How live-in dementia care works
With live-in dementia care, a professional Trinity carer will come to live with you in your home to provide round-the-clock specialised dementia care and support. Our carers are experienced and trained in caring for dementia, throughout all stages of the condition.
Before care begins, we carry out a free at-home needs assessment which allows us to understand exactly your care needs and preferences. Working in collaboration with existing healthcare professionals and your family, we are able to provide a comprehensive care plan that is tailored to your exact needs.
Different stages of dementia require different types of care. Our flexible approach to live-in dementia care means that as your needs change, so does the care that you receive.
What does a live-in dementia carer do?
Trinity carers are specially trained to provide dementia care through all stages of the condition and we are proud to be a part of the Dementia Friends initiative, meaning our team is highly trained in line with the Alzheimer’s Society.
Different stages of dementia require different types of care. In the early and mid stages of the condition, support focuses on establishing consistent routines to minimise confusion and distress, and encouraging social activity, exercise and cognitive engagement as much as possible.
In the later stages, 24-hour care that covers nighttime support may be required. At this stage, carers can assist with things like continence, eating and drinking, monitoring weight, nighttime supervision and preparing tailored meals that the person can easily consume.
No matter what your loved one’s care needs or stage of dementia, our carers can support you with:
- Personal care – such as bathing, dressing, and continence support
- Managing medication – help to administer medication and health monitoring
- Household tasks – from cleaning, tidying, and doing the laundry, to walking the dog
- Meal preparation – home-cooked meals to ensure nutritional needs are met daily
- Reassurance and comfort – our experienced carers know how to ease the distress and agitation that come with dementia
- Mobility support – help to move around the home safely with hoists, wheelchairs and mobility aids
- Running errands – such as collecting prescriptions, paying bills, and doing grocery shopping
- Companionship and emotional support – for the individual and the family
- Trips out of the home – arranging and accompanying to appointments, or simply a trip to the park
What are the benefits of live-in care for dementia?
Dementia live-in care is a preferred option for many families because it removes the need to move into a residential care home, which can be especially distressing for people with dementia who require familiar environments and routines.
The cost of live-in dementia care provided is often similar to that of a residential care home, but with the benefit of one-to-one personalised care, as well as all these extra benefits:
- Remain living in the familiar surroundings of home
- Have full control of daily routines
- Carers who have specialist training on hand 24/7
- Better value for money than a care home, providing personalised care
- Emotional support for all the family
- Peace of mind for you and your loved ones
- One-to-one personalised care in the comfort of your home
- Safer than a care home with fewer falls and hospital admissions
Why choose Trinity for live-in dementia care?
Trinity carers are specially trained to provide dementia care through all stages of the condition and we are proud to be a part of the Dementia Friends Initiative, meaning our team is highly trained in line with the Alzheimer’s Society.
All of our home care services have been awarded a rating of ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission. This puts us in the top 4% of home care providers in England. With 25 years of experience providing specialised live-in dementia care nationwide, we are here to support you through every stage of your journey.
Talk to us today
Get in touch today to find out how we can support you and your loved one to live well at home with dementia.
Our friendly team is available to take your call every day, from 7.30 am to 5.30 pm. Call us today on 0207 183 4884 or alternately, complete our online enquiry form.
FAQs
We’re here to help you understand every step of your live-in care journey. Read our helpful FAQs on all things live in care and if you have any further questions, don’t hesitate to contact us.
About us and our carers
Each carer receives training that both meets and goes beyond the statutory standards of the Care Certificate. As an approved training centre, our specialist training has been designed to prepare our carers for all aspects of delivering professional, heartfelt care. The course is delivered through a mixture of classroom training sessions, group discussions, workbooks, online learning, and practical supervision. This training is led by one of our qualified trainers and includes a range of modules covering, but not limited to, duty of care, working in a person-centred way, communication, privacy and dignity, fluids and nutrition, dementia, safeguarding, basic life support, health and safety, administering medication, handling information as well as infection prevention and control.
All of our carers go through a rigorous recruitment, selection and interview process. Our carers are selected based on their skills and experience but also their caring nature and soft attributes which are central to being a great carer. We only recruit less than 1% of the carers who apply to work with us.
Our carers complete classroom-based training as well as practical training and then must pass the Care Certificate within 12 weeks after they go out to their first placement.
The carers we employ come from all over the world. We have a diverse workforce who are all passionate about providing high-quality, person-centred care.
The care you receive will be matched to meet your holistic needs. If you need a carer who can cook, we will ensure that you are matched with a carer who has experience of cooking for clients.
Trinity Homecare was established in 1996, so has been providing high quality homecare services for over 25 years to families throughout the country.
There are two main differences between regulated care and introductory care. Regulated care, also known as a managed care service, typically employs their carers directly and is regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Introductory care, also known as self-managed care, matches clients with verified self-employed carers and they are not regulated.
