Integrated home care services
Integrated home care services (home support and home nursing) provide personalized care. The goal is to enable people to live at home as long as they wish, despite illness or disability.
Why integrated home care services?
Integrated home care services aim to ensure individuals who need care at home receive integrated services at the appropriate level. Under integrated home care, there are three rehabilitation teams in Reykjavík, as well as a virtual service center, offering services like virtual visits and monitoring of automated medication dispensers. Once a service needs assessment is completed, it is determined from which team or teams the service will be provided.
What is home support?
Home support is for people who need assistance due to reduced ability, family circumstances, stress or illness. Home support includes help with daily activities, such as dressing, personal hygiene, eating and using technology for household tasks and medication management. It also includes social support, such as through virtual visits.
Am I entitled to home support?
You may be eligible for home support if you need assistance due to reduced ability, stress, illness or family circumstances. The service is for people with legal residence in Reykjavík who are over 18 years old and live independently.
Home support (I. heimastuðningur) used to be called social home care (I. félagsleg heimaþjónusta) and is provided on the basis of the Reykjavík City Rules on Support Services.
How do I apply for home support?
You apply for home support online using My Pages.
You can also fill out a PDF application and send it to heima@reykjavik.is or submit it at your district center.
If we need additional documentation, such as a medical certificate, you will be contacted. Healthcare workers can also request home support, in consultation with you, if they feel it is needed.
If you need further advice, you can schedule a phone call from a counselor
What happens next?
Once a signed application is available, the next step is the assessment of support needs. The assessment takes place in the applicant’s home in close collaboration with the applicant, where the applicant’s social status, circumstances and skills are taken into account.
The overall situation of people is considered in the assessment. If the assessment reveals that there is no need for support or that conditions are not met, the application is denied. If an application is accepted, a support plan is prepared in consultation with the user. This support plan sets out the goals of the service, its scope, and the main tasks.
If your application is denied, and you believe there are exceptional circumstances, you can request a review by the Welfare Council Appeal Board.
How much does the service cost?
You will need to pay for cleaning services, at a rate of 1,600 kr. per hour, up to a maximum of 6 hours per month. People whose earnings are less than or equal to the Social Insurance Administration cost-of-living index do not have to pay for home support.
When home support takes place outside the home, the user must pay the costs incurred.
Residential care
Home nursing is for people who need healthcare at home. It includes healthcare and monitoring by nurses or practical nurses and is provided in close cooperation with service users and emergency contacts. Staff at healthcare centers or hospitals assess the need for home nursing and send a service request through SAGA.
Home-based rehabilitation
People may need help regaining and maintaining engagement, health and quality of life. Through home-based rehabilitation, people receive training and counseling to suit their needs. The rehabilitation is largely carried out at the users’ home or in their local environment.
Welfare technology
Reykjavík City emphasizes the testing and implementation of welfare technology in the services provided to city residents with the aim of enabling people to live longer in their own homes with better living conditions, despite aging, disability or illness.
Social support for dementia
People with dementia and their families often need extra support to face a variety of challenges in their daily lives.
Social support due to dementia is intended to relieve the burden of home care for people with dementia and improve the quality of life for them and members of their families.
Where can I get more information?
Staff at the Centers provide information about integrated home care services at 411 9600.