Live-in care means one carer lives in the home and supports the person through the day and overnight. In practice it looks much more like ordinary life than most families expect. There is no uniform routine imposed on the household: the carer fits around the person's existing day, helps with what has become difficult, and steps back from what has not. Here is what a week genuinely involves.
Mornings usually start with prompting or helping with washing and dressing, then breakfast and medication. The middle of the day is meals, light housework, laundry, shopping, appointments and getting out of the house. Evenings are a meal, medication, and help settling for the night.
The rhythm is set by the person, not the carer. If someone has always got up at ten and watched the racing at two, that stays.
A live-in carer sleeps in the home and is there if something happens in the night. They have two hours of break each day, normally taken while the person is resting or when family are visiting.
If someone is consistently up and active through the night, a live-in carer alone is not the right answer and we would recommend a waking-night carer as well, so nobody is working unsafely tired.
Carers support personal care, medication, meals, mobility, household tasks and company, and they liaise with GPs and pharmacies. They do not carry out tasks reserved for registered nurses, and they are not there to replace family.
A private bedroom for the carer, somewhere to store their things, and shared household food. Wifi is appreciated but not essential. Nothing else needs buying in before care starts.
Live-in carers work in rotations, typically two to four weeks, with a regular relief carer covering changeovers and breaks. That means a household normally gets to know two people rather than a stream of strangers. Every carer is DBS checked, trained and employed by us, and the care plan is written and reviewed by a qualified care manager.
Live-in care with us starts from £1,150 per week for one person with standard support. Complex needs are quoted after an assessment, and couples are usually supported by one carer.
No. A live-in carer sleeps in the home and responds if needed. Someone who needs constant attention overnight needs a waking-night carer in addition.
Tell us and we will change them. Personality fit matters as much as skills, and no family should feel stuck with an arrangement that is not working.
No. Carers are employed and insured by Reedsfield Care, so there is no payroll, tax or National Insurance for you to deal with.
Often yes, including after a hospital discharge. Call 01784 740078 and we will tell you honestly what we can arrange and when.
A free home visit and a straight answer. Call 01784 740078 or ask us to call you back at a better time.
A free home visit and a straight answer. Call 01784 740078 or ask us to call you back at a better time.
