Role of a Live-in Carer

Live-in carers

A live-in carer is with a client all day and on hand to deliver personal care, help with household chores and to support the client in the comfort of their own home. Above all else, a live-in carer is there to provide companionship and emotional support.

Common conditions that might require someone to need a live-in carer include dementia, frailty from old age, and disabilities such as cerebral palsy.

Each live-in care role is as different as the client being looked after. The fact that the carer lives with the client will usually mean that their needs are reasonably high and therefore there will likely be a lot of support needed.

As the name suggests, a live-in carer lives in the clients home. Although they are living with the client all the time, a live-in carer does not work 24 hours a day and should have agreed shifts and breaks.

The different tasks undertaken by a live-in carer can include:

• Personal Care
• Household chores
• Cooking meals and help with eating
• Morning and evening routines
• Helping the client to move around the home
• Shopping and other errands
• Reminding the client about medication, or if trained, administering medication
• Caring for household pets
• Support their physical and mental wellbeing
• Liaise with other health care professionals
• Help with appointments and outings

This could extend to more specialist duties:

• Monitoring any changes in; diet, weight, or cognitive ability
• Continence care including catheter care
• Gastrostomy care including PEG feeding, stoma and urostomy care

A carer should only be expected to do jobs that they are trained to do or that have been agreed with the client.

Length of assignments

A live-in care assignment can last anywhere between a few days to several months, sometimes even longer depending on the relationship the carer has with the client. Most assignments however will see carers working on a rotational basis of a few weeks at a time. A carer will never be sent into an assignment without knowing how long it will last and how many days a week they are expected to work.

Self-employed carers will work with the client or their representative directly to determine hours and rates of pay. If the client requires more support than was initially agreed, then a higher rate (which should be agreed in advance), will be incurred by the client or other arrangements will have to be made by the client or their representative. Self-employed carers who work with an introductory agency, will have their clients and assignments coordinated for them via the agency and advised in advance of the client’s needs.

For live-in careers who are employed directly by a care provider, hours will be set out in a contract. They will be required by law to take breaks and to work to allocated hours. Due to the long days a live-in carer can work, a care provider or client will expect them to take a couple of hours rest each day. If the client requires more help than they have agreed with the carer or the care provider, the Care Manager in charge will manage this accordingly and may assign additional carers to help or manage the client’s expectations accordingly.

Supporting a client all day

The work of a live-in carer is entirely flexible around the needs of the client and they will generally be expected to work when the client is awake during the day and requiring support. At night they will have their own room in the client’s house to sleep. There may be some occasions where they are also required to support during the night, but these shouldn’t be often or for long periods of time. If a live-in carer is consistently woken up at night to support the client, then a night carer may also be required.

Depending on the needs of the client, a live-in care shift can be between eight to twelve hours but is generally dependent on the needs of the client and some days may be longer than others.

Most care providers and care agencies will recommend carers take 14 hours of breaks throughout the seven-day week where they leave the client’s home and enjoy downtime.

Staying in the home

A live-in carer spends most of the time with the client in their own home, but this depends on the needs of the client. If the client is able enough, a live-in carer can support a client to visit friends, go to appointments, go shopping, visit a place of worship, or even go on holiday. However, for clients who are housebound or suffering with particularly debilitating conditions, a live-in carer would not be expected to leave the home unless they are on their break.

Administering medication

Homecare workers should, in most instances, only give limited help with the management of medicines. Carers are often not trained in nursing care; however, some carers are qualified to deliver nurse-led care and can administer medication if specified on the care plan, they have been trained in how to administer it, and are employed through a CQC regulated company. Usually, a live-in carer will just need to remind the client to take their medication and help them with repeat prescriptions.

Driving

Not all clients require a carer that can drive; however, it is a common request of care providers and agencies that they provide carers who can drive. This is because often clients will no longer be able to drive for themselves but will still be mobile enough to travel to appointments or will need the carer to run errands for them.

A carer can use their own car, the client’s car, or a leased car.

If a carer is using their own car, they must have the appropriate business insurance in place. Alternatively, a carer can be included on a client’s insurance policy and drive their car.

Mealtimes

Most of the time the carer will buy and prepare a client’s meals for them. The cost of the food will usually be covered by the client. It is common that the carer and client will then eat together, but this will depend on the wishes of the client. If the client and the carer do not share the same diet, then arrangements should be made.

Accidents and incidents

The procedures following an incident or death, whether expected or unexpected, will always be written into the client’s care plan. If the carer has adhered to the care plan, then they will never be liable for any accidents, acts of self-harm, or death. If a client or their representative suspects acts of negligence or abuse then this will be raised with the agency, care provider, or appropriate service.

Our next section introduces looks at the role of a visiting carer and highlights the benefits and drawbacks of this type of care role. Download our complete Guide to Becoming a Carer for free. Everything you need to know about becoming a carer in one handy pdf which you can print out or read digitally.