Live in care

Live in carers aim is to allow you to live as independently as possible in your own home, assisting you when required. Live in carers can help with a number of different aspects of care including:

• Ensuring medication is taken correctly
• Supporting with hygiene and personal care
• Ensuring dietary needs are met
• Companionship, in the home and at social events etc.
• Assistance with everyday domestic tasks including shopping, cleaning, cooking and laundry
• Supporting with any household admin

However, live in carers will not be able to support with any complex medical needs and do not replace any need for a district nurse.

It is important to understand that live in care is not the same as 24-hour care. A live in carer will sleep when you sleep, while 24-hour involves a carer staying awake in your home while you sleep to assist you when needed. So, if you wake up more than twice a night, 24-hour care may be a better solution than live in care. 

However, if you typically sleep well through the night, and perhaps only wake occasionally through the night, live in care may be the package for you, as many carers do not mind being woken for a short period if necessary.

If you are unsure which care package you would need then please call our team of friendly UK-based care experts to help you. For telephone support, call us Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm on freephone 0800 048 8618

There can be a lot of benefits to selecting live in care to help you with your specific needs, including:

• 1-2-1 care, allowing for greater flexibility and personalisation
• Care can be available on a long or short term basis, depending on your specific needs
• The care can be provided as needed and without rushing as there is no time limit, unlike with shorter care at home visits
• You are able to remain independent and keep to your own routine instead of having set meal times etc. that you would expect in a residential care home.
• Ability to keep your pets with you
• Help with a variety of tasks around the home such as cleaning, cooking, laundry and grocery shopping
• Reduced loneliness as there is always someone for companionship and outings
• For a couple it can be significantly cheaper than two beds or a double room within a care home
• Infection control, as you will not be required to share anything with other residents as you may expect to in a care home

As live in care requires someone to move into your home, there are a few requirements that must be met in advance of starting a live in care package. These include:

• A home environment where the carer will be safe and secure
• A separate bedroom within the home with a secure lock on the door for them
• A daily break of at least two consecutive hours. Should extra care be required for this time, the care provider should be able to provide this, if discussed when setting the initial care plan
• Access to a TV/viewing device and wifi for break periods is preferred, but agencies can provide this if needed

Depending on the complexity of care needed and where you live within the UK, live in care can cost between £650 and £1600 a week.

You may be eligible for support with the cost of care. The amount of funding you receive for care and the specific cost for the care will change significantly depending on the country you live in and your specific circumstances.

Please note that at the present time, the Government has agreed the NHS will fully fund the cost of new or extended out-of-hospital health and social care support packages. This applies to people being discharged from hospital or who would otherwise be admitted into it, for a limited time, to enable quick and safe discharge and more generally reduce pressure on acute services.

Read more about the cost of care: https://www.caresourcer.com/caresupport/financing-care/how-much-does-care-cost/

It can be difficult to decide whether a particular care agency is the right one for you. Here are some tips to help you decide:

• Ask the care agency for any testimonials and reviews about their service. You can also search Google for reviews about the agency.
• Review their CQC or Care Inspectorate rating; all care providers will have an official care rating issued by the Care Quality Commission in England or the Care Inspectorate in Scotland.
• Speak with each agency about what’s most important to you. It’s important you are getting the kind of care you want. If you discuss your priorities with each agency, you can get a clearer idea of how exactly they can support you.
• Ask about the recruitment process for live in carers, including:
• The process for getting references
• Whether the carer has previous live in experience
• What training has been undertaken
• How the care is reviewed and how often
• How cover will be provided if the usual live in carer has time off or is unwell