More Chertsey enquiries start on a hospital ward than anywhere else on our patch, because St Peter's is on the doorstep. A parent has been admitted after a fall or an infection, they are medically fit for discharge, and the ward is asking what support will be in place at home. This page is written for families in that position and for those planning further ahead.
Discharge planning moves quickly. The practical questions are usually the same: can someone be in the house overnight, who will collect the new medication, who will be there when the district nurse calls, and who will notice if things go backwards.
A live-in carer answers all four, because the same person is in the house through the day and overnight. We can often begin at short notice, and where the right live-in match needs a few more days we bridge with hourly visits so the discharge date is not pushed back.
Someone in the house overnight from day one
New medication collected, prompted and recorded
Present for district nurse and therapy visits
Changes noticed early and reported to the GP surgery
Recovery at home, without promises
We will not tell you that care at home guarantees a better recovery. What a live-in carer does is make the ordinary things possible again: proper meals rather than toast, help to the bathroom without waiting, prompting for the exercises the physiotherapist set, and company on the days when confidence is low after a fall.
Anything clinical stays with the NHS team. Our carers work alongside district nurses, therapists and the GP surgery rather than in place of them.
Longer term arrangements in Chertsey
Plenty of Chertsey placements are not about hospital at all. They begin when a family realises that hourly visits have crept up to four a day and still leave the evening uncovered, or when a spouse who has been managing for years can no longer manage the nights.
At that point live-in care is often no more expensive than an intensive visiting package, and it removes the worst part of it, which is the hours in between when nobody is there.
Often comparable in cost to four visits a day plus a night sitter
No gaps between calls, and no changing faces at the door
Relief carer named in advance and included in the fee
About Reedsfield Care
We are a family run home care provider based in Egham, minutes from Chertsey, and we are registered with the Care Quality Commission and rated Good. Carers are employed by us, DBS checked and trained before they are placed.
Live-in fees start at £1,150 a week for one person with standard support, with complex needs quoted after a free assessment. Notice is one week and there is no minimum contract.
Frequently asked questions
How fast can care start for a discharge from St Peter's?
Often within a day or two. Ring us as soon as discharge is mentioned rather than when the date is confirmed, because that is what gives us time to match properly.
Will you speak to the ward and the discharge team?
Yes, with your permission we liaise with the discharge team, the GP surgery and district nurses so the care plan reflects what the hospital has set out.
Can a live-in carer manage a hospital bed and hoist at home?
Where equipment is in place and the carer is trained on it, yes. Some situations need two carers, and we will tell you plainly at the assessment if that is the case.
Is live-in care only for people who are very frail?
No. Some placements are mainly about company, meals and confidence after an illness, with only light personal care.
What if we only need it for a few weeks after discharge?
That is a common arrangement. Notice is one week, so a short recovery placement is straightforward and there is no pressure to continue.
Do you cover Addlestone, Ottershaw and Lyne as well?
Yes, live-in placements cover Chertsey and the surrounding villages. Your care manager will visit the home wherever it is on that patch.
