24-HOUR HOME CARE
WHAT IS 24-HOUR HOME CARE?
24-hour live in care is when a professional carer comes and lives with you in your home to provide you with around the clock care, companionship and support so you can live a better quality of life, in the comfort and familiarity of your own home.
When families are faced with the realisation that their loved one or family member needs care and support 24 hours a day, many feel the only option is to move into a care or nursing home. 24 hour live in care is fast becoming the preferred choice for those who wish to continue to live in the comfort and familiarity of their own home, whilst receiving the care and support they need to live a fulfilled life.
According to a survey conducted by the Live-In Care Hub, 97% of us given the choice would prefer to carry on living at home. 24 hour home care services enable you to get the care and support you need without leaving your much-loved home and is focused on helping you maintain independence, choice and dignity and live a purposeful and meaningful life. All of which are vital to health and happiness.
So, what does 24-hour care at home cover?
A compassionate and professional care team
An expert, professional and compassionate 24 hour carer will move into your home to provide you with one-to-one care at home, giving you peace of mind and reassurance that you are receiving the highest quality care.
A perfectly matched care team
A 24 hour live in care arrangement usually involves two carers working on a two-week rota pattern. They will be carefully matched working with you and your family to ensure they are able to meet not just your care and support needs, but are closely aligned with how you wish to live your life, sharing common interests, personalities and backgrounds. In the rare situation, the match does not work out we will happily work with you and your family to find the care team that does.
A personalised plan of care and support
The carer who comes and lives in your home will be provided with a highly personalised plan of care created by your dedicated care manager. The comprehensive care plan will be created with input from not just the person receiving care, but with vital input from family members and other healthcare professionals involved in your care. It will cover not just your care needs, but your choices on how you live your life, your preferences and social and emotional support required. It is a holistic approach that is focused on enhancing health and wellbeing, whilst improving overall quality of life.
WHAT DOES A 24 HOUR CARER PROVIDE?
A 24-hour live-in carer will provide a range of care and support in your home:
Personal Care
Personal care is a broad term used for several tasks to help you maintain your personal hygiene and appearance, including washing, dressing, grooming and toileting.
Companionship
Your perfectly matched care team is there to provide all the companionship you need – a listening ear, a friendly chat over a cup of tea, reassurance when you need it. The carer will be on hand when you need but will also use discretion and be aware when you need your own space.
Social and emotional support
The care plan will outline all your social interests and preferences and the carer will help you to maintain all your activities and hobbies, both in and out of your home. The carer will support you to continue to feel connected to your family, friends and local community facilitating any social events or gatherings you wish to have or attend.
Specialist support for conditions
If you are living with a condition like dementia, Parkinson’s or Multiple Sclerosis or require stroke care or palliative care, your professionally carer will be trained to provide you with the specialist care you need whilst focusing on improving your quality of life.
Complex care
If you are living with a on-going medical condition, or have been discharged from hospital following treatment and need complex care, your carer is trained to provide nursing-led care that is lead and supported by clinical experts to ensure the care provided is to the very highest standard.
Medications administration and management
The carer is trained to proactively and efficiently administer medications to ensure your optimum health and wellbeing.
Meal planning and cooking
Carers will help you to plan your meals according to your dietary requirements, nutritional needs and personal preferences, including cooking your favourite meals and shopping for your groceries.
Domestic and household support
A professional carer will ensure your cleaning regime and domestic household tasks are maintained, so you can live in your home the way you always have. The carer will help with household administration and is happy to run errands out of the home.
WHAT IS 24-HOUR CARE IN YOUR OWN HOME USED FOR?
There are several different situations when live in care can be used to support your on-going care needs, including:
- 24 hour live in care for when round the clock care is needed to ensure a person can continue to live well in their own home.
- Respite care can provide a family carer with a much-needed break from caring for a loved one, or can be used as an opportunity to see how live in care works and whether it is right for you and your family.
- Short term care following hospital discharge or for those needing post-operative rehabilitation or stroke care.
- Complex care of medical and specialist conditions like dementia, Parkinson’s or Multiple Sclerosis can be supported with 24 hour home care – there is no need to go into a care home to receive this level of care.
- End-of-life palliative care which ensures a person’s needs and preferences are met until the very end of their life.
BENEFITS OF 24 HOUR CARE AT HOME
There are many compelling benefits of 24-hour care at home as opposed to enduring the stress, upheaval and uncertainty of moving into a care home setting:
One-to-one care and support around the clock – something even the very best care home simply cannot provide.
A uniquely developed, highly personalised plan of care designed to meet your care needs whilst addressing how you wish to live your life - none of the rigid timetables or set routines experienced in a care home.
Specialist and complex care provided by highly trained carers delivered in the comfort of your own home. Familiar surroundings and routines are paramount in helping those living with specialist conditions, like dementia.
No need to move out of your much-loved home, with all the upset and disruption that brings. The family home can then be kept in the family, instead of being sold to fund care home fees. Staying at home means you can keep control of your life, with all your treasured memories and possessions around you.
If you have an adored pet, you will not be able to take this into a care home. With live in care you can keep your pet and the carer will support looking after it, and if you have a dog will be happy to walk it for you.
Considerable and proven benefits to overall health and wellbeing, with much needed peace of mind and reassurance for family members.
The cost of care is comparable to that of a care home and considerably cheaper for couples, who would be charged double for two rooms in a care home.
Elderly couples who require care can stay together as a loving couple, as opposed to being split up to be cared for in different areas of a care home.
Continuing to be part of the local community you have loved, for what might have been many years.
CHOOSING A 24 HOUR CARE PROVIDER
Once you have understood what live-in carers do and decided that 24-hour care at home is the right choice for you and your family, you will need to do some research into choosing a live in care provider. You will also need to decide whether you use an introduction agency, whereby a carer is introduced to you but you employ and manage them directly, or you use a fully managed service provider who is regulated and inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to ensure the highest standards of care are provided.
FUNDING HOME HEALTHCARE 24-HOURS A DAY
You may be entitled to care funding to receive a 24-hour live-in care service depending on your financial circumstances and your care needs. The Local Authority will only fund care at home (referred to as social funding) if your assets are worth less than £23,500, which we know that sadly for many families their financial situation exceeds.
If you are assessed and have an identified healthcare need and need home healthcare 24 hours a day you may be eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare funding organised by your local Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to support you to receive care in your own home.
Many families are faced with having to fund the care they receive themselves (referred to as self-funding care). For these families there are options to help finance care at home, including a Care Fees Annuity, which is an insurance policy you purchase to cover the cost of your care, or by realising capital in your assets through an Equity Release scheme. Read more about care funding here.
HOW TO ARRANGE 24 HOUR CARE AT HOME
If you get in touch with us, you can speak to a dedicated care advisor who will answer any questions you may have and provide any information you need to make the right decision.
We will then arrange a no-obligation home meeting with you and your loved one to discuss their needs and how we will to match the perfect professional carer for you so we can then ensure we get the right team and care package in place.
TALK TO US ABOUT OUR 24 HOUR CARE SERVICES
We are experts in providing a full managed, high-quality 24-hour home care service rated ‘Outstanding’ in all areas by CQC. Call our friendly and approachable team today to see how we can help you and your family.