Moving In with a Parent vs Arranging Live-In Care
What Are Your Options When a Parent Needs Full-Time Support?
Recognising that a parent needs full-time support is not always easy. However, there are plenty of options avaliable which means it should be fairly straightforward to decide with your loved one which would be best for them. For someone who wishes to continue living in their own home, live-in care is often the first choice, or, if family feel they can manage themselves, they may consider moving in. This should always be carefully thought about though, as providing around the clock care can be physically and emotionally exhausting and may lead to strained relationships. This is where having professional care from Helping Hands may be the best solution for everyone.
Moving In with Your Parent: What to Consider
Even with the best will in the world, moving in with a parent when you’re an adult can change relationships. Your parent may feel resentful that their indepdenece is being challenged and the adult child may begrudge the interruption to their daily life.
The impact on your work, finances, and everyday life
Uprooting your life and moving back into your childhood home – or the home where your parent currently lives – can affect your work in several ways. You will most likely have to give up full-time work which may reduce your work opportunities and career progression.
The emotional toll of becoming a full-time carer
Caring for a loved one can be emotional because you don’t just mourn the life you had, you will be thinking back over the history of your relationship and how it has changed forever. Emotional exhaustion can also manifest as depression and other mental health concerns.
Changes to established family relationships
It’s inevitable that you will focus on the changes in your relationship – how your loved one used to look after you and how roles have reversed. This can make you sad for the past and make your loved one resent their loss of independence. This needs careful handling.
What Is Live-In Care?
Live-in care is when a caregiving professional lives in the person’s home and delivers support with every aspect of their routine. This can include activities both inside and outside of the home.
What a live-in carer does day to day
Live-in carers do a wide range of tasks, as per the customer’s preference. This includes housework, personal care, meal preparation, support with mobility, and help to access the local community. This can include enjoyable activities and routine medical appointments.
How live-in care preserves independence
Live-in care preserves independence by enabling you to continue living in your own home, while receiving essential care. Many people presume they’ll have to leave the home they love and go into residential care but this isn’t the case; live-in care keeps you where you wish to be.
Comparing the Two Options
While moving in with a parent may seem the easier option at first, you have to consider every aspect of your decision when choosing a parent’s care. There are sacrifices you will have to make if you decide to move in and provide care, such as leaving your current job and home.
Cost comparison
While our live-in care begins at £1,675 per week for an individual, and £2,125 for a couple, you have to also think of non-financial aspects. Continuing to live in the home they love, while family members are able to spend quality time together without caring responsibilities, is priceless.
Quality of care and expertise
Professional care means the caregivers are subject to stringent checks and given thorough training. We also have our own team of clinical nurses which means that we can manage complex conditions without any delay. Our carers are compassionate, experienced, and knowledgeable.
Your relationship with your parent
By allowing a professional carer to support your parent you will both retain a quality of life and a balanced relationship. Caring for someone inevitably puts pressure on a connection, so having a live-in carer moving in with them will ensure everyone benefits from the situation.
Can You Combine Both? Sharing Care with a Professional
You certainly can combine family caregiving with live-in care. Depending on the package of care arranged, your carer will require a certain amount of time off every day – cover which you as a family member may wish to provide. You may also decide to have weekday care only, for example. We will work with you and your loved one to ensure that you have all the care coverage you need, whether weekdays, weekends, overnight, or a combination. Some of our customers also require more than one live-in carer to fully support them and we will build your loved one’s package of care around their exact needs. We also keep things as flexible as necessary so that if requirements change without warning, we can put updated measures in place quickly.
How Helping Hands Can Support Your Family
Helping Hands have been providing exceptional home care since we were established 37 years ago. Our amazing carers provide exceptional support that means that you get a break from your caregiving responsibilities. Our live-in care is designed for the individual and delivered by carers who quickly become friends. There’s no need for you to uproot your entire life because a precious loved one requires around-the-clock care, let us build them a personalised package of support that provides everything they need. Live-in care ensures that all of their practical and emotional needs are fully covered, giving you all total peace of mind.
FAQs
No, you have many options when it comes to your parents’ care, of which live-in care is just one. Talk to our friendly and knowledgeable customer care team seven days a week so that we can talk you through your options.
We have live-in carers across the whole of England and Wales to make sure that every customer who needs us is supported. They are often available at very short notice – even within 24 hours in some circumstances.
Inevitably there will be some changes. After all, you’ve both lived independently of each other for many years and have your own ways of doing things. That’s why live-in care may help to safeguard your relationship.
Yes, live-in care is fully flexible. We design all our packages of care around the individual getting to know you and how you like things done.
Our live-in carers are subject to an extensive programme of care that covers everything they may need while supporting their customers. This programme builds on their existing knowledge, and includes subjects such as moving and handling, dementia care, first aid, and safeguarding.