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It’s challenging to look after an elderly loved one diagnosed with a chronic disease or impairment. Fortunately, you have a ton of options to ensure that your parents, grandparents and other senior relatives get the best treatment and care.
For many people, they either hire a live-in carer or have their elderly family member cared for in a nursing home.
If you’re having a hard time figuring out which option suits you best, you can use our guide on choosing between live-in care or a care home below.
What to expect from a live-in care setup
Hiring a live-in caregiver is quite popular among families who live far from their senior loved ones.
Live-in carers are trained to assist old people with their daily routine. While live-in care and 24-hour care are frequently used interchangeably, you must understand that they differ a lot.
24-hour carers work in shifts to provide continuous care and assistance to a client while live-in carers are allowed to sleep at least eight hours in the evening.
Live-in nurses or carers can provide your loved one with the following:
- Household chores – Seniors often need help with common household chores such as cooking meals, washing clothes, going to the grocery, attending social gatherings and drinking medicine.
- Personal care – Some elderly individuals suffer from physical impairment so they need help with personal tasks such as toileting and brushing their teeth. They also need help moving in and out of their mobility equipment.
- Emotional and social support – More often than not, seniors who suffer from illnesses and physical disability deal with emotional and mental issues as well. A live-in carer can provide support for both aspects.
- Rehabilitation – Most live-in caregivers are trained to provide support to clients who need physical rehabilitation. They can help your loved one perform exercise routines prescribed by the physician.
- Emergency support – Even if your elderly family member doesn’t suffer from a chronic disease or physical impairment, having an in-house caregiver can help you feel more at ease. They can provide emergency assistance in case your loved one suffers from an injury at home.
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Why leave your loved one in a care home
Some families aren’t too keen on placing their senior relative in a nursing home. However, it’s definitely the best choice if you want non-stop medical care for your grandparent or parent.
You can expect to get the same things when you choose to place your elderly family member in a care home. They can assist in personal chores, medical concerns and provide critical emotional support.
However, you should expect the following when you select this option over a supported living at home setup:
- Your loved one will have to share a room with some of the clients.
- There are some care homes that have a designated schedule for visitation.
- Your family member needs to adjust to his/her new environment.
- You may need to wait for a few hours for the staff to respond to your queries most especially if the facility is crowded.
Given that hiring a carer and placing your family member in a care home is a bit different from each other, you must take note of some factors so you can pick the best option for your loved one.
How much is your working budget?
The first thing that comes to mind when talking about hiring a carer or availing the services of a caregiver home is the costs involved.
In the UK, you will need to pay around £33,000 to £40,000 per year if you choose to place your family member in the care of a nursing home facility.
The hefty fee charged by care homes accounts for the housekeeping costs, daily care expenses, professional fees, meals, and facility maintenance.
You should expect the fees to go up if you wish to leave your loved one in a care home located in urbanized areas such as the southeast portion of England.
If you prefer to call in a live-in caregiver for your mum, dad or grandparent, you can expect to pay roughly £750 per week. Because live-in carers charge their service fees on a weekly basis, you can easily hire a new one in case you’re not happy with the current carer.
What sort of setup works best for your loved one?
Aside from understanding the costs involved, you must also consider the type of setup that will work well for your family member.
You must determine if he/she prefers having a higher level of independence. Some old people don’t want to completely rely on medical staff for their needs. They still want to live in a familiar place doing the usual routine they’re used to. In cases like this, your best option is to call in a live-in caregiver.
You should also consider if your loved one wants a setup wherein he/she can socialize with people on the same age bracket. If your senior relative wants to share the rest of his days with more people around him/her, you should consider a care home.
Lastly, don’t forget to consider the medical attention needed by your family member. If he/she needs 24/7 support from medical staff, it might be better to choose a nursing care facility. Otherwise, you have to purchase all the medical equipment and tools needed for the treatment.
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It’s not that hard to determine if you should hire a live-in medical staff or avail the service of a care home. You must only outline your goals for your loved ones, understand his/her needs and preferences and weigh in on the costs involved.