The short version
Your parent stays at home with a routine that actually happens, and you get clear notes on care, meds, meals, and any changes we notice, visit by visit.
Most families reach out after a fall, a hospital discharge, or a worrying call, when staying at home still matters but the small risks add up fast. You’ll have a steady routine, the same two people turning up, and written notes that track meds, meals, and how the visit went. Next we’ll confirm days and times, then book the first walk-through.
We start with a home safety walk-through, then set a simple care plan you can read in two minutes. After that we run the visits the same way each time: personal care first, medication prompts with charting, then meals, light domestic help, and a short handover note so nothing relies on memory.
About us
We started Hickson & Co to do home care the way families ask for it: on time, consistent, and written down. Claire Donnelly coordinates the schedule and care plan, and Mark Whelan is on the visits most days. Between us, we cover personal care, meals, domestic help, transport, and the steady companionship that keeps days from shrinking.
People choose us when they want fewer moving parts. You deal with Claire for planning and updates, and you see Mark in the home, so the routine stays familiar. We write handover notes after every visit, chart medication prompts, and flag changes early, because most problems start small and get serious when nobody joins the dots.
Who you will work with
You’ll deal with the same two people, so the routine lands quickly and stays predictable.
Team
Claire Donnelly, Care coordinator. Claire is our care coordinator. She sets the care plan with you, locks in days and times, and checks the notes so any changes get followed up.
Mark Whelan, Support worker. Mark is our support worker. He runs the visits, helps with personal care and meals, does the safety checks, and leaves a written handover each time.
Selected work
Here are a few recent home care setups showing what visits look like once the routine is running week to week.
Portfolio
Post-discharge home care. Set up morning visits after a hospital discharge, with showering, dressing, breakfast, and medication prompts. Added handover notes each visit so the family could see patterns in appetite, mood, and mobility.
Daily personal care routine. Built a steady two-hour routine around toileting support, showering, clean clothes, and a quick kitchen reset. Kept the order the same each day so the client knew what was coming next.
Transport and accompanied outings. Handled shopping and medical appointments with pickup, waiting support, and a check-in note after. Kept a running list of questions for appointments so nothing got missed in the rush.
“The notes meant we always knew what happened, even when we couldn’t be there.”
Adult daughter, organising care after a fall
The service schedule
We’ll agree a visit schedule, then we run each visit in a set order so personal care, meds, meals, and safety checks don’t get rushed. Between visits, you can reach Claire by phone or email for changes, questions, or extra bookings.
1. Start-up visit Once, at start Claire comes out for a home safety walk-through and a routine setup. We confirm what help is needed for showering, dressing, toileting, meals, cleaning, and transport, then agree where notes and the medication chart will live so everyone can find them. 2. Personal care Every visit We start with the highest-risk tasks while energy is best: showering, dressing, toileting support, grooming, and a quick wellbeing check. We keep the sequence the same from visit to visit, because familiarity reduces refusals and makes the day easier to start. 3. Meds and meals Every visit We prompt medications as scheduled, record the prompt on the chart, and note anything unusual we see. Then we prepare a simple meal or snack, support feeding if needed, and leave the kitchen safe and tidy enough for the next few hours. 4. Handover note Every visit Before we leave, we write a short handover note: what we did, what was eaten, whether meds were prompted, and anything that looked different. If something needs action, we call you the same day and say what we saw and what we suggest next.
Personal care support
Every visit. Showering, dressing, toileting support, grooming, and a quick wellbeing check, done in the same order so the routine feels familiar.
MEDICATION PROMPTS AND CHARTING
Every visit where meds are due. We prompt as scheduled, then record the prompt on the chart and note any concerns you should know about.
MEAL PREP AND FEEDING SUPPORT
Every visit as needed. Simple meals, snacks, and hydration prompts, plus feeding support where required, with a note on what was eaten.
Domestic assistance
Each visit, time allowing. Dishes, laundry, bathroom and kitchen touch-ups, bin change, and a quick reset that keeps the home safe to move around.
COMPANIONSHIP AND SOCIAL SUPPORT
Every visit. Conversation, a short activity, and encouragement to keep to the day’s rhythm, with notes if mood or behaviour shifts.
TRANSPORT AND ACCOMPANIED OUTINGS
As booked. Pickup, support at appointments or shopping, and drop-off home, with a short written note on how it went and anything to follow up.
What it costs
Pick the plan that matches how often you want visits booked. We can add transport to any plan when outings and appointments come up. Prices are per visit.
Priced items
Getting started
If you’d like us to begin home care, sign on this page and we’ll lock in your first visit times straight away.
1. Sign and send the acceptance page. 2. Claire will call to confirm days, times, and the first walk-through. 3. We’ll start visits and leave a written note after each one.
CAN YOU START THIS WEEK, AND WHAT DAYS AND TIMES CAN YOU COVER?
Often, yes. Claire will confirm what days and times you need first, then we’ll offer the nearest openings we can actually commit to. If the first week needs extra coverage, we can start with that and settle into a steady schedule after.
WHAT DO YOU ACTUALLY DO ON A TWO-HOUR VISIT?
We prioritise personal care and safety first, then medication prompts if they’re due, then food and a home reset. If there’s transport booked, that visit is planned around the appointment time and the travel.
HOW DO YOU HANDLE MEDS, AND DO YOU WRITE ANYTHING DOWN FOR US?
We do medication prompts and we chart the prompt on a simple medication sheet kept in the home. We also leave a handover note after every visit, so you can see what was done, what was eaten, and anything that looked different.
IF MUM REFUSES HELP OR GETS UPSET, WHAT DO YOU DO?
We slow it down and keep the routine predictable. We’ll offer choices, step out of the room if needed, and try again in a few minutes, because pushing usually makes the next visit harder. If refusals continue, Claire will call you to adjust the plan.
Signature
Fee summary
Invoices
We invoice at the start of each period of care. Each invoice is payable within 7 days of its date. If you want us to change the visit rhythm, we update the next invoice to match.
Who you deal with. Claire Donnelly is your care coordinator and handles scheduling, plan changes, and check-ins. Mark Whelan is your main support worker for visits. If we need to swap a visit, Claire will tell you first.
Start up visit. Before regular visits start, we do one start-up visit to walk through safety, routine, and where the medication sheet and handover notes will live. We use that to set the care plan for visits.
Access and keys. You organise safe access for each visit, such as a key, lockbox, or someone letting us in. For safety, we do not write codes or key locations into this document. Claire will confirm access details with you directly.
Handover notes and medication sheet. After every visit we leave a handover note in the home, and we chart medication prompts on the medication sheet kept there. If you want copies sent to you, tell Claire and we will agree on the method.
Transport and outings
Transport and accompanied outings are booked in advance where possible so we can plan around the appointment time and travel. Any parking or entry fees are paid by the client, and we confirm the plan before the visit.
Refusals and distress. If your parent refuses help or becomes upset, we slow down, offer choices, step out if needed, and try again in a few minutes. If refusals keep happening, Claire will call you to adjust the plan and timing.
Changes and cancellations. If you need to change or cancel a visit, let Claire know with as much notice as you can. The notice window and any short-notice fees are set by us and depend on the roster and travel for that day.
Extra work outside the plan. If something comes up that is outside home care, we will flag it in the handover note and tell you what we can do next. Any extra work is quoted or charged at our standard hourly rate before we proceed.
