What is live-in care?
What is Live-In Care?
When people can no longer live alone, either because they are elderly, or have a condition that means they can’t cope on their own, live-in care can enable them to stay safely at home.
Many people don’t realise that there is a viable alternative to a care home or full-time nursing care. If they do know about live-in care, they often imagine it is far more expensive than it is in reality.
Many people would much rather stay at home, surrounded by their own belongings and memories, with friends and family visiting frequently. They would much rather continue to live the life they love, rather than go into a care facility.
If you or a loved one needs support, it’s important you have information about all the options that are open to you. Read on to find out about the different sorts of live-in care, the benefits, and questions people frequently ask when considering this option.
What is live-in care?
If you or a loved one needs support for day-to-day life, live-in care is a safe and cost-effective alternative to residential or nursing care.
Professional carers, or companions, live with their client and look after their personal, medical, and domestic needs. This means they can stay safely in their own home and continue to live their life to the fullest in familiar surroundings.
Types of live-in care
Companions provide support for the elderly, or people who need help with day-to-day life. They provide companionship for their clients, and peace of mind for their families who know their loved ones are safe and cared for.
We also have a team of professional, dedicated, clinically trained carers, who look after people with long-term conditions, or who need support after a life-changing accident.
Some people only need help at night as their families can care for them during the day. In this case a dedicated carer can stay awake at night and will be there if their client needs help and take care of tasks such as turning, or repositioning, toileting, or pain management.
Caring for a relative or friend full time can be exhausting. It’s important to realise that if you’re taking care of someone, while also working or keeping up with other family commitments, you take a break. Sometimes you may need to go away for other reasons, such as to visit friends or family, and this can be difficult if you are responsible for caring for a loved-one full-time.
Live-in respite care can help. We can cover you for a week, or for as long a time as you need. Our carers will work with you to make sure they understand everything about your loved-one’s routine and requirements before you go away, and they’ll stay in touch while you’re away, so you can relax, knowing your loved one is in safe hands.
What are the benefits of live-in care?
Your loved one can remain at home, and continue to live their usual life – safely, and comfortably. For many of the people we care for, the fact they can continue to stay in their own home, surrounded by their belongings and memories, is the most important benefit of live-in care.
It’s also easier for them to continue to live the life they are comfortable with. Family and friends can come and go easily. Your loved one can continue to live with beloved pets, enjoy their pastimes and hobbies, and the freedoms they are used to. They can continue to eat the food they love, enjoy their garden and stay in touch with their local community – without the stress of dealing with domestic chores.
Everybody deserves to live a full and happy life, and most people prefer to stay in their home rather than move to a residential facility. For some people, such as those with dementia, continuing to live in familiar circumstances makes a huge difference to their health as well as their quality of life.
Many of our families tell us that the most important benefit for them is peace of mind. They know their parent or relative is safe, well-cared for, and happy. They also feel involved in their life and care. They get to know the companion or carer well, and can easily monitor the care they receive.
For many people, especially couples, live-in care is also far more cost-efficient than full-time residential care.
Frequently asked questions about live-in care
How much does it cost?
Live-in care does not cost as much as you might think. The cost will vary according to the type of care required, so please contact us for more details. The cost is certainly comparable to a care home and can work out much more cost-effective if we provide care for a couple.
Is it as safe as a care home?
The one-to-one attention (or one-to-two in the case of couples) means the quality of care your loved one receives is unrivalled. Our live-in carers are dedicated, professional, and highly trained. They are there all the time, so can provide an immediate response to medical or other emergencies.
How will I know how well my loved-one is being cared for?
Good live-in care companies also have systems and procedures to make sure the health and safety of their clients are continually monitored. Families can check in with their loved ones at any time and are involved with all decisions about their care. We also use the PASS app, which will keep you always up to date with your loved ones care.
How do you select your carers?
All our carers and companions are fully vetted and trained. They also work directly for us, meaning you don’t have to worry about any employment obligations.
At Eximius, we carefully select a carer or companion who has the experience, training and personality to match the needs of our clients. One huge advantage our clients enjoy, is they get to know their carer or companion well, rather than having to cope with different people coming and going. Their carer or companion becomes an integral part of their life and a close family friend.
About Eximius
Eximius live-in care was founded by Kate in 2016, inspired by her own fiercely independent mother. We aim for our clients to enjoy a full, safe and happy life, and for their families to enjoy peace of mind that their loved ones are well cared for.
If you or a loved-one needs support, please contact us for further information. We’d love to help.