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How Live-in Care Works

Unicare Live-in Care Service
Excellent & Proficient Care!

Meet our carers

Learn more about our companions and carers

Testimonials

Here’s what our clients say about Unicare Live-in Care

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Call us on 0208 239 6877 or request a call back

How Live-in Care Works

Live-in care provided by a professional carer offers a practical, highly personalised and cost-effective alternative to a residential or nursing home. It offers high levels of one-to-one care, support and companionship – something that even the very best care homes simply cannot achieve. Live-in care enables individuals, and couples to remain living in the comfort, familiarity and security of their own home maintaining independence and dignity – isn’t that what we all want? Once you and your family have decided that 24-hour live-in care may be your preferred option, it is important to understand what is involved and how the arrangement will work.

What do I need to provide my carer?

All that is required is a spare room for the carer to have their own space during breaks and to sleep, with a TV for their relaxation and internet access so they are able to complete the paperwork required to manage your care. The carer will cook your daily meals and eat the same food, with you if you wish.

The carer will need to have a two-hour break in any 24-hour period, which many clients usually find works best when they are resting in the afternoon. If you require care and support during this period many will have family visit to cover this break, or we can organise for an hourly care provider to cover this for you.

Support for you and your family every step of the way

Transitioning to a live-in care arrangement

We know that sometimes it can take time for you to adjust to a new person coming to live-in your home and that this can be unsettling for some. We provide unrivalled support to you and your family through the transition, whilst ensuring our care team clearly understands what is required to support this transition. A dedicated expert care manager will be there to provide support from day one. They will meet with you and your family to regularly review progress and their flexible and adaptable approach will ensure your care and support needs are always met and you are living the life you wish.

A fully managed and regulated service

The Good Care Group provides a fully managed service, which means that if a carer is unable to care for you, whether that is a planned holiday or an unexpected period of leave then we can guarantee direct cover drawing on our resource of rapid response professional carers. We work quickly to ensure that you are not left without someone to care for you. Every client is supported by a regional manager and a dedicated care manager, all supported by a central team of regional support assistants. These teams only manage a small portfolio of clients so that you can be assured you will get unrivalled support as and when you need it.

Directly employed carers

Unlike introduction agencies, who will simply introduce you to a carer to manage yourself we directly employ all our carers and value them for their contribution. This means they are committed to us and providing you with continuity and consistency of care. If you have a carer introduced to you through an agency you will be responsible for paying their salary, managing cover for their annual leave and more importantly their supervision and management – all of which can be very time consuming and frustrating for families to manage at a time when they need as much support as possible for themselves and their loved one.

Detailed & Informative Care Planning

An in-depth assessment of your needs

At Unicare, we have a team of live-in care experts and clinical specialists ready to help you and your family every step of the way. The process starts with a friendly discussion with our care advisors, who will listen to your needs and provide any information you require. We will then organise for a no obligation assessment of your needs – this is a holistic approach that considers not just your care and support needs, but your choices, routines and preferences to ensure you live your life the way you always have with the right level of support. Our care specialist who conducts the assessment will take the time to really listen to you and your family to create the plan of care that suits all your needs. This care plan will then guide our carer and other healthcare professionals involved to provide the care and support you need, as and when you need it.

Matching the perfect care team

We are proud of the approach we take to matching the needs of our clients to the skills, expertise, and personalities of our professional carers. By getting to know you as a person and how you wish to live your life we are able to find carers who share common interests, have the same values that you hold dear and are respectful of how you wish to live in your home.

If for whatever reason we do not get it right first time, we will quickly work with you and your family to make a change if needed. All our carers are highly trained to support those who are living with specialist conditions, like dementia, Parkinson or Multiple Sclerosis, or for those who require stroke care, cancer care or palliative end-of-life care. Whether you require personal care or complex care at home, you can be assured of a high-quality service from expert carers supported by clinical specialists.

A team of two professional carers supporting your needs

We will carefully match a team of two carers who can meet your needs. They will typically work a two-week period before the other carer takes over for another two weeks. When you first carer is due to take her two week break, both carers will meet at your home to complete a smooth and comprehensive handover, to ensure the incoming carer understands any changes in your care and to minimise any disruption to you and your family.

Our carer community technology platform means that the incoming carer will have had a chance to catch up on everything they need to for the handover, ensuring on arrival a smooth transition takes place.

