Care on the doorstep of Southampton General
Shirley sits right next to Southampton General Hospital on Tremona Road, and a lot of the calls we get from Shirley families start there. Someone has had a fall or an operation, the ward says they are nearly ready to go home, and suddenly the family has days, sometimes hours, to sort out help.
We work with hospital discharge teams and families to get a care plan agreed before the patient leaves, so the first visit happens when they get home rather than a week later. If you are in that position now, ring us and we will talk you through what to do next.
The homes we visit in Shirley
Shirley is a mix: Victorian and Edwardian terraces in the streets off the High Street, bigger interwar houses in Upper Shirley, and flats and post-war houses towards Shirley Warren and Coxford. Each brings its own challenges for someone getting older.
Terraced houses often mean steep stairs and a bathroom upstairs, which is where most falls happen. Flats can mean lifts that break down and long corridors. Our carers look at how each home works for the person living in it and suggest simple changes, from moving a bed downstairs to better lighting on the landing.
Getting out and about
One of the best things about Shirley is how much is within reach: the shops and cafes along the High Street, the library, the parks, and buses into town. For someone who has lost confidence going out alone, a companionship visit that includes a walk to the shops or a coffee on the High Street can make the week.
Our carers can also pick up prescriptions, do the shopping with or for your parent, and get them to GP and hospital appointments.
Living alone in a flat
Towards Shirley Warren and Coxford a lot of older people live alone in flats, some on upper floors. When the lift is out, or the walk to the bins and the post feels too far, life shrinks to a couple of rooms. We notice the small signs on a visit: the heating turned down to save money, the same meal three days running, a pile of unopened letters.
A regular visit puts that right quietly. A hot meal cooked from what they like, the heating and hot water checked, letters read through together, and a carer who goes down with the rubbish and the recycling. If something needs sorting with the housing provider or the GP, we let the family know and help get it done.
Complex needs in Shirley
Because Shirley is so close to the hospital, we also support people with more complex needs at home: recovery after a stroke or brain injury, Parkinson's, and palliative care. Care plans are written and reviewed by our registered nurses, and we work with the district nurses and GP practices already involved.
Questions from Shirley families
Do you cover all of Shirley?
Yes, including Upper Shirley, Shirley Warren, Regents Park and the streets around the High Street. Call us if you are not sure whether we cover your road.
Can you arrange care for someone leaving Southampton General?
Yes. Tell us as soon as a discharge date is mentioned and we will work with the ward and the family to have care ready.
How long is a visit?
Our preferred minimum visit is one hour, so there is time to do things properly and nobody is rushed.