When people get to a stage in their lives where they no longer feel that they can live independently, then many will start to consider care as a solution. If you are looking for the best option for your loved one, We will explore 2 options: live-in care, and care homes. To help you make the choice, we have put together this helpful post comparing the two, so that you can feel confident in your decision.

What is Live-in Care?

Live-in care is a type of care where a fully trained carer moves into your loved one’s home to provide them with round-the-clock care in the comfort of their own home. This allows your loved one to stay in an environment that they are comfortable in, which can help them to feel safe and happy.

What is a Care Home?

Care homes provide personal care and accommodation for people who are no longer able to live independently. There are two main types of care homes: residential care homes, and nursing homes. Nursing homes always have a qualified nurse on the premises to provide medical care, allowing them to provide a higher level of medical care than residential care homes.

What are the Advantages of Live-in Care?

There are a number of benefits to live-in care, of which the main ones are detailed below:

• Live-in care allows your loved one to stay in an environment that they are comfortable in, and prevents major upheaval to their routine.
• With live-in care, you can decide what level of support your loved one needs, as it is completely tailored to you.
• Your loved one’s live-in carer can become a friend to them, supporting them through difficult emotional periods as well as caring for them physically and domestically.
• Ability to see family and friends whenever they want.
• Stay in the surroundings they feel most safe and comfortable

What are the Disadvantages of Live-in Care?

Some of the main disadvantages to Live-in Care are:

• Live-in care can be more costly than care homes.
• It can be difficult to find a live-in carer who is a perfect fit for your loved one, meaning the process of finding the right carer can sometimes take longer.
• Outside of your loved one’s live-in carer, they may feel that they are not getting enough social engagement.

What are the Advantages of Care Homes?

To help you compare, we’ve also listed some of the main benefits of care homes below: 

• In a nursing home, there is always at least one nurse on hand to support with more difficult medical care needs.
• There is often a  sense of community in care homes.
• When it comes to nursing homes, you might be able to access more funding available to support you in paying for these.
• More than 1 member of staff to support

Disadvantages of Care Homes

There are of course a number of disadvantages, as with live-in care, which we have listed below:

• Some people don’t enjoy the regimented way of life that care homes offer.
• Your loved one will have to uproot their life and move into an unfamiliar setting which may make them feel uncomfortable.
• Losing independence can impact your loved one’s mental health in some cases.
• Less time with family and friends due to visiting hours sometimes being restricted.
• Care homes depending on area and requirements can be more expensive than Live-In Care

Summary

When it comes to making a decision on whether live-in care or a care home is the better option for your loved one, there are a number of factors to consider. It is important to take into account all of the pros and cons ahead of making this decision, in order to ensure that you are providing your loved one with the best support available to them.

Further advice can be found by contacting your local authority or contact us here