To care home or home care?

Given the choice, most people would choose to remain at home whilst receiving care. However, due in part to a lack of understanding about the viability and benefits of live in care, many people think that moving into a care home is the only option. This is not the case – live in care provides a preferred alternative where people receive the professional support they require in the comfort of their own home.

Whilst every circumstance is different, care homes can be sterile and institutional facilities which impact residents’ independence, freedom and choice. Sadly, negative news stories are common with 97 percent of respondents to a recent survey suggesting they would not want to move into a care home. According to Age UK, 40% of residents in care homes are living with depression and apathy which can lead to them “giving up on life” – sadly, statistics show that the average length of stay in a single residential care home in England that ended in a person’s death was just over two years.

Fortunately, live in care provides a life-enhancing solution enabling individuals to continue to enjoy life and independence at home with a highly trained carer on hand day and night. One of our clients describes our live in care service as “the support I require to continue to live life the way I choose, whether it be going to bed and getting up when I choose, eating what I choose and socialising with friends when I choose.”

So, what exactly is live in care?

With live in care a dedicated carer lives in an individual’s home 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to meet all their needs. Typically, live in care is provided by two professional and highly trained carers who rotate on a 1 or 2 week shift pattern. The carers can help with a wide variety of tasks including:

• Personal care, including washing, dressing and toilet assistance
• Domestic support, including food shopping, cooking, cleaning and managing post and bills
• Companionship, including assistance with attending social events
• Specialist care for complex medical conditions
• Promoting and administrating medication
• Mobility and safety
• Running errands
• Pet care
• Property maintenance

What are the benefits of live in care?

There are numerous benefits of live in care, including:

• A more cost-effective option
  • First to dispel the popular misconception that live in home care is prohibitively expensive. In reality, it can be cheaper than a care home, particularly when considering the level of one-to-one attention that is delivered. It is especially economical for couples who would otherwise be required to pay for two beds in a care home.
• A higher quality lifestyle
  • It enables individuals to maintain their independence and freedom to live life the way they choose. They can set their own schedule and are not dictated to by the daily agenda of a care home. For example, they can eat what they want, when they want.
• Ability to stay in a familiar environment
  • It enables individuals to stay in the comfort and security of their own home. Selling the family home and moving out of the local community away from family and friends can cause a great deal of stress and anxiety, particularly for people with Dementia.
• Dedicated one-to-one care
  • Live in carers have time to provide one-to-one dedicated care and are not restricted by how much time they have for each resident. This means a higher level of care is delivered as there is a better understanding of the individual’s needs, as well as a strong sense of companionship. The carer can also relief the burden of domestic chores such as cleaning, shopping, cooking and laundry.
• Total peace of mind
  • Having someone on hand day and night, provides peace of mind for individuals and their families. Having a dedicated carer allows family members to be included in their loved one’s care plans and to stay up to date with any changes which may be required. They can also visit as and when they wish.
• Numerous health benefits
  • Live in care has been shown to have a positive impact on overall well-being. It has proven health benefits such as a reduction in falls and accidents as someone is on hand 24/7. If an accident were to occur, an immediate and appropriate response is available.
• Ability to keep much-loved pets
  • Many care homes refuse to allow residents to keep pets, which can cause a lot of distress. In fact, recently commissioned research found that over two million people in Britain know an elderly person who had to have their pet put to sleep because they were moving into residential care.

You can read more about The Care Collection’s live in care service and what sets us apart from introductory agencies and national franchises here. Alternatively, please contact us and we would be happy to discuss live in care further.