Live-In Care at Home
A dedicated carer living in your loved one’s home — the single best alternative to a care home. One familiar face, continuous support, their life continues.
“We Promised Dad He’d Never Go Into a Home”
That promise is the reason most families call us. When hourly visits aren’t enough — when Mum is falling at night, when Dad’s dementia means he can’t be left alone, when the family carer has burned out — live-in care is usually the answer. It’s also, in most cases, less expensive than a good-quality care home, and keeps your loved one in the home they know.
Live-in care places a professional carer in your loved one’s home, 24 hours a day. They share the home with your parent, provide continuous support, and become a familiar presence — cooking, companionship, personal care, medication, and being there when needed, day or night.
When Families Turn to Live-In Care
Most live-in care arrangements start at one of these five moments. If any of these sound familiar, we should talk.
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Hospital discharge after a fall or stroke
When the hospital won’t discharge to an empty home, or when care visits aren’t enough to recover safely. Live-in care means rehabilitation can happen at home with continuous support.
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Mid-to-late stage dementia
When someone can’t be safely alone — wandering, kitchen risks, nocturnal agitation. Live-in care preserves home routines and familiar surroundings that genuinely slow cognitive decline.
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Death of a spouse who was the carer
The surviving partner can’t manage alone, but a care home feels wrong. Live-in care bridges the gap with human presence through grief — companionship alongside personal care.
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Family carer burnout
You’ve been looking after Mum or Dad for months or years. You’re exhausted, relationships are suffering, your own health is declining. Live-in care shares the load without your parent leaving their home.
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End-of-life care at home
When the goal is a dignified, peaceful passing at home rather than hospital or hospice. Our live-in end-of-life carers work alongside district nurses, GPs, and palliative care teams.
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Complex clinical needs
Parkinson’s, MND, spinal injury, tracheostomy, PEG feeding. Our nurse-led complex care team delivers 24-hour clinical support at home — often an alternative to long-term nursing facility care.
How Live-In Care Works
A dedicated carer lives in the home. One familiar face. Continuous support. Your parent’s life continues.
Your carer has their own room
They need a private bedroom and bathroom (or use of one), and space to have their own time during breaks. This is usually the spare room — set up to feel like theirs.
Two-hour daily break
By law, live-in carers have a two-hour daily break — usually in the afternoon when your parent is at their most settled. For clients who can’t be left alone safely, we arrange cover during this break from our local team.
Carer rotation for sustainability
Most live-in arrangements rotate two carers on a fortnightly cycle, so your parent has continuity from two familiar faces rather than one exhausted carer. Some clients prefer a single carer with short weekly breaks — both are possible.
What’s included
Personal care, meal preparation, medication support, companionship, light housekeeping, laundry, shopping, appointments, and being there through the night. We don’t do heavy cleaning, gardening, or childcare — their focus is your loved one.
Named Care Coordinator
You get a direct line to a named Care Coordinator at the local office — not a call centre. Weekly check-ins in the first month, then monthly or as needed. Emergency cover is always arranged.
How Much Does Live-In Care Cost?
Most live-in care is less expensive than a good-quality care home, and considerably cheaper than nursing home care.
Standard live-in
From £1,200/wk
Companionship, personal care, meals, medication, one client
Dementia live-in
From £1,300/wk
Specialist dementia-trained carer, waking nights as needed
Complex live-in
From £1,400/wk
Nurse-led packages for Parkinson’s, PEG, tracheostomy, etc.
Live-in vs care home comparison: A typical UK care home costs £1,200–£1,700/week. A nursing home with complex care: £1,500–£2,200/week. Our live-in care is often the same price or less — with one-to-one attention, staying in their own home, no shared spaces, and no disruption.
Funding: self-funded, Local Authority Direct Payments, personal budgets, NHS Continuing Healthcare, attendance allowance.
Live-In Care Families
★★★★★
“My experience of Oath Healthcare Carers is one of excellence. Carers are fully client-centred, listening and responding to how I prefer things to be done. Caring, efficient, friendly, and joyful.”
M.E.
Client · October 2024
★★★★★
“Having Oath Healthcare carers checking on and caring for my husband relieves me of so much stress. I want to look after him at home and with the carers’ help I am able to do so. I am extremely grateful for this service.”
Gwendoline R
Wife of Client · September 2024
Live-In Care Questions
How is live-in care different from a care home?
One-to-one attention instead of shared staff ratios. Their own home with their own belongings, neighbourhood, GP, pets. A consistent carer who learns their preferences instead of rotating staff. And often the same cost or less.
How do you match the right carer?
Based on personality, interests, experience, and specific needs — not just availability. We propose 1–2 carers, share their profiles, and arrange an introduction before they start. If the match doesn’t feel right, we arrange an alternative without fuss.
What about night-time? Do they sleep?
For clients who settle overnight, carers sleep but are available for emergencies — this is standard live-in. For clients who wake, wander, or need regular turning, we add waking night cover (either the same carer with daytime rest, or a separate waking night carer).
What if we want to change carer?
Tell your Care Coordinator and we’ll arrange an alternative. No arguments, no extra fees, no awkwardness. Chemistry matters and you should never feel stuck.
How quickly can live-in care start?
Urgent situations (hospital discharge, carer breakdown): within 48–72 hours. Standard starts: typically 1–2 weeks to allow time for proper carer matching and introduction.
Can live-in care be short-term?
Yes. Short-term live-in is popular for: post-surgery recovery, respite for family carers, holidays, trialling live-in before committing long-term. Minimum is usually one week.
Keep Them at Home
A 15-minute call with our team will tell you whether live-in care makes sense for your situation, and what it would look like. No pressure.
Call us: 01223 755 887
Available 7 days a week. Urgent out-of-hours enquiries reach our on-call coordinator.
Looking for round-the-clock support? See how live-in care compares with other models in our guide to 24-hour care at home.
See If Live-In Care Makes Sense
A 15-minute call tells you whether live-in care works for your situation — and roughly what it would cost.