Setting up live-in care
- Speak with a live-in care provider like Trinity Homecare to enquire about a live-in care service
- Arrange an assessment at the home where care will be provided. At an assessment a Care Manager will then come to your home to assess you or your loved one’s needs – not just your care and support needs, but how you wish to live life and the things that are important to you in day to day living. This will help to evaluate the type and level of care required so that a care plan can be created.
- Our team will match your loved one with a suitable carer or carers if more than one is needed. The client and family will be shown a live-in carer profile of the best matched carer(s).
- The selected carer(s) will then move into the property and immediately begin to provid8 one-to-one care and support as outlined in the care plan.
- The carer(s) will work in the agreed shift pattern to provide care and support. At night, a daytime carer may be woken to support if the client wakes.
- Ongoing support from the management team will include regular supervisions, access to a care manager or coordinator, and 24/7 support from the office team. This ensures that the carer has the necessary support and resources to deliver high-quality care to your or your loved one. The care plan will be regularly reviewed by your dedicated Care Manager, to ensure it continues to meet your loved one’s needs and provides the right level of care and support, and that the carer has the skills and experience to meet your needs.
The Care Needs Assessment is carried out by your dedicated Care Manager who will take time to get to know you, your family, your needs, routine, and preferences. During this meeting, the Care Manager will gain an understating of all the tasks you require assistance with. They will also take time to look at your surroundings to ensure it is safe and everything is in place required to support you safely and effectively. All the information will be used to design a bespoke care plan for you as well as to provide valuable information to enable us to match the most suitable carer to you. The care needs assessment is a really good opportunity to ask any questions you may have and to be open if you have any concerns or reservations; the Care Manager will be there to support and guide you every step of the way.
The Care Needs Assessment is a thorough meeting to establish your care needs, routines and preferences as well as an opportunity to view the environment to ensure everything is safe and in place for us to provide care safely. This meeting can take up to 2 hours, sometimes a little more if the individual is in hospital or a residential setting in which case we will need to complete an assessment of the person as well as the property. It can also take slightly longer if lots of family members attend with lots of questions or if the package of care is quite complex.
The assessment process is an ongoing one and, if anything changes or you remember anything important the care plan can be amended.
Typically we can arrange live in care within 24-48 hours (Monday to Friday). This does however depend upon the complexity of a person’s needs and everything being in place for the care package to be provided safely and effectively.
Yes, of course. We take great pride in carefully selecting and matching a live-in carer that is right for you, considering your needs and preferences. Once your Care Manager is happy with the selection, we will send you a profile of the live-in carer so you can see their photograph and read about their background and experience. If you are happy, we will arrange for the carer to arrive on your chosen day, however if you would like to select an alternative carer, we will start the matching process again.
Once we have selected a carer we think is suitable to you, your needs and situation, we will send you their profile. We take great care in matching the right carer for you, so it is best to wait until we have a carer who matches but who is also available to start when you choose.
As our carers can be in another placement prior to arriving to you or your loved one, it is not possible to arrange a face-to-face meeting ahead of arrival. However, we can arrange for you to meet them via a video or voice call. We will always send you a profile of the carer that has been selected as a great match to you and your situation.
For live-in care, you must provide a secure, private room with basic furnishings like a comfortable bed and space for personal items. The room should be clean, safe, and exclusively for the carer’s use. You are also responsible for providing food, considering any dietary restrictions, and cleaning supplies. Meal costs are your responsibility and are not deductible from our fees.
Live-in carers are legally entitled to a two-hour daily break. If you or your loved one cannot be alone, alternative coverage options can be arranged at an extra cost. Carers also need uninterrupted sleep to enable them to provide the high-quality care you should expect, however they will be able to tend to emergencies.
Additionally, while carers won’t use your phones without consent, they should be allowed free internet access to use our TrinityConnect app, to be able to complete the paperwork associated with care delivery and to communicate with our care management team.
If you decide not to proceed with our services, please inform us as soon as possible. The Care Needs Assessment is completely free of charge and without obligation. If you decide not to proceed it is always helpful if you can tell us your reasons in case there is anything we could have done differently.
About our live-in care
The length of time the carer stays will depend on whether the carer has any holiday booked and or if they are coming from another placement. Most carers tend to work for several weeks before taking a break. When a carer is taking a break, we will source an alternative carer to care for you until your dedicated carer returns. We aim to maintain as much continuity as possible.
You will meet your Care Manager at your initial care needs assessment and sometimes on the day care starts. You will see your Care Manager periodically and more often if there is a change in your care needs or circumstances. Care Managers and their supporting team are always available, so should you wish to arrange a meeting, please get in touch. The Care Manager will carry out a review meeting with you every three months.
