Live-in Care

As your loved one gets older there may come a time when you need to make the decision that they they need full-time care. 24 hour home care is suitable for anyone who needs full-time care and wants to live in their own home with their familiar surroundings for as long as possible.

There are many important factors that determine whether a live-in carer may be needed. Home safety can become a serious concern when someone is no longer safe on their own as the risk of falls or injury has become too great. Likewise, escalating care needs may have evolved beyond those currently being supported by yourself, family or part-time care.

What does live-in care involve?

Home help and companionship

This provides assistance with daily tasks such as cooking, cleaning, bathing, shopping, and transportation. Most importantly, the carer offers companionship, so stimulating conversation, someone with whom to do activities and a nurturing friendship.

Personal care

This includes home help and companionship and also provides assistance with personal care, including bathing, shaving, oral care, toileting, and dressing. The carer can even assist with mobility, including moving and handling transfers, as well as diet management and assisting with medications.

Specialist care

A specialist carer provides a tailored service depending on the needs of an individual. This allows someone to carry on living an independent life, whilst ensuring personal and medical needs are met. This can be provided on a part-time or full-time basis and includes Alzheimer’s and dementia care, cancer care, mobility care, disability care, and palliative care.

How live-in care can help

Home care is considered the most desirable and effective option for older people and their families as it can provide an alternative to having to move into a residential or nursing home. Live-in home care also has many advantages, including maintained independence, increased quality of life, financial savings and more.

In fact, research has shown that the best care outcomes occur when elderly people are able to stay in their own home, in familiar surroundings, with maximum independence. Live-in carers can facilitate this lifestyle and ensure that the elderly remain in their home and avoid the disruption and challenges encountered by moving into residential care.

Enabling your parent to stay in their own home means that they can remain with their spouse or partner, pets, friends, and neighbours and decide when they get up, eat, go out and rest. This can be especially important if they suffer from dementia.

Questions to ask

If you think your loved one may need live-in home care, you may want to ask some of the following questions:

  • Do you worry about your loved one’s safety at home while they are alone?
  • Do you worry that your loved one is unhappy or bored sitting at home all day?
  • Do you worry about the ongoing health of your loved one?
  • Do they need assistance during the day to remember to properly take their medications or to eat healthy meals?
  • Do you want help to be able to keep your loved one at home as long as possible?
  • Does your loved one seem depressed?
  • Does your loved one have no one to talk to?
  • Do you need help providing care to your loved one?