Choosing live-in care means inviting someone to share your home, or the home of someone you love. It’s a big decision, and it’s natural to want to be sure you’re making the right choice. Asking the right questions early on can help you understand how each provider works, and whether they’re the right fit for your family.
How do you choose your care companions?
This is perhaps the most important question of all. Ask what checks are carried out, such as Enhanced DBS checks, references and work history, and what experience care companions are expected to have. But it’s just as important to ask what the provider looks for beyond the paperwork. Kindness, patience and good judgement can’t be learned from a training course.
How do you match a care companion to us?
A good match is about more than availability. Ask how the provider gets to know the person needing care: their routines, interests, personality and what matters to them. Will someone meet you in person? Will you be introduced to the care companion before anything is agreed?
Will we see the same person, and what happens during breaks?
Continuity is one of the biggest advantages of live-in care. Ask how long care companions usually stay with a client, and how breaks and holidays are covered. Some families prefer the same small number of people to rotate, while others are happy to cover breaks themselves.
What kind of support can a care companion provide?
Every situation is different. Ask what help is typically included, such as personal care, meals, housekeeping, getting out and about, and companionship, and how the provider works alongside GPs, district nurses and other professionals involved in someone’s care.
How do you work, and who is responsible for what?
Different providers are set up in different ways. Some employ their care staff and manage the care directly, while others, such as introductory agencies, introduce self-employed care companions who contract directly with the family. Neither is right or wrong, but it’s worth understanding the arrangement so you know who to speak to about what.
What happens if things need to change?
Needs change over time, and sometimes a match simply doesn’t work out. Ask how the provider handles reviews, how quickly they can respond if something isn’t right, and how easy it is to get in touch with someone who knows your situation.
Can we talk to you about costs clearly?
A good provider will be open about costs from the start and explain clearly what is and isn’t included, so there are no surprises later on.
Trust your instincts
Alongside the answers themselves, notice how a provider makes you feel. Do they listen? Do they take time to understand your situation, or do they rush to a sales pitch? The best relationships in care are built on trust, and that usually starts with the very first conversation.
If you’re starting to explore live-in care, we’re happy to answer any of these questions and talk you through how we work, with no pressure at all.