week?
Yes. Support is flexible and can range from occasional visits through to daily or full 24-hour care, depending on what is needed.
5. Neurological Care
What neurological conditions do you support?
We support individuals living with Parkinson’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, acquired brain injuries, stroke-related conditions and other neurological disorders.
Can neurological care be increased if a condition progresses?
Yes. We regularly review support plans and can adjust the level and type of care as needs change over time. Should any staff family or professionals raise any issues we review and update the package of care for the clients best needs.
Do you support families of people with neurological conditions?
Yes. Caring for a family member with a neurological condition can be physically and emotionally demanding. We provide practical support and respite care to help family carers maintain balance while their loved one receives professional care.
6. Learning Disability Support
What kind of support do you offer for adults with learning disabilities?
Our Learning Disability Support Service helps adults build confidence, develop independent living skills and participate fully in everyday life. This can include personal care, support with daily routines, meal preparation, community access, support attending appointments, social and recreational activities, and help accessing education or employment opportunities.
Is learning disability support tailored to the individual?
Yes. Every support plan is person-centred and reflects the individual’s abilities, goals, preferences and circumstances, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
Do you support young adults transitioning into adult care?
Our learning disability support service is for adults aged 18 and over. While we’re unable to provide care to a child directly, we’re happy to speak with families in advance so that support can be planned and put in place as soon as their loved one turns 18, helping ensure a smooth transition into adult care.
7. Physical Disability Care
Who can benefit from your physical disability care service?
Our service supports adults living with physical disabilities, sensory impairments or restricted mobility who need assistance to remain independent and active in their own home and community.
What support is available for restricted mobility?
Our care workers are trained to support people with restricted mobility, including help with transfers, mobility assistance, wheelchair pushing and adapting support as needs change over time.
8. Costs, Funding and Getting Started
How much does home care cost?
Everyone’s needs are different and the cost of care depends on the type, frequency and level of support required, so we don’t publish a fixed price list. We would be happy to discuss your circumstances and provide a personalised quote following an initial assessment. Please call us on 01302 570729 to talk through your requirements.
How is home care funded?
Home care can be funded in different ways, including self-funding, local authority funding (following a council needs assessment and means test), NHS Continuing Healthcare funding, or direct payments/personal budgets that let you choose and pay for your own care provider. We can talk you through the options relevant to your situation.
Can Orchids Care work with a local authority care package?
Yes. We work with families, individuals and local authorities to deliver care packages, and can discuss how existing funding or care assessments apply to our services.
How do I arrange care with Orchids Care?
Call us on 01302 570729 or complete the [contact form – LINK]. We will discuss your needs, answer any questions, and arrange a personalised care assessment to design a support plan around you or your loved one.
What happens during an initial care assessment?
We take the time to understand the individual’s needs, routines, preferences and goals, involving family members where appropriate, so we can build a care plan tailored specifically to them.
Can family members be involved in care planning?
Absolutely. We actively encourage family involvement at every stage, from the initial assessment through to ongoing reviews, to make sure the support provided reflects the individual’s wishes and needs.
Are care plans reviewed and updated over time?
Yes. We regularly review and adapt care plans as circumstances, health and needs change, to make sure support remains appropriate and effective.
How quickly can care start?
We have the capacity to arrange carers at very short notice, including last-minute requests, and care can often begin quickly once an assessment has taken place.
Is there a minimum amount of care I need to book?
No. Support can be arranged from as little as one hour a week up to full 24-hour, live-in care, depending on what you need.
9. How we Keep Families Informed
How does Orchids Care keep family members updated about their loved one’s care?
We know how important it is for families to feel connected to their loved one’s care, whether you’re just down the road or hours away, so we keep you informed in whatever way works best for you.
Digitally, nominated family members can get secure access to our family communication app, where you can see exactly when each visit happened, read the carer’s notes and updates after every call, get alerted to anything of concern, and look back over an ongoing care record — all from your phone, wherever you are.
Beyond the app, we also keep families informed through regular phone catch-ups with a nominated contact, periodic care review meetings to discuss how things are going, a daily log book kept in the home, direct calls after key events such as a hospital appointment or a change in medication, a named point of contact at our office, a clear out-of-hours emergency number, and printed copies of the care plan so everyone’s working from the same information.
What can I see on the family app?
Once care begins, nominated family members can be given secure access to the app, where they can see:
- Exactly when each visit happened — arrival and departure times for every scheduled call, so you can be reassured that we’ve visited and your loved one wasn’t alone.
- Notes and updates from every visit — what was done, how your loved one was feeling, what they ate, medication administered, and any observations their assistant wants to flag.
- Alerts on anything of concern — if an assistant notices a change, however small, you’re informed promptly rather than finding out days later.
- An ongoing care record — a running history you can look back over, rather than relying on a scribbled notebook left on the kitchen table.
It means you can check in from your phone, wherever you are, and feel connected to your loved one’s day-to-day care. For families living away from Doncaster, or juggling their own work and children, it brings real peace of mind — you don’t have to choose between being present and going about your own day-to-day life.
Can more than one family member have access to updates?
Yes, access can typically be arranged for multiple family members, so siblings or relatives who share caring responsibilities can all stay informed without relying on one person to pass on updates.
Is the family app secure and private?
Yes. Access is provided only to nominated family members, and all information is handled in line with our data protection and confidentiality obligations as a CQC-regulated provider.
10. Contact Orchids Care
How do I get in touch with Orchids Care?
Call us on 01302 570729, email us at [email protected], use the contact form www.orchids-care.co.uk/contact or visit us at 53 High Road, Warmsworth, Doncaster, DN4 9LX. Our office is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm.
For more information on our range of services, vacancies or if you have any other query at Orchids Care, please contact us on our quick contact form.
Why choose us?
Care Available 24/7 365 Days
Staff Are Police And POVA Checked
Head Office
Orchids Care Ltd
53 High Road,
Warmsworth,
Doncaster,
DN4 9LX.
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