Planning & Cost

Cost of Live-in Care

We understand that the cost of care is a major consideration when looking for later life support options, which is why we believe it’s important to help…

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provider

Self Funding Care

The majority of people beyond retirement age wish to live an independent and active life in the comfort of their own home for as long as they possibly can…

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Choosing a provider

Live-in care is fast becoming the preferred choice for those who need extra help to stay at home. Gone are the days when moving into a care home was inevitable…

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Hiring a live-in carer

For anyone requiring support and assistance with their personal care but who wishes to retain an independent lifestyle, hiring a live in carer provides…

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What people say

The staffs are Unicare are very delightful , with such a willing and helpful personality. Thanks Unicare

Live-in care FAQ's

What do I need to provide my live-in carer?

All that is required is a spare room for the carer to have their own space during breaks and to sleep, with a TV for their relaxation and internet access so they are able to complete the records required to manage your care. Your live-in carer will cook your daily meals and eat the same food, with you if you wish.<br><br>The carer will need to have a two-hour break in any 24-hour period, which many clients usually find works best when they are resting in the afternoon. If you require care and support during this period many will have family visit to cover this break, or we can organise for an hourly care provider to cover this for you.

What happens when my carer has time off or goes on holiday?

At Unicare, we understand the importance of continuity and consistency of care. However as we are sure you will appreciate, that it is important for our carers own wellbeing to have sufficient time off work and holidays to rest, so that they continue to deliver the highest quality of care that you should expect.<br><br>
You will have a team of two carers who will provide care in your home usually for two weeks at a time, rotating to the next carer after two weeks. Whilst this is a typical rota patten we do offer various patterns, including a four-week working period with two weeks off. A team of the same two carers ensure they really get to know and understand you as a person. If one carer requires a short amount of time off, we will always endeavour for the other carer to provide cover to ensure consistency of care.<br><br>As a fully managed service, however we have a rapid response and relief team of highly trained professional carers who can come to support you during your carer’s holidays and for longer periods of leave. These are always planned and scheduled well in advance and communicated to you and your family so you can be reassured that we can continue to meet your needs.

Can you provide live-in care for me and my spouse?

Unicare provides live-in care to couples. Receiving care in the comfort of the home you have enjoyed together for, what is probably many years with all your memories and possessions around you is fast becoming the preferred choice for couples, as opposed to enduring the upheaval, disruption and emotional upset of moving into a care home. Whether one of you is living with a specialist condition, like dementia or Parkinson’s and the other one just requires mobility or frailty care, or to recover from an operation, we will provide you with a perfectly matched carer who will support you both to live a better quality of life as a couple, but also individually according to your needs, choices and preferences.<br><br>One of the most significant considerations when planning care for a couple, is the cost of care. If a couple moves into a care home, the cost of care is typically double the price of receiving high quality, live-in care at home. With live-in care there is only one weekly fee for the care team, with a small supplement depending on needs, so it is a very cost-effective alternative to moving into a care home.

I have dementia, how can live-in care help me?

At Unicare, we know receiving care in the comfort, safety and familiarity of your own home has far reaching benefits in improving overall health and wellbeing for a person living with dementia. Moving at any stage in life can be very stressful, but can negatively impact a person who is living with dementia, which is why many families up and down the country choose live-in care as an alternative to moving into a care home to receive high quality dementia care.<br><br>All our professional carers receive unrivalled training in dementia care before they care and support someone with the condition. Our work with the Contented Dementia Trust to introduce the SPECAL approach to dementia care helps us to understand and discover what is important to the person living with dementia, enabling us to develop a purposeful and meaningful programme of care. Working closely with Dementia UK.

Can I get any funding for live-in care?

There may be care funding available to you to receive a live-in care service depending on your financial circumstances and your care needs. The Local Authority will only fund care at home (referred to as social funding) if your assets are worth less than £23,500, which we know that sadly for many families their financial situation exceeds.<br><br>If you are assessed and have an identified healthcare need you may be eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare funding organised by your local Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to support you to receive care in your own home.<br><br>Many families are faced with having to fund the care they receive themselves (referred to as self-funding care). For these families there are options to help finance care at home, including a Care Fees Annuity, which is an insurance policy you purchase to cover the cost of your care, or by realising capital in your assets through an Equity Release scheme.

Next steps in finding the right care for you !

Fill out our care assessment form

Please complete our short assessment form and one of our specialist team on live-in care will be in touch shortly.

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