If you need support or know of someone that requires more than the average person, you may benefit from a live-in carer more than anything else.

It's becoming more popular among people that would rather stay in their own home than move to a care home and can prove easier to maintain if specialist support is needed.

You can install handrails or other support measures in the house, more so than in a care home. It's also typically more long term than any other form of care.

However, live-in care isn't preferred by everyone, as finding the right person to look after your loved one can be challenging. As they're living at the house, either full time or on a rota system, they will spend a lot of time around the one in need.

It's vital that they also get on with the customer alongside being qualified to deal with specific scenarios. 

Who Might Need Overnight Home Care?

01

Personalised Assistance

When in a care home, for example, you have to ultimately share the care among all in that institution. This means that your needs may not be met, or you do not feel the same atmosphere of care compared to being at home. 

A live-in carer only has one person to concern themselves with, which can be much more easily managed, especially between two carers.

02

Stay At Home

It goes without saying, but you can remain in the familiar surroundings of your home, which can provide some people with much more comfort and a level of independence. Perhaps the one in need of care is living in the family home, and you don't want to cause distress by uprooting them to a care home. 

In this case, enlisting a 24-hour carer will be preferable. The routines of home life have been established, and a carer can fit into them.

03

Company

There's nothing worse than imaging your loved one being alone, with no one to talk to. Despite wanting to be with them 24/7 yourself, we all have lives we need to lead. 

This is where a live-in carer will bridge the gap, and your loved one can become a friend over time. Some people simply need someone to talk to, and that is enough care for them. 

04

Specially Trained

As with all carers, there is a level of training that comes with the package. This means that even your live-in carers can support and deal with ongoing conditions that are too much for you, perhaps. 

If it's dementia, Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, or any other ongoing illness, then the carer you enlist will know how to deal with bad episodes. 

05

Keep Pets

When you move out of your home and into a care home, who looks after the pets? 

They are put up for adoption most of the time, but when you get a live-in carer, they can also assist with the walking, cleaning, and general maintenance of pets. You don't have to get rid of your family pet just yet.

Any friends and family who need assistance but doesn't want to move into a care home or can complete most of their daily routine but needs a small level of help could benefit from a paid carer.

As we said earlier, there is no harm in asking, and the options are entirely flexible to you and your scenario. If you only need hourly aid every day, this can be arranged, or a more permanent solution can be established.

Remember that enlisting the help of a carer isn't exclusively for the elderly, and we want to help break that stigma. Anyone of any age can benefit from a carer, especially those struggling with an illness or recovering from an accident. 

01

Personal Care

If your loved one has difficulty moving around and completing simple tasks, then you can expect the same level of care from a live-in carer compared to any other. 

This covers bathing, showering, changing clothes, going to the toilet, getting them up from bed, and other personal care activities that someone cannot do alone. 

All of these jobs will be completed with discretion and care, and no one will be left to feel embarrassed. 

02

Household Chores

As we get older, we become less and less able to clean the home around us, and a live-in carer can provide domestic tasks if you so choose. 

Some people enlist help for just this purpose and nothing else, as a carer can hoover, dust, do washing and clean up the general mess in the home, all while giving the owner some company for a few hours. 

A helping hand like this can go a long way in making the customer feel more content and relaxed.

03

Getting Out

Despite the name of a live-in carer, there's every option for them to accompany you outside when you want to go on walks, to the shops, or out for a family picnic. 

As your carer works with you for longer, they will become closer to the family and become a crucial part of any gathering. 

If you can walk, your carer may encourage you to get outside, even if it's just for a walk around your garden, as keeping a level of mobility can stop more health issues from arising.

04

Dietary Requirements

Some people may need help getting food and the right sort of food. 

Carers can also aid in shopping, planning and preparing meals which are especially helpful for those with specific requirements or allergies. 

Any dietary requirements can be met, and new plans can be discussed with your carer if something isn't working out and you want to try something new. 

05

Complex Care

If you want more specific care and feel that a general nurse won't do that, then your live-in carer can do just that. 

This can extend to stoma management or dealing with specific conditions such as Parkinson's. 

They have medical qualifications to administer any medication or act as a reminder to take pills or medicine. 

06

Companionship

A good carer is also a friend and is someone who you enjoy spending time with. 

As you get closer to them, you will become to see them as a friend with who you can share struggles, and they are there to listen to you and care for your mental needs, too. 

Sometimes all you need is a person to give you advice and be there for you, and that's where a carer comes in to support your mental wellbeing.

You're looking at around £20 per hour for a home carer, but this, of course, varies by service and area.

Some businesses will work alongside the local council, which can help support you and pay for some of the costs in some instances. Be sure to ask beforehand to see if you can save any money.

You have options of hiring a carer via a service or agency or finding a private, self-employed one.

Both have their advantages and disadvantages, but agencies can prove to be more expensive. Either way, you have peace of mind that your loved one is being cared for in their own home. 

Privately

If you choose to hire a carer privately, as many do, you must know that you are responsible for paying all the taxes and wages. 

When you employ a carer, you are essentially their employer and boss, so you pay their National Insurance and Carers' Tax. 

Introductory Agency

Agencies can be preferable when finding a carer for the first time, as they can match someone with you. 

Finding the best match is the hardest part, and they can aid you in that. The carers from such an agency will typically pay their insurance and tax themselves, instead of you having to handle it.

Home Care Agency

A home care agency is one of the more preferable options, as they will arrange the deployment of carers and cover taxes for you. 

If the carer needs further training for your situation, they can provide this training, and they will find temporary replacements in the case of sick days and cover periods, so your loved one is never without aid. 

Most agencies will have a head office that is easily accessible, and you can meet the team behind the carers, as trying to find one that matches your goals is essential.