A guide to live-in care for MS
About this guide
This guide to live-in care for Multiple Sclerosis (MS) has been put together to help people living with MS – and their loved ones – understand the types of live-in care available and how it can benefit their lives. MS affects people differently, but with flexible home care from Helping Hands, you can remain in control of your life.
We deliver bespoke home care across England and Wales, all fully regulated by the Care Quality Commission and Care Inspectorate Wales. If you’re living with MS and you’re finding it difficult to manage at home, don’t feel you have to leave the place you love, arrange for live-in support instead.
Understanding MS day to day
No two days look the same when you’re living with MS. That’s because it’s a progressive neurological condition that affects the transfer of messages from the central nervous system to the rest of the body. MS is currently not curable but can be managed through the use of medications, therapies, and lifestyle changes. The most important thing to remember when you’re diagnosed with MS is that it’s “different for everyone. But there are ways to manage your symptoms and live well with the condition” according to the MS Society. MS symptoms will mean that some days are better than others, especially if you’re living with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS). This is the most common form of MS, accounting for about 85% of diagnosed cases.
A day in the life with a live-in carer
There’s no set routine with live-in care. Your carer will support you with everything you need and your care plan will be personalised to you. They’ll support you with practical tasks around the clock and ensure that you’re never at risk from loneliness, by providing companionship. You’ll quickly get used to them being in your home and look forward to seeing their friendly face every day.
Managing fatigue and relapses
While it’s true that there’s no cure for MS, symptoms can be managed through a plan of treatments. Your live-in carer will support your medication administration, ensure that you’re not alone while dealing with symptoms, and encourage you to eat well, remain active when you can, and rest properly when it’s necessary.
Signs it may be time for full-time support
You’ll be the best judge of whether you’re managing at home or not, however loved ones will also notice if you’re not able to undertake things you used to. You may be struggling with housework, personal care, or preparing food, and by having a live-in carer in your home you’ll get both the practical and emotional support you need.
Planning and preparing for live-in care
We’re not pretending that live-in care doesn’t involve some adjustment, but for our part we screen our carers thoroughly, so we know they’re suitable to be in our customers’ homes. You’ll need to provide your carer with their own room and an opportunity to take regular breaks, but by working together it will all go seamlessly.
Paying for live-in care for MS
Paying for your MS live-in care is straightforward if you’re planning to pay privately. We’ll set up a payment plan for you and ensure that your bill is easy to understand. If you’re being funded by the NHS via their Continuing Healthcare Funding (CHC) or your local authority is paying, we will work with both you and them to keep things seamless.
We don’t want you worrying about how you’ll pay for your care. If you’re hoping to be externally funded, it’s a good idea to contact your local authority as early as possible so that they can begin the process of assessing your care needs quickly.
Working with your carer, care team and family
If you already have care at home, you’ll know what to expect, but perhaps you need some additional help to manage your MS. If you’re considering live-in care, you’ll probably be looking forward to having someone in your home around the clock, which will mean your family can focus on spending quality time with you instead.
Adapting care as MS changes
Your personalised care plan will contain all of your preferences so that your routine continues as smoothly as possible. We design your package of care so that it can remain flexible and adapt as your care needs change. Our own team of clinical nurses will manage your complex support and train your carers accordingly.
Looking after yourself as a family carer
Caring for a family member isn’t easy, especially if you’re balancing other responsibilities in your life. Sometimes when you’re being pulled in many directions you can inadvertently neglect your own wellbeing, finding it hard to manage caring with work and family life. Making time for yourself is essential though, even if it’s just going for a walk or reading.
How Helping Hands supports people living with MS
Our carers work seamlessly with your community nursing team and family members to ensure your care is always delivered exactly to your requirements. Because we’ve been providing the highest standards of care for 37 years, we’re considered the UK’s most trusted home care company. Our premium level of service is enjoyed by customers across England and Wales, and we carefully select our carers to ensure they share all of our values for delivering the very best support. Our in-house nursing team will ensure your carer has all the practical skills needed to fully support you at home, and while they’ll likely be experienced already, we’ll add to any gaps in their knowledge. We also have a comprehensive visiting care service that can support your live-in carer when they wish to take breaks or have a holiday.
Helping Hands have so far been excellent. We needed emergency help and received it in the form of a live-in carer. There was very swift access to telephone information and there was sensitive support from the manager.
Julia, Customer
MS live-in care FAQs
Our carers only provide person-centred care, helping to manage your MS symptoms, and supporting you to live well and as independently as possible. Our exceptional care will give you the reassurance and peace of mind that you and your loved ones will appreciate. We tailor your care plan around your needs, ensuring it’s flexible to your changing needs.
We only provide bespoke, individualised care for our customers, and we’ll design you a personalised quote when we assess your needs. As a guide though, our live-in care costs begin at:
£1,675 per week for an individual or £2,125 per week for a couple. We also offer live-in respite care, with costs beginning at £345 per day.
Our visiting care service can support your live-in care and begins at £32.40 per hour plus a callout charge of £4.50 per visit. This can also depend on your location and the level of care you require.
While MS can’t currently be cured, treatments can help speed up recovery between relapses, slow progression, or manage symptoms. Treatments include Disease modifying therapies (DMTs) which may slow the progression of MS and limit the severity and number of relapses, as well as medications that may help to reduce the amount of damage caused to the nerve sheath.
Various lifestyle changes can be undertaken to help reduce MS flare-ups. These includes quitting smoking, as chemicals in cigarette smoke can affect the immune system, increasing vitamin D intake, as low levels of vitamin D have sometimes been present in people diagnosed, and losing weight, as obesity causes inflammation and forces the immune system to be overactive.
Arranging MS care with Helping Hands is easy. You only have to call our friendly customer care team and have a chat with them over the phone, or online if you prefer. We can also call back at a more convenient time for you, seven days a week. We also have 155 branches across England and Wales, if you’re more comfortable chatting with your local team face to face.