What is Live in Care?

Our new Q&A series - Your live in care questions answered.

If you have any other questions for our team do get in touch. Live chat at the foot of the page, Tel: 02088860686 & 07792939454 - Email: hello@carechooser.com

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What is live in care?

A carer will live in with your loved one providing one-to-one care allowing them to stay at home within their familiar surroundings.

Do carers require their own room?

Yes, with live in care, carers require their own private room. However, it's not necessary for the carer to have their own bathroom, this can be shared.

How does it work?

There are many different ways that live in care can work. A carer can work a few weeks at a time and then take a break with a second carer taking over. Another option is for live in care to be provided for 5 days a week, the benefit of this option being the consistency of having just one carer. There is also the option of the carer living in permanently, the client and carer would then agree hours and days off.

How about food and drink?

There's usually a informal arrangement with the carer and the client eating together.

When would the carer have breaks?

This is flexible and it will be agreed with the carer you choose to work with. Usually the carer will have a 2 hour break during the day, this can be covered by family or by visirting carers.

How do the nights work?

The live in carer would sleep during the night but could be on call during this time. There are different rates for this depending on the need. Up to 2 calls per night and up to 5 calls a night.

Anymore than that and a visting night carer will be needed the live in carer wont't be able to function the next day.

We find monitors or call alarms work very well.

How much does live in care cost?

Live in care provides very good value for money. Live in care starts at around £847 per week.

There are different rates depending on calls at night, whether the carer drives or not and CareChooser Plus carers. Full details on the pricing page.

The carer's weekly cost will be displayed on their profile with the amount being the total amount due.

Could we have a live in carer for a couple?

Yes, we can provide care for a couple at home. The cost is slightly higher but provides very good value for money compared to day and night care and compared with care homes.

What sorts of things would the live in carer do?

A carer provides home care which is tailored to your loved one. Such as personal care if neccesary, supporting your loved one with washing, grooming tasks and helping to get up in the morning and going to bed at night. The carer will could also support with preparing meals, housekeeping, doing the shopping and taking your loved one to appointments. Again, care at home is designed to be flexible and we can tailor the tasks very much to your needs.

How would I keep track on my loved ones' care?

Each client has a secure page on the website. The carer will track certain aspects of the care on our care journal. It's customisable to the individual client, quick and easy for the carer so they don't spend hours writing in folders and they appear instantly on the client page.

Our team of advisors which include a nurse and a our experienced GP also keep track of the car e and can provide support for carers and families when needed.

Do you just provide live in care in London?

No, CareChooser provides live in carers across the country. We only work with families we can really help and carers that we deem to be compassionate.

Choose your live in carer today, get started today.

Get Started

Live in care blog - get started

Can a Robot Care?

The BBC today reports that robots could be used to help, support, enhance and complement carers in care homes and those delivering home care. The robots communicate verbally and through gestures and may be able to pick up signs when an elderly person is in pain. 

Softbank Robotics are the Japanese company manufacturing the bots. Similar robots are being used in Japanese hospitals to help lift patients and serve food. 

This got us thinking so many questions... 

Can a robot care? How much could it do? Is it ethically correct? Should we change and future proof the name? CareBotChooser or RobotChooser? How would an elderly person feel about a robot companion? What does a robot made tea taste like? Could it join us in a tea?

We'd love to know what you make of this. Add your questions and comments below.  

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The New Way To Find Care at Home

CareChooser provides a new way for you to find home care. Our home carers can support you and your loved ones for an hour or two or can offer full time live in care. Conversations with us can be started on our website via our live chat application or by telephone, we’re more than happy to offer advice. 

We offer a free home care consultation. Following this, advice will be taken from our medical advisors, who have over 60 years of experience working in the NHS. We’ll then send you profiles of our carers for you to choose from. 

We tailor our aftercare conversations and updates to fit with your preferred channels of communication as well as time and frequency of choice. We offer updates via WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, text message or telephone. 

Call CareChooser on 0208 886 0686, at hello@carechooser.com or why not start a conversation using the live chat application below?

Dementia friendly activities

Supporting a loved one, diagnosed with dementia to take part in creative, stimulating activities can be hugely beneficial and can encourage independence, communication and social inclusion.

Keeping occupied and stimulated can bring pleasure, help to express feelings, relieve symptoms of anxiety and depression, promote a sense of belonging and can be beneficial for mental and physical health.

Which activities are Dementia friendly?

Everyday tasks such as folding clothes, helping to prepare meals and drinks and laying the table are a simple way to keep loved ones involved and keep them active.

Multi-sensory activities can offer a different way of connecting with a person with Dementia such as planting lavender or mint, baking, playing with colourful, textured objects or with objects that make different sounds.

Drawing, painting and crafts make great activities that everyone can join in with. Gentle exercise and short walks are a great boost for physical well being and remembering happy memories from the past can boost mental well-being and self-esteem.

The Alzheimer’s Society provides Memory Cafes and has ‘Singing for the brain’ sessions which are free to those diagnosed with dementia and can also offer emotional support.

CareChooser has creative carers that are great at connecting and engaging those diagnosed with Dementia in stimulating activities. They can also take some of the strain, giving you back the time you need to spend with your loved one.

Caring for an elderly relative, a positive start

The festive, holiday period and in particular the new year can trigger happy memories but also bring back feelings of pain and sadness. Try to strike a balance acknowledging the pain and sadness the person may be feeling whilst also refocusing on the positive.

The new year is invariably a time to reflect and look forward. This could be a time where many different feelings come to the fore. There may be a great deal of sadness for an older person if they perceive themselves as a burden and those who are carers for their parents or grandparents may be feeling guilt that they can’t do more or tired and physically and emotionally drained if they are doing too much.

These kinds of feelings are best discussed honestly. Acknowledge but challenge negative language like ‘burden’. We encourage independence for older people no matter what their abilities and alter the amount of support depending on this.