Two halves of the same week
Most families we meet aren't choosing between home care and a day club. They need both.
Your dad wants to stay in his own house. That's non-negotiable for him. But he's on his own for long stretches, and you're worried about the gaps. Meals. Medication. Someone noticing if something's wrong. Then there's the other problem, the one nobody puts in a care plan. He's lonely.
Home care solves the first half. A day club solves the second. This article explains how the two fit together, what to look for in a home care provider, and one local provider we've worked with and recommend.
What home care does that we don't
We're straightforward about this. The Alderley Clubhouse is a members' club, not a care service.
We don't visit your parent at home. We don't help with washing and dressing in the morning. We don't manage medication, do the shopping or sit with someone overnight. A regulated home care provider does all of that.
We give someone a reason to leave the house. A cooked lunch with company. Cognitive Stimulation Therapy through our Ayla CST programme, which NICE recommends for mild to moderate dementia. A visiting podiatrist and hairdresser. The sensory garden. Fish and chips from Charlie's of Mobberley on a Friday.
Put the two together, and you've got something close to a full week of support that still lets your parent sleep in their own bed.
How a combined week looks
Here's an arrangement we see working well.
Your mum has a carer visiting each morning. Two days a week, she comes to the club instead. She's dropped at our secure car park on Congleton Road, spends the day with her friends here, has a proper lunch, joins whichever activities she fancies, and goes home at half past four.
You get a full day without the mental load. Her carer gets a break, or picks up the morning and evening visits around the club day. And she gets something neither of you can give her at home: a room full of people her own age and a reason to get dressed up.
The club runs 9:30 am to 4:30 pm, so that's seven hours. A working day, not a two-hour breather.
Where a member also has home care, we're happy to share what's useful with their provider, with your permission. If your dad has a bad day with us, his carer can know. If his carer notices something at home, so can we.
What to look for in a home care provider
There are many home care agencies around Alderley Edge, Wilmslow and Macclesfield. Quality varies. These are the things worth checking before you sign anything.
CQC registration and rating. Every home care provider in England must be registered with the Care Quality Commission. Look up their latest inspection report and read it, not just the headline rating.
Independent reviews. homecare.co.uk is the main review platform for the sector. A high score from a decent number of reviews tells you more than a brochure.
Continuity. Ask how many different carers your parent will see in a typical week. A parent with early memory loss copes far better with one familiar face than a rota of strangers.
Visit length. Ask the minimum visit time. Fifteen-minute calls are common in the sector and rarely enough to do anything properly.
A free assessment. Good providers will come to the house, meet your parent and talk through what's needed before quoting. Be wary of anyone who prices over the phone.
Who runs it. Franchise or independent, family-run or corporate, the question is whether the registered manager is local and reachable.
A provider we're happy to recommend
Right at Home Cheshire East is a family-run home care provider based in Hazel Grove, led by Managing Director Rebecca Whiting. They cover Stockport South, Wilmslow, and Macclesfield, including Poynton, Bramhall, Cheadle Hulme, Handforth, Bollington, Prestbury, and the villages around Alderley Edge.
They're regulated by the CQC and rated Good. On homecare.co.uk they hold a 9.9 score from 78 reviews. They're part of a national network recognised by homecare.co.uk as a top-rated group, and they partner with Dementia Adventure.
Their services run from a few hours a week to full live-in care. Visiting care, respite, overnight, dementia care, hospital-to-home, companionship. It all starts with a free assessment at home.
We've worked with Right at Home since before we opened. Their clients spend the day with us when a carer or family member needs a break, and we've found them straightforward to deal with. They already saw their role as getting people out and about, to the Treacle Market in Macclesfield or a walk in Bramhall Park, so a day club fitted naturally into what they do.
They aren't the only good provider in the area, and we'll add others to this page as we get to know them. But if you're starting from scratch, they're a sound first call.
How to think about the cost
Home care in Cheshire East is priced on a personalised quote. Depending on circumstances, some families qualify for support through Cheshire East Council.
Our day pass is £120 including VAT. A 10-Session Pass is £1,080, which includes nine paid days and the tenth free. There's no membership fee and no fixed days. You use passes when you need them.
Many families find that two club days a week and a lighter home care package costs less than daily visits, while giving a better week. That's worth modelling before you decide.
Where to start
If your parent has no support in place, start with a home care assessment. It will tell you what's needed and what isn't.
If home care is already sorted and the missing piece is company and activity, start with us. Book a complimentary Be Our Guest day. Your parent spends a full day here with lunch and activities included, at no cost, so you can both judge it properly.
Whichever door you come through first, ask about the other. We'll help you join the two up.
Frequently Asked Questions
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No. Most members attend on their own or are brought by family. Club days work alongside home care for families who want both, but home care isn't a requirement.
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Yes. A carer can support your parent in the morning before drop-off and again in the evening after pick-up. The club runs 9:30am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday.
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No. We're a members' club for people aged 50 and over, run by an experienced team including a Registered Manager. Personal care at home should come from a CQC-registered provider.
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Look up their CQC report, read their reviews on homecare.co.uk, ask about carer continuity and minimum visit length, and expect a free home assessment before any quote.
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We've worked with Right at Home Cheshire East, a family-run, CQC-rated Good provider covering Wilmslow, Macclesfield and Stockport South, and we're happy to recommend them. Other good providers exist locally, and we'll add to this page as we work with them.
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A day pass is £120 including VAT, or £1,080 for a 10-Session Pass with the tenth day free. Home care is quoted individually. Your first club day is free through Be Our Guest.
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