At this week’s Business Networking South Leicestershire (BNSL) meeting, we welcomed Kyla from Family Care Advice Ltd for our 10-minute presentation.
Kyla gave members an informative and heartfelt insight into the challenges faced by individuals and families trying to navigate the often complicated world of health and social care. She explained how her independent advice service helps people understand their options, access appropriate support and make informed decisions about care for themselves or their loved ones.
Her guiding principle is simple:
“Everyone deserves care and support tailored to their needs and wishes.”
Meet Kyla – The Person Behind Family Care Advice
Kyla is the founder and owner of Family Care Advice Ltd and brings many years of experience working across health, social care and community support services.
Throughout her career, she has worked with adults, older people, carers, individuals with learning disabilities, people living with dementia and those requiring mental health support.
Her professional background includes a wide range of roles, including:
- Family Business Manager
- NHS Care in the Community
- Management Job Club Leader
- Supported Employment Lead
- Day Care Coordinator
- Community Mental Health Team Family Support Lead
- Age UK Project Manager
- Operations Manager for a dementia charitable organisation
Kyla also holds qualifications in Health and Social Care, Advanced Information, Advice and Guidance, and Counselling Skills.
This breadth of experience gives her a valuable understanding of the challenges faced by families, particularly when they find themselves having to make difficult decisions during stressful or emotional circumstances.
What Does Family Care Advice Do?
Family Care Advice provides independent care advice for adults, seniors and their families, helping them navigate the health and social care system and identify suitable care solutions.
Kyla explained that her work is particularly valuable for people who are funding their own care, often referred to as self-funders, who may be unsure where to turn for impartial information.
Her service helps families understand the different care options available and provides support in finding solutions that reflect an individual’s needs, preferences and circumstances.
Rather than making assumptions about what somebody requires, Kyla takes the time to listen, understand their wishes and explore the most appropriate options.
When Might Someone Need Family Care Advice?
One of the most useful parts of Kyla’s presentation was her explanation of the situations in which families typically contact her.
These include:
- Hospital discharge: When a loved one is leaving hospital and the family needs help understanding the care arrangements that may be required.
- Remaining independent at home: When an older person or vulnerable adult is struggling to manage everyday activities but wishes to continue living independently.
- Finding suitable care: When families are having difficulty identifying reputable home care providers or residential care homes with vacancies.
- Understanding care funding: When a local authority will not fund care and families need to explore alternative arrangements.
- Navigating the care system: When people feel overwhelmed by the complexity of health and social care services.
- Getting their voices heard: When individuals or relatives feel that their concerns are not being properly understood or addressed.
- Completing applications: When families need assistance understanding forms and processes, including Attendance Allowance applications.
Kyla shared an example of the type of enquiry she receives: a family member struggling to care for a husband living with Parkinson’s disease and dementia, who needed advice about finding a suitable care home.
It demonstrated how quickly caring responsibilities can become overwhelming and why having someone knowledgeable and independent to talk to can make such a difference.
Emotional, Practical and Financial Guidance
Kyla explained that Family Care Advice provides support across three important areas.
Emotional Support
Sometimes the first thing a person needs is someone who will listen.
Kyla provides reassurance, explanations and a sympathetic ear, helping families work through difficult situations and, where appropriate, directing them towards additional emotional support organisations.
Practical Support
Practical guidance can include exploring:
- Care at home and residential care options
- Aids, adaptations and assistive technology
- Support from health and social care professionals
- Ways to maintain independence and improve quality of life
- Assistance with relevant forms and applications
Financial Information and Guidance
Care funding can be particularly confusing, especially when families are unfamiliar with the terminology and processes involved.
Kyla helps people understand issues such as Attendance Allowance, potential benefit entitlements, Council Tax disregards, powers of attorney, local authority funding and NHS Continuing Healthcare funding.
Where specialist financial or legal advice is required, she can refer families to appropriately qualified professionals.
A Personal Approach to Care Advice
Following an initial conversation, Family Care Advice can arrange a more detailed consultation, either in person or by video call, with the individual concerned and their family or friends.
The aim is to build a clear picture of the person’s circumstances and provide guidance that is relevant to their particular situation.
Kyla’s presentation reinforced the importance of treating people as individuals rather than simply presenting a standard list of care options.
Her experience and compassionate approach help families feel more informed and better supported when making decisions that can have a significant impact on their lives.
A Little More About Kyla
As well as discussing her professional experience, Kyla gave members a glimpse into her life outside work.
She enjoys spending time with her partner Bruce, her four children, family and friends, and travelling in her much-loved motorhome, affectionately named Janis.
And when it comes to her favourite things, Kyla summed them up with a smile: her motorhome, family, friends and cheese – in that order!
It was a lovely personal touch that helped members get to know the person behind the business.
How to Contact Family Care Advice
If you or someone you know is struggling to understand care options, arrange suitable support or navigate the health and social care system, Family Care Advice may be able to help.
Kyla offers an initial free 15-minute telephone conversation, with no obligation to use her services.
She also generously offered fellow BNSL members an extended free conversation if they would like to discuss their own circumstances or those of a loved one.
Website: www.familycareadvice.co.uk
Thank You, Kyla!
A big thank you to Kyla for sharing her experience and explaining the valuable work carried out by Family Care Advice.
Her presentation highlighted something that many of us may face at some point in our lives: the need to arrange care for someone we love, often without knowing where to begin.
Knowing that independent, compassionate and practical advice is available can make an enormous difference.
Would You Like to Join Us at BNSL?
At Business Networking South Leicestershire, our weekly 10-minute presentations give members the opportunity to share their knowledge, explain their services and help fellow business owners understand how they can support one another.
We’re a friendly, welcoming group that believes business networking should be enjoyable, supportive and built around genuine relationships.
If you’re a local business owner interested in meeting like-minded people, we’d love to hear from you.
Contact BNSL to find out more about visiting one of our meetings.
