senior with a carer

Care home vs private live in carer – comparison

Live in care is a great alternative to care home support. It is affordable, professional and personalised. Below we have outlined the main benefits of live in care, in comparison to care home.

The cost of care

When considering the best care option, the cost is probably the factor that affects the decision the most.

We often look for “care homes near me”. But it is good to know that the cost of care home depends on the location. For example, Lancashire is the least expensive area, while Oxfordshire is the most expensive one. Considering the differences in prices for different locations in the country, the full time home care cost is between around £ 30,000 and £50,000 a year.

It seems that the price of live in care could be comparable, or even sometimes lower to the price of a care home. Many people don’t even consider a live-in carer, because they think it is more expensive than a care home. As you can see, it is not the case. Actually, live-in care can be less expensive. For couples, it may be even more economical.

cost considerations

The quality of care

When we decide to either place our elderly loved ones in a care home or look for a private carer, we require the highest quality of care.

Since live in care means one-to-one assistance, the live in carer is focused solely on one person in care at a time. Round-the-clock support is personalised and professional. The quality of care, in this case, is considerably high. The private live in carer wanted is always the qualified one. At Veritas Care we offer only experienced and trained carers.

In a care home, the staff is responsible for many patients at the same time, so one-to-one care is out of the question in this case.

The lifestyle, independence, and freedom

The most obvious disadvantage of a care home is the fact that the senior has to move out from home. They have to leave all their beloved belongings and valuable home memories behind. Since in the majority of care homes it is not possible to keep pets, they also have to leave their pets. Also,

Although care homes have their bedrooms for every person, they have shared all the communal areas. So dining rooms and lounges are shared with the other residents. Not every senior is happy to share their living space with so many peers.

Living in a care home sometimes develops loneliness. In organised facilities, seniors have to follow strict rules. For example, they may not be able to accept visits or this possibility may be limited.

 freedom and ocean

Arranging a place in a care home

Although theoretically care home can be state-funded, many formalities have to be met beforehand to meet the eligibility criteria. Those include means-testing, that is not always considered fair and not everybody will get the state funding in the end.

Additionally, there is a problem with care home places availability in certain areas of the country — these are called “care deserts”. So even if for example, a person is ready to pay the full fee for the care home, they may not always be able to find a place.

Arranging live-in care

The process of arranging live in care is way more simple than the one for getting care home. In most cases, all we need to do is to contact an agency that helps with matching carers and the families. It can be done by contacting the company using their contact details. It is usually also available to send a care assessment form to get a quote.

Below we present a simple comparison of live in care and care home, in the form of a table.

5-star rating

Care home vs private live in carer comparison

Points to consider Care Home
a place in care home sought for
Live in care
private live in carer wanted
What is the cost? Full time home care cost could sum up to more than £1000 per week The average cost of live in care is £800-1000 per week, Veritas Care offers care from £ 658 per week
Can senior stay in their own home? No, the senior has to move to the new environment Yes, seniors can stay in their own home
Is the change in the current lifestyle required? Since the seniors have to move out, their lifestyle also changes No, seniors can continue their current lifestyle
Are visitors allowed? There are specific rules for visiting hours and places for taking up guests Visitors can come whenever they want and stay as long as they want
Freedom to spend the time as desired No, the daily schedule is pre-planned Yes, senior is free to plan their day as they wish
Can seniors eat what they want and when they want? No, there is a set menu and meal times Yes, seniors can choose what they want to eat and when.
Rules for couples Rules vary, some care homes don’t allow couples, others allow but charge for two beds Cost savings for couples; one carer for two persons at the same time
Are pets allowed? Rules regarding pets may vary Yes, pets can remain at home

comparing oranges with apples

Looking for care homes near me? Look no further. Here at Veritas Care we believe that nothing compares to the comfort of your own four walls. For more information on how our live in care can improve your life or the life of your loved ones, please contact us.