Arranging care
Nothing is agreed until you are ready.
Most people call us long before they are ready to decide anything, which is exactly right. Here is what happens, in order, with no obligation at any point.
From first phone call to first morning
How it works
01Talk to usAn informal conversation. No forms, no commitment.
Most people call before they are ready to decide anything. Tell us what has been happening and we will tell you honestly whether live-in care is likely to help — including when we think something else would suit better.
02Free care consultationWe come to the house and listen properly.
We spend time understanding the day as it actually is: routines, sleep, medication, mobility, the house itself, what is still managed independently, and what the family is quietly picking up. It usually takes an hour or two, and it costs nothing.
03Find the right carerMatched on personality and lifestyle, not just availability.
We look for someone who fits the household — their pace, their interests, their food, their language, their sense of humour. You meet the carer before anything is agreed, and if the fit is not right, we keep looking.
04Care beginsA gentle start, then regular reviews.
The first days are introduced carefully, often with an overlap so nothing is lost in handover. We review the plan in the first fortnight and at regular intervals after that, because needs change and the plan should change with them.
01Talk to us
Most people call before they are ready to decide anything. Tell us what has been happening and we will tell you honestly whether live-in care is likely to help — including when we think something else would suit better.
The consultation is free, takes an hour or two, and commits you to nothing at all.
Step 02, in detail
What happens at the free consultation
- How the day actually runs, from waking to bedtime
- What is still managed independently, and what has become difficult
- Medication, appointments and who else is involved
- Mobility around the house, and anything that has caused a fall
- Sleep, and what happens at night
- Food: what is eaten, what is enjoyed, what is avoided
- The house itself, including where a carer would sleep
- What the family is quietly picking up, and what it is costing them
- What the person themselves wants, in their own words
Afterwards you get a written summary and a clear quote. If we do not think live-in care is the right answer, we will say so and point you towards what is — including services we do not provide.
Not just someone in the home.
The right person in the home.
Live-in care is unusual among services in that the person delivering it eats at your table and sleeps down the hall. Competence is the starting point, not the finish. What decides whether it works is whether these two people can live alongside each other comfortably.
So we ask about the things that never appear on a care needs assessment. Does the house run quietly or noisily? Is the radio on all day, or never? Is there a dog? Would a big personality be a comfort or an intrusion? Does food need to taste of home, and whose home?
We would rather take a few days longer and get this right than fill a placement quickly. You meet the carer before anything is agreed, and if the fit is not right, we keep looking. That is the arrangement.
What we take into account
- Temperament and pace
- Interests and conversation
- Food, and how it is cooked
- Language and culture
- Faith, where it matters
- Pets in the house
- Whether they drive
- How much quiet someone needs
Step 04, in detail
The first weeks, and everything after
A careful introduction
The carer usually visits before they move in. Where a placement is replacing another arrangement, we try to overlap so nothing is lost in handover.
A review in the first fortnight
We check in properly, with you and with the carer separately. Small things raised in week one do not become resentments in week six.
Regular reviews after that
Needs change, and the plan changes with them. If we think support needs to increase — or can safely reduce — you will hear it from us early rather than late.
Keeping you in the picture
A weekly call, a written update, or a message the same day when something changes — whichever suits your family. We are also building a secure family portal, so you will be able to read how the day went rather than waiting to be told.
Cover, planned in advance
Daily breaks, weekly time off, annual leave and illness are all planned for before they happen, with a named second carer wherever possible.
Still not sure whether to call?
Almost nobody calls too early. Most families call about six months later than they wish they had, usually after something has gone wrong. A conversation costs nothing, and if it turns out you do not need us yet, that is a perfectly good outcome.
Straight answers
Questions families ask
What does a live-in carer actually do?
They support the parts of the day that have become difficult: getting up, washing and dressing, medication, cooking, shopping, appointments, moving around safely, light housekeeping and company. They are also in the house overnight. They do not take over the things a person can still manage themselves.
Does the carer need their own room?
Yes. A private bedroom and access to a bathroom and kitchen. It does not need to be a large room, but it does need to be their own space, because they live there.
What happens at night?
A live-in carer sleeps in the house and is available if they are needed. If someone needs regular help through the night, that is a waking-night arrangement and we would talk to you about a second carer, because one person cannot work day and night safely.
Do carers get time off?
They do — a daily break of around two hours, and time off each week. We arrange cover for those periods so there is never a gap you have to fill.
How quickly can care start?
For a planned arrangement, usually within a week to ten days. In an urgent situation, such as a hospital discharge, it can be quicker. We would rather tell you honestly what is realistic than promise a date we cannot meet.
What if we do not get on with the carer?
Tell us. Matching is not an exact science and occasionally a pairing simply does not work. We will look again, and we will not make you feel awkward about asking.
Is live-in care only for elderly people?
No. Most of the people we support are older, but live-in care also suits younger adults with physical disabilities, people recovering from serious illness, and people who need support for a defined period rather than permanently.
Let's talk about what your family needs.
One conversation, no pressure, and an honest view of whether live-in care would help. If we think something else would suit you better, we will tell you.
or call 0800 000 0000Monday to Friday, 8am – 6pm