Your carer is welcome to join your loved one or family member on their holiday. However, any expenses such as those related to transportation, insurance, and meals will be the responsibility of the accompanying carer.
Yes. Our live-in care service is here to ensure you can continue living the life you love at home. This includes jobs around the house, light cleaning, cooking, running errands and accompanying you on days out – our live-in carers can even support you on holiday. Most of our live-in carers do not drive, however, if we do source you a carer who drives, then they can drive you to your appointments in your own car. It is your responsibility to ensure that they have the appropriate licence and insurance.
Whilst we endeavour to meet your requirements for a carer, we cannot guarantee to introduce you to a live-in carer who can drive. If you would like your carer to drive your vehicle, it will be your responsibility to ensure that they have the appropriate licence and insurance. We cannot accept liability in respect of any costs, fines, penalties, or claims incurred by the carer.
Yes, your carer can walk your dog and feed your pets. As long as we know this is a requirement, we will include it in the care plan and ensure that your carer is happy to do this. Some carers are allergic to animals so we must know if pet care is required.
Your carer can assist with your medications as needed. During the Care Needs Assessment, your Care Manager will need to see a list of your medications and will detail the carers involvement in supporting you within the care plan.
While the live-in carer resides in your home, their work schedule does not demand round-the-clock availability. A typical day is structured into contact/work hours and non-contact/downtime, tailored to align with your daily routines and preferences. On average, a carer typically engages for 8-12 hours per day, with a mandatory two-hour break. Should additional contact hours be necessary, we may recommend the introduction of extra live-in or visiting carer. We consistently reevaluate your requirements to ensure that the level of care provided evolves with changing needs.
Carers are entitled to a minimum of 14 hours of weekly break time, usually distributed as 2 hours per day. However, this arrangement is flexible, accommodating situations like family visits or a client’s participation in day centre activities, allowing for alternative break schedules. Ideally, these breaks should occur during daylight hours, enabling the carer to temporarily leave the premises. This facilitates errands and a well-deserved opportunity for rest and rejuvenation. In cases where the client cannot be left unattended, and it falls within the coverage area of our visiting care branch, we can arrange a visiting carer to cover these breaks. If this option is not viable, the responsibility falls upon the family to secure or cover break-time care, with separate charges applicable in addition to the live-in care costs.
It is not uncommon for a live-in carer to be woken during the night to deliver care and, if this happens, the carer will duly support as needed. There will be a disturbed nights fee which will be clearly outlined on your Fee Schedule.
If regular waking occurs, we are also able to provide overnight care by means of another live-in carer, or visiting carer if the person receiving care lives within one of our visiting care service areas.
The cost of food for the live-in carer is to be covered by the client, unless speciality foods are required, in which case the carer will incur the extra cost. If you wish to eat in your own company or with the carer, that is your choice. This can also be noted as a part of your care plan. Whatever your preferences, our experienced carers are more than happy to accommodate.
We take great care when selecting a carer to meet your care and support needs. However, if you find you would like a different carer, we will look to replace them as soon as possible. It is always best to be honest and inform your care manager of your feedback to enable us to find an alternative carer that is better suited to you.
If the person receiving care passes away, the carer will be there to support you and the family through the difficult time. Some families choose to keep the carer in place to help make arrangements; others prefer for the carer to leave. It really is up to you. We charge for the 7 days following the day of the death.
Paying for live-in care
Our live-in care starts from £1,400 a week for those with very low needs. Our respite care is from £1,652 a week. Our minimum respite term is 1 week.
For live-in care, all bank holidays (including substitutes), Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day will be charged at double the prevailing prices.
We ask that you pay by direct debit which can be set up easily ahead of care starting. For live-in care we require payment of the first two weeks to be paid before care starts which can be paid by bank transfer or by a credit card over the phone. You will then be invoiced every two weeks in advance. Those who do not wish to pay by direct debit will incur a 5% surcharge.
We cover the live-in carers’ travel costs to your home. You do not have to pay. However, if you ask the carer to travel with you or for you from your home, then their travel costs must be covered by you. If you ask a carer to use their own car on your behalf, even if you are not in the car, a mileage charge of 45p per mile will be charged.
If you are thinking of cancelling or have anything at all you are not happy with, it is best to speak to your Care Manager first. They will do everything they can to support you and resolve any concerns you may have.
You may cancel the agreement with us immediately at any time within the 14 day cooling off period and only have to pay for those 14 days. Once the cooling off period has ended, you must give us 14 days’ notice on any cancellation, and you will be charged 100% of the fees for all care scheduled for this period, unless you are admitted to hospital on short notice.
A detailed cancellation policy will be outlined in your terms and condition document. Our friendly team are more than happy to go through any questions you have before you sign an agreement with us.