In a nutshell, if you have live-in care, a professional, experienced and fully trained carer lives with you in your home. They offer personalised support tailored to your specific needs, so that you stay comfortable and safe around the clock, and can be as independent as possible while remaining in your own home.
Live-in care covers a huge variety of services, giving you and your family peace of mind that you’re getting the support you require at all times.
But there are some key aspects which live-in care most typically encompasses, including:
- Health and wellbeing
This might involve help with meds, preparing food, physio and/or mobility assistance, among other things. If you’re diabetic or have blood-pressure issues which need monitoring, again a live-in carer can help.
They’ll also help take care of dietary and nutritional needs.
- Personal care
This incorporates daily tasks from bathing and showering to help going to the toilet and getting up and dressed in the morning and to bed at night.
- Companionship
This is arguably an often overlooked aspect of having a carer, and yet it’s an important one. It means that those who hire live-in carers don’t feel lonely or isolated, or that they have no emotional support. When you have someone living with you full-time, there’s always someone to chat to. You could find yourselves eating together, enjoying trips out or just watching TV.
- Housekeeping help
A live-in carer will help with everything from washing clothes to cooking and cleaning, so that you stay on top of all your household chores. They could help look after pets if you have them, plus they’ll sort out shopping and other errands.
When might I have a live-in carer?
A live-in carer can help with support 24/7 so that you can continue to be as independent as possible, at home. It’s a great alternative to residential care, and allows you to stay in your own community surrounded by family and friends and maybe pets, in familiar surroundings. You’ll avoid the stress of having to move house, which can be a traumatic business, especially if you have lived in the same place for a while, have been happy there and don’t want to move.
It can also be ideal if, say, you need a bit more help while recovering from an operation or as a respite option if someone else usually lives with and looks after you, but would like a break.
Another huge benefit is that you will develop a one-to-one relationship with the carer – in a residential home, rotas often mean you won’t see the same person all the time, while staff turnover can be high. But this also means you need to choose your live-in carer carefully, so that you are sure that you will get on with them and that they will meet your needs while respecting your wishes, house rules and privacy.
Most live-in carers will work up to 10 hours a day, covering seven days a week, 24 hours so that support is always on hand. They will put your wellbeing first, and listen to any wishes and preferences you have, so that the service is fully tailored to what you need.
In return, you provide a pleasant working environment and their own room.
Live-in care from Seven Star Care
At Basingstoke-based Seven Star Care, we’re a specialist care agency covering all of Hampshire, supplying a wide range of staff including live-in carers. We want the best for you and your family, and so focus on quality, attention to detail and a skilled, warm approach.
Get in touch with us today to learn more about our live-in care service and for an informal chat about what you need.
