Weybridge has a high proportion of large family homes owned by people who have lived in them for decades, and that shapes the conversations we have here. The house is usually not the problem. The problem is that the stairs have become a daily risk and nobody in the family lives close enough to be there in the evening. Live-in care is often the answer that keeps the house in the picture.
Two patterns come up repeatedly. The first is a fall, often on the stairs or in the garden, followed by a spell at St Peter's Hospital in Chertsey and a discharge date that arrives faster than anyone expected. The second is slower: a spouse who has been quietly doing all the caring reaches the point of exhaustion.
In both cases the family is weighing a move against staying put. A large house with a downstairs cloakroom and a spare bedroom is well suited to live-in care, and the alternative usually means leaving a road people have lived on for thirty years.
One carer living in, rather than a series of half hour visits
Support with stairs, bathing and getting out of the house
Relief carer named in advance and included in the fee
Care plan written with you and reviewed as things change
Couples, and why the maths changes
Weybridge has a lot of older couples where one partner needs substantial help and the other is managing but tiring. One live-in carer can support both people, which changes the comparison entirely: one weekly fee against two residential placements, and the couple stay in the same bed rather than in different buildings.
The carer's role in that situation is often as much about lifting the load off the well spouse as it is about direct care: cooking, laundry, driving to appointments and being in the house so they can go out without worrying.
Getting around and staying connected
Where a carer drives and insurance allows it, they use the household car. That matters more in this area than families expect, because it puts the golf club, the church, the hairdresser and the surgery back within reach without waiting for a relative to be free at the weekend.
Carers also go along to appointments and keep notes of what was said, which is worth a great deal when a consultant appointment has been waited on for months.
About Reedsfield Care
We are a family run provider based in Egham, a short drive from Weybridge, and we are registered with the Care Quality Commission and rated Good. Our carers are employed by us rather than introduced as self employed contractors, which means training, supervision and cover are ours to manage rather than yours.
Live-in fees start at £1,150 a week for one person with standard support. Anything more complex is quoted after a free home assessment, in writing, before you commit to anything.
Registered with the Care Quality Commission and rated Good
Carers employed, DBS checked and trained before placement
From £1,150 a week for one person with standard support
One week's notice, no minimum contract, no exit fee
Frequently asked questions
Do you cover the whole of Weybridge?
Yes, live-in placements cover Weybridge and the surrounding villages, including Oatlands, St George's Hill and Brooklands. Our office is in Egham and your care manager visits at home.
My mother is being discharged from St Peter's next week. Is that enough time?
Often yes. Where the right live-in carer needs a little longer to find, we can start with hourly visits so she comes home on the planned date rather than waiting on the ward.
Can one carer really look after both my parents?
In many cases yes, where one partner needs substantial help and the other needs less. Where both have high needs we would say so at the assessment and quote for a different arrangement.
Would the carer keep my father's garden going?
Light help with pots and watering, yes, and going out into the garden together. A large garden needs a gardener, and most families keep theirs on.
What does live-in care cost compared with a Weybridge care home?
For one person the two are often broadly comparable in this area. For a couple, live-in care is usually considerably cheaper because you are paying one fee rather than two placements.
How quickly can you visit to assess?
Usually within a few days, and sooner where a hospital discharge is being planned. The visit is free and there is no obligation to proceed.
