What Is Live In Care?

By Sandra Doru

Live-in care offers dedicated one-to-one care for those in need of round-the-clock support, companionship, and assistance, all within the familiar and environment of their own home. It allows individuals to enjoy a higher quality of life while receiving personalised care tailored to their unique needs.

Care Tailored To You

For families facing the reality that their loved ones require additional care, the decision-making process can be challenging. Many believe that care or nursing homes are the only viable options.

However, live-in care is increasingly becoming the preferred choice for those who wish to stay in their homes, while receiving the necessary support for a fulfilling life. Live-in care fits completely around the individual and their preferences, avoiding the fixed times and routines of a care home.

Despite its growing popularity, live-in care remains a relatively lesser-known alternative for long-term care provision. When it becomes clear that your family member or loved one can no longer manage alone, and providing support for their increasing needs becomes more difficult, live-in care offers a flexible and cost-effective solution.

With live-in care, a skilled carer moves into your home to ensure that you receive the personalised care and support you need for everyday activities. This approach prioritises independence, choice, and dignity, while also easing the stress of daily tasks like cooking, cleaning, and transportation to appointments.

Live-in care provides a friendly and professional path to a better quality of life in the comfort of your own home.

What Does Live-In Care Offer?

  • Personal Care

  • Medication Support

  • Meal Planning & Cooking

  • Domestic Support

  • Companionship

  • Social & Emotional Support

  • Specialist Support for Conditions

When To Consider Live-In Care

Live-In care can support a wide variety of short-term or ongoing care needs. Sometimes it’s just a few weeks to provide a family carer with respite. It other cases a few months of one-to-one care can provide extra support after a hospital stay, operation or rehabilitation, for example, after a stroke.

Longer-term live in care is an increasingly popular option to a care home, whether it’s solely for companionship or supporting someone with dementia to live as independently as possible in familiar surroundings.

What’s The Difference Between Live-In And Other Types Of Home Care?

The most well-known type of home care is often referred to as visiting or domiciliary care. These short visits typically range from 15 minutes to one hour and can be anywhere from one to three or four times per day.

Generally, the visits tend to be focused on completing a series of tasks in the time available; from supporting with washing and dressing, to medication, and making meals. It can make care feel less personal.

It’s not uncommon to hear that people receiving visiting care can feel rushed and the visits are not at the times they want. They may be woken up earlier than they would like for example. It’s an unavoidable compromise that comes from trying to fit many people into a rota system.

Care That Works Around You
With live-in care, you have dedicated support. You stay in control of the time you get up, when you prefer to eat and the time you go to bed; simple things we normally take for granted.

For a person with a specialist condition such as Parkinson’s or dementia, it also gives the extra time necessary to provide the right level of support and encouragement. On a timed visit, a carer may simply not have the time available to allow the person to take an active part in getting dressed or be involved in preparing a meal together.

Live-in care can promote a greater level of independence, dignity and quality of life, where the person is the centre of the experience, not the task.

Care Continuity With Live-In Care
It's also worth noting the dramatic difference in care continuity between visiting care and live-in care. With visiting care, across the course of a week many faces may come through the door, even sometimes during the course of a day, if there are multiple visits. Now that’s not to say some people don’t mind seeing a variety of people and enjoy that aspect. However, our experience is that it can lead to people feeling unsettled, not knowing who is coming into their home next. The lack of continuity is particularly unsettling for people with dementia for example, who benefit from familiarity and routine.

Cost Effective Care
In some cases, the difference in cost between having multiple short visits in a day and live-in care is not that great either. With visiting care, the hourly cost can be far higher. It must cover the cost of travel time for the carer, fuel if they use a car and any gaps in their schedule that they should be paid for. All this means that comparing on an hourly basis, live-in care ends up being far more cost effective, with all the other care and lifestyle benefits that go with it.

Care And
Companionship

By Anila McDonald

Live-In care often comes in to its own when a person has a specific healthcare need that can be managed on a one-to-one basis. However, at a fundamental level we know how important companionship is later in life, whether a person has a healthcare need or not.

The Benefits of Companionship

Research has shown that maintaining strong social connections in later life can have numerous benefits, including reduced feelings of loneliness and isolation, lower levels of depression and anxiety, and even improved cognitive function.

Companionship provides a sense of belonging, emotional support, and the opportunity to engage in conversation and shared activities. These interactions can greatly enhance an individual's quality of life, allowing them to maintain their independence, dignity, and well-being. It can also dramatically improve a person’s nutrition and hydration, with the social element of eating known to play a significant role in this.

Live-in care is a unique service that can provide companionship for individuals in their later years. With a dedicated carer, live-in care ensures that emotional and social support is readily available when needed. This personalised approach allows the carer to create a genuine bond with the individual, fostering trust and understanding, which ultimately leads to a more meaningful companionship experience.

Adapting To Your Needs And Wishes

Additionally, live-in care offers flexibility, enabling the carer to adapt to the individual's lifestyle, preferences, and routines. This adaptability ensures that the person receiving care can continue to engage in their favourite hobbies, maintain social connections, and participate in community events or outings. Live-in care can also provide support in maintaining relationships with friends and family, encouraging regular visits and communication.

Live-in care is unrivalled for those seeking companionship, regardless of their healthcare needs. By offering a dedicated carer who can provide personalised support and forge a strong bond, live-in care enables individuals to maintain their independence, dignity, and quality of life while fostering meaningful connections and enjoying the many benefits of companionship.

If you’d like to know more about the process of setting up live-in care, read our article on How Live-In Care Works