What’s the Difference Between Live-In Care & Hourly Care?
Choosing the right care for your family is an important task. There are multiple options to choose from depending on what you feel works best for your loved one, with the most popular options including live-in and hourly care. Read on to find out more about what types of at-home care are on offer.
What are the differences between live-in care and hourly care?
Hourly care and live-in care are both fantastic options that allow your mum, dad or close family member to receive the care they need in the comfort of their own home. Hourly care services are a great option for you and your family if frequent, flexible care is what you’re looking for, whilst live-in care provides access to care support 24 hours a day, well-catered to those who require consistent care throughout the day.
Timings and flexibility
Hourly and live-in care options offer varying degrees of flexibility, so it’s important to choose an option that caters to your loved one’s needs. Hourly care is designed with flexibility in mind, so that you can choose the frequency of care visits to suit your family’s needs. Carers visit for a minimum of 1 hour, providing assistance with day to day tasks, medical support and companionship, and can visit daily or weekly depending on how much care your relation needs. Live-in care is well suited to those who require more consistent help throughout the day and night, with a dedicated carer on-hand to offer 24/7 support. Both options offer fantastic flexibility with specifically tailored care plans to suit the needs of your family.
The costs
Our care options make sure that your loved one can receive the best possible care that suits your budget. Live-in care plans start from just £1,350 a week, and offer peace of mind that your family member will have the care they need all hours of the day. However, if your family member doesn’t need constant, live-in support, our hourly care options are designed to be flexible and can be tailored week-to-week depending on your family’s needs. Our hourly care is charged by the hour, so is also a great way to save money if your family only needs occasional or short term support.
Level of care required
Hourly and live-in care options cater to the different levels of care needed. Our live-in care plan is a great option if your family members need care and support throughout the day and night. By choosing live-in care, you can be confident that your family member has a dedicated carer that can support them across a range of complex needs. Our hourly care service offers the same level of dedication and professionalism, but is suited to those who may only require extra support during specific periods of the day or week. For example, your family member may be independent through the majority of their day, but could benefit from extra support at bed time, or during meals. Whatever their needs, our care support can be tailored to suit your family.
Lifestyle preferences
When considering the best care for your family, it’s also important to take into account your relation’s lifestyle preferences. Whilst their health and wellbeing always comes first, it’s worth considering whether a live-in care option is best for them. Whilst some would really benefit from the consistent company and social stimulation of having a live-in carer, others may find having someone in their home difficult and prefer more space to themselves.
Duration of care required
Finding the right care option for your family could start with considering how long the care is required for. If they need consistent support over an extensive period of time, either due to age or long-term illness, then live-in care is likely to be the best option to meet their needs. However, in some circumstances your family member may only require care for a short period of time, such as help with personal care in the morning or help making lunch. In this scenario, hourly care could be the best option, providing the same high-level of care in a more cost-effective, flexible manner that can be adjusted throughout their recovery.
Peace of mind for loved ones
All of our care options provide peace of mind for you and your family that the person you care about is receiving the best possible care. At Ashridge Home Care, we’re regulated by the Care Quality Commission, so you can be assured that your family is receiving the highest possible quality of care, whatever care option you choose. Hourly care can work alongside care from your family, offering that extra support and guidance wherever it is needed. Live-in care offers a different kind of peace of mind, as you can be sure that care and assistance is received throughout the week. Whether your family needs a couple of hours of support a week, or more constant care so that they can continue to live independently, you’ll benefit from a dedicated care team.
What are the main benefits of live-in care?
Live-in care is a fantastic way to ensure that your family member receives 24/7 support across all aspects of their day-to-day life. From managing medication, scheduling appointments or fulfilling social needs, our live-in carers become a much trusted companion to the families they work with. By choosing live-in care, families can also avoid moving their family into a care home, giving them the chance to stay in familiar surroundings alongside the people they know and love. Live-in care for couples also means that a couple can both receive that care and support they need, without having to worry about leaving their home or living apart.
What are the main benefits of hourly care?
Hourly-care is a great, flexible care option that ensures your family member will still access the care and support they need, with minimal interruption in their daily life. Hourly care can be altered from day-to-day or week-to-week depending on the level of care required, and is a great option for your loved one if they require temporary extra assistance such as following a period of ill health or an injury. As well as our traditional hourly care option, we also offer companionship care. Designed to provide company and companionship to those who may not need specific care assistance but could still benefit from having a companion to join them as they complete daily tasks, companionship care provides a friendly-face who can help to take care of your family member.
Why choose Ashridge Home Care for hourly or live-in care services?
By choosing Ashridge Home Care, you can be sure that your family will receive the highest standard of care, support and companionship, whether you choose hourly or live-in care. We bring over 30 years’ of experience delivering award-winning care to people in their own homes, and take the time to understand the individual physical, emotional and social needs of all the families we work alongside. You can find out more about the care on offer in your area on our location hub.
If you’d like to discover further information about the care we offer, or discuss what options are best suited to your family’s needs, get in touch with our team today. Our professional, dedicated staff are happy to offer advice and guidance so that you can choose the best care for your loved one.