The visits may still be working well, but the hours between them are becoming harder to manage. Perhaps your loved one needs help before the next carer arrives, or family members are finding it difficult to keep filling the gaps. Moving from home care to live-in care could provide more support while allowing them to stay at home.
Whether you’re looking into care for yourself or someone close to you, the decision should be based on their needs, wishes and everyday routine.
When visiting care may no longer be enough
With visiting care, carers come at agreed times during the day. It may be time to review the arrangement if your loved one needs help between visits, is missing meals or can’t wait until the next visit to use the toilet.
Increasing anxiety, loneliness or reliance on family can also be signs that things are becoming harder to manage. However, that doesn’t automatically mean live-in care is the next step. Longer visits or some overnight support may be enough. Talk to the person receiving care and their care manager about what has changed before making a decision.
Sudden confusion needs urgent medical attention. The NHS advises going to A&E or calling 999 for sudden confusion rather than waiting for a care review.
A care home isn’t the only next step
Needing more support doesn’t automatically mean moving into a care home.
With live-in care, a carefully matched carer lives in the home and provides support around an agreed care plan.
A live-in carer doesn’t work continuously throughout the day and night. They need regular breaks and time to sleep, and any overnight needs need to be planned as part of the care arrangement.
Live-in care is also different from nursing care. An assessment will look at whether your loved one’s needs can be safely managed at home and whether any nursing input is required. For some people, a care or nursing home will still be the more appropriate option.
The benefits of live-in care
Having someone around for more of the day can help your loved one keep familiar routines, stay involved in everyday life and continue doing the things they can safely manage themselves.
A regular carer also has time to get to know their preferences and routines, while providing companionship as part of the day. They can support with appointments, trips out, community activities and visits with friends. Holidays may also be possible with the right planning.
For couples, one carer may be able to support both partners at home, depending on their individual care needs.
Comparing visiting care and live-in care costs
Visiting care is usually charged by the hour or visit, while live-in care is generally quoted as a weekly cost. As the number of visiting care hours increases, the two costs can become closer.
Using £41 an hour as an illustration:
| Daily visiting care | Calculation | Weekly cost |
|---|---|---|
| Six hours | £41 x 6 x 7 days | £1,722 weekly |
| Seven hours | £41 x 7 x 7 days | £2,006 weekly |
These figures are close to the £1,694-£2,324 weekly range in Trinity’s homecare cost guide. They’re simply an illustration, rather than a personalised quotation or a set point at which you should change your care arrangement.
When comparing options, ask what’s included. This might include food allowances, cover for breaks, overnight support and more. If care is needed for a couple, the quotation should reflect both people’s needs rather than assuming there will automatically be a saving.
Moving from Trinity visiting care to live-in care
If your loved one already receives Trinity visiting care, we’ll have an existing care needs assessment, support plan and regional team who know their needs and preferences. Our visiting and live-in teams can build on that knowledge, looking at what has changed instead of starting from scratch.
TrinityConnect keeps care plans and daily notes together. With your loved one’s consent, relatives can also access records and stay informed about their care.
If you’re moving from another provider, that’s fine too. We’ll take the time to understand your loved one’s needs and make sure the handover is properly planned.
Our fully managed service includes carer supervision, ongoing reviews and a dedicated care manager. Our team can also draw on clinical expertise when someone has more complex needs. We’ll explain who will be involved and whether nursing input is needed.
Case study: keeping familiar support during the transition
After six years of Trinity visiting care, one client needed more support following a fall and hospital admission. The teams introduced live-in care alongside continued visiting support, allowing her to keep familiar relationships while getting the additional help she needed. She returned home in time for her 102nd birthday.
Read more about how Trinity coordinated her return home.
Preparing for live-in care
Your existing care plan provides a useful starting point, but it will need to be reviewed for live-in care. The updated plan should cover your loved one’s needs, preferences, privacy and routines, as well as what they want to continue doing for themselves.
It’s also worth talking about what it will feel like to have someone living in the home and sorting out the practical details before care begins.
- Bedroom and meals: Your carer will need a private bedroom with a comfortable bed and storage, as well as access to a bathroom and kitchen. Agree the carer’s food allowance and check whether this is included in the quotation.
- Breaks and nights: Trinity carers take a two-hour daily break away from the home. If your loved one cannot safely be left alone, the care team can arrange cover. Regular waking-night support needs to be planned separately.
- Holiday cover: Trinity manages rotas and replacements, including making sure relevant care information is handed over.
See our guides to preparing your home and carers’ working hours and breaks.
If the council contributes towards care, discuss a care and support plan review and funding before changing your arrangements.
Frequently asked questions
How quickly can we move to live-in care?
It depends on your loved one’s needs, how quickly the practical arrangements can be made and the availability of a suitable carer. Urgent live-in care may be arranged within 24 hours following an assessment, depending on the circumstances and availability. Careful matching remains an important part of the process.
Will the same carer stay on?
Not necessarily. Talk to the care team about whether a familiar carer can remain involved and how their knowledge of your loved one’s routines and preferences can be passed on.
In some situations, visiting care can continue alongside live-in care.
Does the existing care plan carry over?
It provides a starting point, but it won’t simply be transferred unchanged. The team will review your loved one’s current needs and agree an updated plan for how live-in care will work.
What if live-in care doesn’t work out?
Talk to your care manager if you have concerns. They can review the carer match and the care arrangements with you.
If visiting care would still meet your loved one’s needs safely, returning to that type of support may be possible.
A short-term live-in arrangement could also give you an opportunity to try live-in care before making a longer-term decision. Ask about fees, minimum bookings and notice periods.
Arranging the move: five steps
- Talk to the care team about what has changed and where the current arrangement is becoming difficult.
- Have a free, no-obligation care assessment covering your loved one’s needs, preferences and home.
- Agree the support plan, practical arrangements and quotation.
- We carefully match a carer to their care needs, personality and preferences.
- Care begins, with ongoing management and regular reviews.
To discuss your options, call 0207 183 4884 in confidence or complete our online enquiry form. If you contact us outside opening hours, we’ll get back to you the next day. There’s no obligation to arrange care.
