Preparing a Parent for Elderly Live in Care

Live-in care at home can help your parent in many ways. A live-in caregiver is hired in order to offer support to your loved one within their own home, which can allow them to remain with the comfort of their belongings and their home. The alternative may be to move them to a residential home, but this is often less preferred by the person since it can be quite daunting.  If you do choose to arrange live-in care, our live in care guide tells you everything you need to know about how it works. Read on for more advice on how to prepare your parent for live-in care at home. 

How live-in care can help your parent

A live-in elderly caregiver can offer much of the same benefits that a residential care home offers whilst also offering a one-to-one tailored care package to maximise the benefits for your parent. For instance, if your parent is struggling to keep up with household chores such as hoovering, laundry, cooking, and cleaning.

A live-in carer can support your parent with these duties and depending on the care package and level of need they can adjust the amount of support provided. For example, your loved one may enjoy cooking themselves but they may be slightly forgetful when it comes to the timings and turning off the oven after cooking. A live-in carer can be on hand to support these aspects of the activity without taking over the whole process of cooking. In addition, a live-in carer can provide medication management, personal care support, transport help, companionship and this can be for one parent or both parents depending on your situation.

How to prepare your parent for live-in care at home

Preparing a parent for live-in care can be quite straightforward or it may be challenging as you may find they are resistant to having a carer come and live with them in their home. Care in the home may be viewed by your parent as them losing their independence, so it is a good idea to have a conversation with them about why elderly live-in care can be a good idea. Talk through some of their concerns with them. A care agency may be able to talk to both of you about how live-in care works so that any questions either of you has can be answered by a professional.

Most of the ways you can help prepare your parent for live-in care are around conversation. Prior to talking to your loved one, try to find out about suitable care options in their area, think about what type of care they might need and how much input they could start off with. You might want to ask other family members to be involved as they can offer additional suggestions and support.

When you broach the subject make sure you are sitting somewhere quiet with little environmental distractions. You might want to do this in your loved one’s home to make them feel comfortable. Remember it is a two-way conversation and to be considerate when you speak. You want your loved one to understand what you are saying so speak clearly and kindly. If they dismiss what you are saying, don’t try to defend yourself. It is most helpful to ask them why they do not want care and to help them work through their concerns. Give them time to think and revisit the conversation again. If they are still doubtful, it may be helpful to get them to speak to other family members or other people who have had a carer.

Read our guide: How to prepare for a live-in carer

When to seek help for an older relative

It may be difficult to know if an older relative needs help by just giving them a telephone call. It is more helpful to visit them and look at how they are managing within their own home. If they have withdrawn from activities and they seem to not be able to manage around their home it might be a good idea to look for live-in home care or live-in dementia care. They may be forgetting to take medication, struggling with personal care or showing signs of dementia. These can all be subtle and difficult to notice unless you are spending more time with your loved one.

There may be signs by looking at the older person’s mood. A depressed older person may be able to brighten up on the phone, but it will be harder to hide for an extended visit. Care in your loved one’s home is about supporting them with daily life and helping them to feel more positive about the ageing process. It is not something that should be looked at as a loss of independence or a sign that someone is dying. Seeking help for an older relative can start earlier than people might think and is particularly helpful if your relative lives by themselves and is socially isolated. The carer can then support them around the house whilst also providing companionship.

How to adapt a home for live-in care at home

Adapting the home for a live-in carer will depend on the home situation of your loved one. A live-in carer will need to have a personal room with a clean and comfortable bed, as well as privacy and access to bathroom facilities. It is also helpful to ensure that there is storage space for the carer’s belongings, as well as working Wi-Fi or internet so that the carer can keep in touch with family and friends.

A carer will cook and eat with your loved one and it is a good idea to arrange beforehand about petty cash and ask the carer to keep receipts for things like grocery shops.

It may also be that the insurance company will need to be informed that a live-in carer will now be living in the home. Ensure this is arranged prior to the move. An elderly carer may also be expected to drive as part of their duties so it can be a good idea to get them covered on the car insurance policy.

Home facilities for elderly live-in care can include adaptations to the home, such as installing handrails and ramps for those in a wheelchair or those who are prone to falls. A carer may also struggle to help get your loved one in and out of the bath so if there is a battery-powered bath lift then this can help the carer when aiding your loved one with their washing. Additionally, disability showers can provide handrail support and remove the difficulty of getting in and out the bath tub.

The council may be able to provide a grant if your loved one is deemed to require such household facilities. They will undertake a care needs assessment and a financial assessment. How much money you receive will depend on your household income and savings. You may need to contribute to some or all of the costs. You can apply to your local council through this website.

Read our guide: How to adapt your home for live-in care

How can we help?

Please get in touch and you will find that our care arrangement team are very helpful, supportive and knowledgeable. They will take the time to help you understand your options fully before matching you with a well-suited live-in carer.

Get in touch with our friendly team today or give us a call on 0118 449 2373 to learn more. Explore our live-in care services to discover how The Live in Care Company can help.