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Live -in Care FAQs

  • Is Helping Hands registered with the appropriate bodies / professional associations?

    Yes, we are registered with the Care Quailty Commission (Certificate Number E520002043) and have received an "excellent" rating in our latest report. We are also a member of the United Kingdom Home Care Association (UKHCA). All our accreditations cover our national network of branches .
  • What is live- in care?

    The carer stays in the customer's home on an ongoing basis. They can fulfil personal care and general household duties. The level of care provided varies, depending on the individual needs. It can range from general companionship and housekeeping to high dependency, intensive personal care.
  • Is live-in care the best option for me?

    The choice whether to opt for live-in care or a care home is a very personal one, however we would recommend live-in care to anyone who wants to remain in their own home and maintain a greater level of independence.
  • How long does the care last and how often is there a change of carer?

    As long or as short as you would like it too (we do have a minimum service of 2 weeks for short term respite care).It may be to give the main carer a one off or regular break, or on a more permanent long term basis.
    Our carers normally work in blocks of 5-8 weeks before taking a break. Many of our carers have been in the same positions for years, becoming a valued extension of the family unit.
  • How are they trained?

    All Helping Hands carers attend our intensive four day Induction Training programme at our specially designed training centre in Warwickshire. The topics covered include, Moving and Handling; Health and Safety, Food Hygiene, Safer Handling of Medication, Emergency First Aid, Principles of Care, Role of Care Worker, Needs of Service User, Incontinence Care, Basic Infection Control and Abuse Awareness of Vulnerable Adults. Time is also then spent shadowing an experienced carer in a service users home.
  • How will my care be managed?

    A designated Care Manager will be responsible for the allocation and ongoing supervision of the live in care that you receive. Your initial care needs will be discussed with one of our managers or nurse assessors at the time of your booking or enquiry.
  • Does Helping Hands directly employ all its carers?

    Yes, we directly employ our carers. Rather than acting as an introductory agent we recruit, train, assess and manage all of our carers.
  • How often will we see the Care Manager

    Once care is in place, your dedicated Care Manager will ensure that all your needs are met and continually review and assess the performance of the carer by maintaing frequent contact and conducting home visits as required.
  • Before care begins will an assessment take place?

    Yes, a full comprehensive assessment will be conducted to ensure that the care package we put together fully focuses on the needs of the customer. Each care plan is bespoke and tailored to suit the customer.

 

 

  • What will happen if the regular carer is sick or goes on holiday?

    Once your live in care package starts we will GUARANTEE cover. Should your regular carer be sick we will immediately arrange cover until they are better. In this circumstance we cannot guarantee that the intermediate carer will be able to fulfil exactly the same criteria eg, driving although we will make every attempt possible to closely meet your criteria. Holidays are only authorized well in advance with the Care Manager so that suitable replacements can be allocated.
  • What if my condition changes?

    If your condition changes we will simply conduct another assessment and make any changes necessary to your care plan.


  • How much does it cost and do you charge VAT?

    The basic cost for live- in care is from £697 per week. The cost will depend on the level of care that we have been asked to provide, and an individual assessment will be made. Helping Hands have lots of experience working with multi-source funding and will try and accommodate most circumstances.
    We do not charge VAT as it is not chargeable for care services.
  • What areas of the country do you cover for live in care?

    Helping Hands will guarantee cover across England and Wales. We maintain a strong pool of trained and qualified carers who are able to travel at short notice. Our Head office is centrally based in Warwickshire, however we now have a more regional presence with Managers also based in Cheshire, Essex, Surrey, Sussex, Dorset and Yorkshire.

 

 

  • Who are your carers?

    Our care workforce is representative of the diverse needs of customers. We maintain a strong, consistent base of live in care staff sourced internationally from the UK and abroad. Our carers come from a wide variety of backgrounds and range in age from 18 to 70. We have both female and male carers many of whom are drivers. Helping Hands make every effort to maintain continuity of care for each service user providing the service is working well.
  • What tasks will they complete?

    As many or as few as you wish from the following: Household tasks e.g., housework, laundry, cooking, shopping. Errands e.g., collecting pensions, benefits, prescriptions Administration e.g., form filling, letter writing, phone calls on your behalf Social e.g., trips out, visiting friends, excursions Companionship e.g., Conversation, reading, listening Personal care e.g. getting up, toileting, bathing, washing, dressing, overseeing medication.
  • Nutrition is really important to me - how does this work with a live in carer ?
    One of the benefits of live in care is that existing routines, mealtimes and favourite dishes can carry on as normal. Your carer will work closely with you and your family to understand and meet your meal preferences and any specific nutritional needs you may have. Because of the dedicated 1 to 1 relationship, carers are frequently asked to encourage and develop appetite as well as manage a balanced, healthy diet . We also have many customers who want to be actively involved with their meal preparation who just need a little supervision. 

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  • Will they be able to look after my pets?

    As long as you stipulate that this is a care requirement we will ensure that the carer placed is comfortable looking after your pet as well as they look after you.

 

  • What if I don't get on with my carer?

    Before starting a care package our Care Managers spend a lot of time finding a suitable carer with the correct skill and experiences to provide the best possible care and compatibility. We provide a carer profile before any carer is confirmed to promote your choice. As a direct management company our Care Managers have direct contact with both carer and service user and are able to easily identify if something is not working well. As the routine starts to settle and relationship forms any initial fears quickly disappear, however, if you are not happy a phone call to your care manager who will organise a change of carer normally within 24 - 72 hours.
  • Have the carers undergone a Criminal Records Bureau check?

    Helping Hands are a recognized umbrella organization with the Criminal Records Bureau. All of our carers undergo an enhanced CRB check as well as with the Independent Safeguarding Authority.

 

 

  • What will I be expected to provide?

    The carer will need their own room, bed and linen and somewhere to hang their clothes. You will also be expected to provide the resources for their meals.