Live-in care is a home care service that provides round-the-clock care from a professional caregiver, provided in the comfort of one’s own home. It’s different to visiting care, sometimes known as domiciliary care, which describes support given through one or several caregiver visits per day.
Live-in care is very popular with elderly or disabled people who wish to stay independent in their own homes but need extra support with daily tasks to remain safe and comfortable. It’s a cost-effective choice for people who don’t want to move into residential care or for couples who want to remain living together, even if they have different care needs.
What is Live-in Care?
Live-in care means a one or more professionally trained care workers come to live in a person’s home so they can provide fully personalised care 24 hours a day. The carer’s role is to assist the individual to remain as independent as possible while helping with daily tasks, personal care, companionship, and medical assistance.
A Country Cousins live-in carer is professionally trained and experienced in caring for people in their homes. They also have experience and training in specific health conditions, so they can be matched to a client whose health conditions they know and can care for.
There are two types of live-in care, depending on the person’s needs:
Live-in care with sleeping nights means one carer will live in the home and be awake to give care and support during the daytime. During the night the carer will sleep and can be woken up for any occasional unforeseen needs, such as going to the toilet.
Live-in care with waking nights describes 24/7 care from two or more carers. One carer works during the daytime and sleeps at night while additional carers come to the home in the evening and are on shift to provide support throughout the night. This type of live-in care is perfect for people with complex health needs who need regular care throughout the night, such as advanced-stage Alzheimer’s.
Live-in care provides comprehensive care and support that is tailored to the individual’s needs and preferences. Because care is individualised and provided in a one-to-one setting, it offers the most thorough and personalised care available and is often cheaper than residential care.
To find out about live-in care with Country Cousins download our Guide to Live-in Care.
Benefits of live-in care
With such highly tailored care provided in the comfort of a person’s home there are substantial and wide-ranging benefits to be had. Some of those benefits include:
- Better mental health – Maintaining familiar surroundings with home comforts, pets, and family memories can boost physical and mental well-being, and help nurture a sense of stability.
- Better physical health – A live-in carer encourages activities to keep the body and mind active. They will also ensure that meals are healthy and nutritious and in line with any special dietary needs. Simply having a companion can help keep an elderly person’s brain and memory healthy, through playing games, talking and interacting.
- Enhanced safety and security – Having a live-in caregiver offers a higher level of safety and security, particularly for individuals with mobility issues or complex health conditions.
- Familiar surroundings in the comfort of home – Remaining in a much-loved home is especially beneficial for people with dementia or Alzheimer’s, and allows for continued involvement with the local community and neighbours.
- One-to-one care – Live-in care is tailor-made to suit an individual’s care needs, lifestyle, and home circumstances ensuring they get exactly the right type of support they need from a carer that has been carefully matched to them.
- Round-the-clock support – A live-in carer is on hand 24/7 creating peace of mind, for the individual and their loved ones, that someone is always around to lend a helping hand.
- Supports independent living – Loss of independence, and the knock-on effects that can have on physical and mental health, is a common fear for many elderly people. Maintaining independence and control of one’s life, even for small things such as what time to eat, can have huge benefits to quality of life.
- Peace of mind – For you and your family, knowing that your loved one’s needs are always met in a consistent, professional, and compassionate manner. A live-in carer is able to monitor a persons well-being from day to day, which invaluable for loved ones and other healthcare professionals
- Value for money – When compared to a residential care home, live-in care may work out not much more expensive but with the benefit of receiving a much higher level of personalised care. The caregiver is dedicated to supporting one client, allowing them to provide focused attention, companionship, and assistance throughout the day.
- Companionship and emotional support – Loneliness and social isolation can have detrimental effects on an individual’s well-being. Live-in caregivers not only provide practical support but also offer companionship, emotional support, and engagement in activities, improving the overall quality of life for the individual.
- Flexibility and adaptability – Live-in care can be tailored to the individual’s changing needs over time. As a person’s needs evolve, the carer can adapt the care accordingly, ensuring that the individual receives the appropriate level of support at all times.
Role of a live-in caregiver
A live-in carer offers more than just practical support. Their role is varied, they can help with many day-to-day tasks, as well as companionship, and much more.
Here are some of the things that a live-in carer can help with:
- Personal care. Such as bathing, dressing and toileting.
- Managing medication. Help to administer medication and health monitoring, such as checking blood pressure or insulin levels.
- Household tasks. Any reasonable help around the home from cleaning, tidying, and doing the laundry, to walking the dog.
- Meal preparation. Home-cooked meals to ensure nutritional needs and any dietary requirements are met daily.
- Condition-led care. Support with existing health conditions such as dementia, Parkinson’s and cancer.
- Mobility support. Help to move around the home safely with hoists, wheelchairs and mobility aids, for example.
- Running errands. Such as collecting prescriptions, paying bills and doing grocery shopping.
- Companionship. The friendship and reassurance offered by a 24-hour home carer cannot be underestimated in maintaining a person’s well-being.
- Social activities and outings. Visits to the coffee shop or local shops, arranging and accompanying to appointments, or simply a trip to the park.
Live-in care with Country Cousins
At Country Cousins, we are the longest-serving introductory care agency in the U.K., providing high-quality live-in care services for over 60 years. Our highly trained carers are carefully matched to clients based on their experience, training and personality so you know that you are getting the right carer for your needs.
Arranging live-in care with Country Cousins is easy. Simply get in touch with us today on 01293 224706, or complete our online enquiry form. Our friendly and expert care team is available Monday to Friday to take your call.
Once we understand your circumstances and care needs we can offer guidance and recommendations on services that best suit your or your loved one’s needs. We offer a free enquiry service with no obligations, so do not hesitate to get in touch.
