Do you have a loved one who needs round the clock care? Are you struggling to choose between the forms of care available? Let’s give you a rundown of what live-in care in Birmingham and care homes are and what aspects differentiate them from each other. Additionally, we’ll take a closer look at how to arrange care in both settings, and how this may influence your decision of whose corner you fight in.
The decision you make will be based on your distinctive circumstances – that’s the reason there are no strict rules when it comes to how you choose the appropriate care for your loved one. But there are a few things that you need to keep in mind. Also, you need to completely understand both forms of care to be able to make an informed decision.
Understanding Live-in Care
A live-in carer is a skillfully trained expert who cares for your loved one in your own home. The primary role of your carer is to enable the care recipient to continue enjoying a comfortable, safe, and independent life within the familiar setting of their own home.
What advantages does a live-in care offer?
- 24/7 support and assistance
- Continued independence
- Allows families or couples to stay together
- No need to move home
- 24/7 companionship
- Housekeeping facilities
What are the Disadvantages of live-in care?
- Applicable only to individuals with low to mid-level needs
- The care recipient’s home may require modifications for optimal level of care
- Requires a spare room for a carer
Understanding Care Homes
Care homes refer to specialist residences offering round-the-clock support and care for the elderly. They offer a safe place for your loved ones to stay, with expert carers present through the night and day – responding to their needs and emergencies.
What are the advantages of care homes?
- 24/7 expert carers
- A monitored and secure environment
- Meal preparation
- Opportunities to socialise
- Provision of healthcare and medication
- No maintenance costs or household bills
- Housekeeping services
What are the disadvantages of care homes?
- Requires moving into a completely new space
- Difficult to turn around if the care recipient’s state of health improves
- Independence is compromised
- Greater focus on practical compared to emotional needs
- Negative perceptions
The quality of care
Unlike its counterparts – like live-in care or assisted living where a senior move into a specialist complex having on-call help if required – care homes exclusively cater to elderly individuals who have more substantial needs. Although there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach for the level of care that is provided.
The staff at a care home is responsible for helping seniors with daily tasks and mobility, along with ensuring ongoing – and frequently significant – medical assistance. However, owing to the nature of care homes, one-on-one time is generally restricted: the number of residents far outnumber the staff, and care is likely to be provided on a schedule based on every individual’s needs.
On the other hand, live-in carers are medically trained professionals; however, the form of specialised care they can offer is limited compared to specialist in-house nurses in care homes. This translates to the fact that care recipients having acute medical problems – severe arthritis, late-stage dementia, and so on – may need more specialised care than the caregiver can offer.
However, the best part about live-in care is that these carers can offer one-on-one support round the clock. So they can adapt a schedule to fit your loved one’s needs, rather than the other way round, and manage around their developing needs.
The lifestyle
The staff of the care home makes an effort to provide a lifestyle as independent and inclusive as possible. For this, most care homes host events, encourage exercise, and provide increased independence to low-risk residents. And for many seniors, care homes play a role of a close-knit community where friendship and security go hand in hand.
However, moving into a care home means the care recipient has to leave behind the familiarity and comfort of their own home – needing to adapt to a life without their nearest and dearest, and may not be able to take all of their belongings with them (like a pet, if they own one). In short, this decision from independent to residential living can seem like a pretty major overhaul of the way they lead their lives.
In contrast to care homes, live-in care allows your loved one to stay close to family and friends, and they don’t have to pick and choose which belongings to hold onto. In fact, they don’t have to change anything about the way they lead their lives, except for making space for a new tenant.
