Moving into a care home is not for everyone – after all, we’re all most comfortable in our own home. For those who need to bridge the gap between a specialist care facility and an hour or so of homecare a day, 24hr live-in care can be a great option. At Abacus Care & Support (Abacus*), we hear many reasons for choosing these services. These are the most common reasons for options for a live-in carer – allowing a service user to maintain independence and stay at home, but with an added companion.
How does Live-In Care work?
Live-in care refers to having a carer in your home 24/7. The key working hours of the carer are chosen in line with the usual routines of the individual, and the rest of the time, a carer lives in the property as a companion and rests, sleeps, eats, and carries out all their usual home activities. This means that a qualified carer is on-hand and available to deal with any unforeseen circumstances or issues as soon as they arrive and offer a source of comfort for service users and their loved ones.
The same carer is not usually in place 24/7, but rather, a small team of carers (usually 2- 3 carers) covers around-the-clock care as required. Of course, only our most trusted and expert staff are used in these posts and they will get to know the service user as a housemate and confidante as well as a professional. Carers are matched to service users considering their hobbies, personalities, and attitudes.
What are the most common reasons for opting for a live-in carer rather than moving into a care home?
Everyone’s circumstances are different, but we do hear some reasoning for live-in care requests time and time again. Each demonstrates brilliantly the benefits of having an Abacus Care & Support carer at all times.
Continued independence – staying at home and in a familiar space gives service users a good degree of independence. They’re able to carry out their daily activities as they would normally; but with a helping hand available should they need it!
No limits on visitors – care homes, quite rightly, often limit visitors and many don’t allow children. Bringing care to the home rather than moving to it means that there are no limits (subject to prevailing Government guidelines at any point in time) – family and loved ones can nip round whenever and maintain their relationships with no barriers.
No upheaval – moving home at any time is stressful, but when combined with ill health and/or need of extra support, this can be extremely distressing. Staying in the home you know well and not having to pack up belongings and move elsewhere is considerably less disruptive than moving into a care home.
Companionship – ill, older, and disabled people can be more vulnerable to loneliness than others and may experience mental health difficulties and confidence issues as a result. Having someone else around the house allows for companionship and can help boost mood and cognitive function!
Peace of mind – live-in carers are a source of comfort for both service users and their families. Should something happen at any time, a live-in carer will be able to deal with the situation and resolve any issues. This also allows those who were previously providing informal care to step back and regain some of their own time.
For information about Abacus Care & Supports’ Live-in Care services please call us on 07934498020/ 02071001680, or email us at enquiries@abacuscaresupport.co.uk.