Six things you should know before arranging 24 hour live-in home care for an elderly loved one.

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Six things you should know before choosing full-time care

Have you been putting off thinking about or arranging elderly care, whether it’s for you or a loved one?

Are you, or do you know a loved one, finding this winter more of a struggle than before?

Are friends and family expressing concern that perhaps you do need some support or do you know someone that you are worried about because you can see they need help?

2023 is a brand new opportunity to get the quality of life that a loved one deserves. They don’t have to just ‘exist’. They can live, thrive and be happy in this later part of your life. All they need is the right care and support.

Understanding the care and support needs of older people

For many of us, caring is simply part of family life.  We may have grown up with a parent, sibling or grandparent who needed care, or maybe as a parent we can see how caring is shaping our family life.

By helping an elderly loved one live independently you’re allowing them to live confidently, in the home they love as well as letting them retain their current lifestyle and access to absolutely all of their belongs and treasured memories. Whether that’s by making changes to their lifestyle, home or outside support, you can’t put a price on the freedom to live on your own terms.

Knowing how to decide on care isn’t easy, especially when it’s needed urgently or when a loved one is in a vulnerable condition. Receiving care at home honours dignity and independence. It offers the least restrictive environment for people as they age, with none of the rules associated with institutionalised care.

Choosing the right care for a loved one can be daunting. 

Making the right decision about care choices will be one of the biggest decisions made, considering live in care as an alternative to residential care needs some thought and we are happy to explain how it works, the pros and the cons.

Around 60% of family members we speak to find themselves rushed into making decisions about care.

Live-in care services at Ashridge are available to those experiencing a wide range of different health conditions. Clients can often receive specialist care from their carer with conditions like dementia, Parkinson’s disease, Stroke, multiple sclerosis, Cerebral Palsy and palliative care. Or specialist care can be provided alongside regular home care.

24 hour Live-in home care is one-to-one and personalised as no one person is the same. It can truly enrich quality of life.

With live-in care, the level of care is completely tailored to the needs of the client because the care is 1-to-1. Carers working in live-in care are able to completely excel in their duties, offering the kind of care they were trained to provide.

We can provide you with the very best advice from our team of highly experienced care professionals, your very own care manager will make sure your loved one receives the very best care.

6 Key Considerations when planning for live-in care. 

Six things you should know before choosing full-time care [Infographic]

Shockingly, “low expectations and pressure to make decisions quickly means people often accept the first home that is ‘good enough’.” We recommend advance care planning to avoid the ‘good enough’ decision and achieve the ‘perfect for me’ scenario. Knowing that you require care or your loved one requires care can be very difficult, but knowing there is an option for care that doesn’t involve the upheaval and distress associated moving to a care home is a blessing for many families. Live-in care can be a better option for later life care and it is important to know that it is a viable and affordable option.

Why live in care is becoming more popular.

Live-in care is an increasingly popular alternative to residential care, as it allows your loved one to keep control of their life.

We know the default care option tends to be residential or nursing homes, although unsurprisingly 97 per cent of people don’t want to move into institutional care if they become ill or less able to cope.

“I expect live-in care to continue to grow in popularity and to become the high quality first care choice of many people” Dr. Glen Mason, Director of People, Communities and Local Government, Department of Health.

Live in care means a client never need to conform to a new daily routine in a strange new place. Instead, the flexibility of live in care means it is the job of the carer to adapt to the routine already in place. By living with your loved one they become completely dedicated to their needs, their wellbeing and their happiness.

We understand that many people have the intention to remain in their homes for as long as possible, and we make this a viable option for many. Quite simply, live-in care allows our clients to remain independent, in their own home, with all the security of professional help close at hand.

Is a live-in carer more expensive than a care home?

Despite a common misconception that live-in care is much more expensive compared to moving in to a residential care home, in many instances it is an affordable alternative and can even be less expensive when a couple is being cared for at home.

Research conducted in 2021 by the live-in care hub confirms that the cost of live-in care is on a par with many care and nursing home fees, especially in the South East and London, and is broadly equivalent to the price of the top half of care homes in the south of England.

If you are not sure if Live-in Care is for you, it is possible to try it.

Whether you or your loved one has had a deterioration in health or are awaiting hospital discharge, a short period of live-in care could be for you. Trialling live-in care for a short period allows you or your loved one the opportunity to decide whether long term live in care is right for you. This time enables families to make more considered care decisions centred around and in the best interests of the very person needing care.

Read more: Caring for an elderly parent – How do you approach the difficult conversation?

Live-in care services at Ashridge are available to those experiencing a wide range of different health conditions. Clients can often receive specialist care from their carer with conditions like dementia, Parkinson’s disease, Stroke, MS, Cerebral Palsy and end of life care. Or specialist care can be provided alongside regular home care.