Introductory vs Fully Managed Live-In Care Providers

Choosing the right care solution for your family can be overwhelming. With so many different options, it can be difficult to decide what your family needs and deserves. Making the choice between introductory and fully managed care is a decision that many families face. Here, you can discover the key differences between introductory and fully managed live-in care providers, so that you can understand the pros and cons, and find an option that works for you. 

What is an introductory care agency?

An introductory care service is a type of care arrangement where an agency introduces or matches individuals with independent carers or personal assistants. The service helps connect those in need of care with vetted caregivers who can provide support in areas like personal care, housekeeping, and companionship. However, once the match is made, the care recipient or their family becomes responsible for managing and paying the carer directly, as the agency typically only facilitates the introduction rather than ongoing oversight or management. This means that should your family’s carer become ill, go on hold, or move away, you will have to interview and recruit a replacement. This can place significant pressure on you, as you’ll need to carefully vet potential applicants to ensure that your loved one receives the best level of care. 

What is a fully managed live-in care service?

A fully managed live-in care service is a comprehensive care solution where a professional carer lives in the home of the person receiving care, providing 24/7 support. Unlike introductory services, in a fully managed service, the care provider oversees every aspect of the arrangement. This includes recruiting, training, and supervising the carer, managing payroll, and ensuring the quality of care through regular assessments and reviews. The care is tailored to the individual’s needs, offering assistance with daily activities, personal care, medication management, and companionship, allowing the person to remain in their own home with peace of mind for both them and their family.

What are the key differences between introductory and managed live-in care providers?

• Care management:  With introductory care, you would manage all aspects of the care, including payments and schedules, whereas in fully-managed care, the care provider handles the care management, including recruiting, supervising, as well as handling payment. 
• Level of support: If you choose introductory care, you will be responsible for overseeing the quality and consistency of care. Managed care means that the company supervises the quality of care through regular assessments, taking some added responsibility off of your shoulders. 
• Flexibility: Introductory care can provide more flexibility, but in turn does place a higher level of responsibility on your family. Live-in care may appear more rigid in structure, but individualised care plans still offer a high level of flexibility. Plus, you can opt for either hourly care or 24-hour live-in care.
• Cost: Generally more affordable, introductory care costs less. However, fully-managed care is considered a worthy investment by many as the care can be organised and supervised by the company. 

What are the benefits of a fully-managed live-in care provider?

Fully-managed live-in care is the best solution for those needing around-the-clock support while remaining in the comfort of their own home. This type of care provides several key benefits:

Less responsibilities on your shoulders 

Choosing a fully-managed live-in care provider can help you to focus on spending more time with your loved one. Instead of worrying about scheduling visits for monitoring care quality, you can be safe in the knowledge that your loved one is receiving a high standard of care. With less responsibilities, you can enjoy peace of mind as you spend quality time with your loved one. 

More time to spend with your loved one, less time completing admin work

Having someone else take care of the daily responsibilities of your loved one’s care can free up your time to spend it together, without having to wrestle with an endless to-do list of admin. Fully-managed care means that all of the paperwork and care scheduling will be handled by the company, so that the moments you spend with family are uninterrupted. Instead of drowning in paperwork and prescriptions, fully-managed care will organise all of your family’s care needs. 

Regulated by the CQC

Fully-managed care is provided by agencies which are regulated by the Care Quality Commission. Meaning all care is held to the standards set out by the commission. At Ashridge Home Care, we’ve been rated Outstanding by the (CQC) in the Caring category, recognised for being safe, effective and responsive to our client’s needs. When you choose fully-managed care with us, you can be confident that your loved one is benefitting from over 30 years’ of care experience. 

Peace of mind that carers are proficiently trained

Fully-managed care means that carers will always have been carefully selected and consistently monitored by the care provider, ensuring that they uphold high standards of care. When you welcome another person into your life, even in a care capacity, they can quickly become a close family friend, often spending more time around your loved one than anyone else. At Ashridge, we offer extensive training, so that our carers are up to date on best practice, and can deliver the quality care your family deserves. 

Your loved one will never be left without care

One of the many advantages to choosing fully-managed care is that your family member is guaranteed to always have a care team. Unlike independent care, which would require you to find alternative care when your main carer is away on break, managed care means that the company will provide you with alternative care as and when required. With all of our clients receiving a dedicated care manager to manage their care plan, you can be assured that your loved one’s needs will be efficiently met, with minimal disturbance to their daily life. 

Why choose our fully-managed live-in care service?

At Ashridge Home Care, we handle all of your day-to-day care needs, so that you can focus on the things that matter most. Through our full-managed live-in care service, you’ll have access to carers that have completed extensive training to ensure they have the best skills possible. Trained using the recognised Skills for Care standards, our carers are aligned with our company values of building our services around individuals. With this training, our care teams have the skills they need to continue to provide high-quality, compassionate care to people across the country. 

Our care services are constantly monitored and reviewed by both in-house and external audits from the Care Quality Commission (CQC). We utilise regular meetings with clients, carer reviews and surveys to ensure that our teams are equipped with all the tools they need to provide the level of care Ashridge Home Care is known for. 

Trust Ashridge Home Care to provide tailored and personalised care for your loved one. Keen to find out more about our full-managed live-in and hourly care services? Contact us today to have a friendly chat about our care options.