FAQ

An Introductory Care Agency matches people who need care with self-employed Nurses or Carers, rather than directly employing the Nurses and Carers. Unlike Fully Managed Care Services, Introductory Care agencies do not employ the Nurses or Carers, nor does the Introductory Care Agency have an ongoing role in directing or controlling the care provided.

More choice and continuity – Families can select a nurse or carer who best fits their loved one’s needs.
Long-term relationship with one nurse or carer or have a rota of different nurses or carers.
Flexible arrangements.
Potential cost savings – Often cheaper than a care home or nursing home.

The client or family contacts the agency to outline their care needs.
The agency assesses the clients care and finds and introduces the client to a suitable nurse or carer depending on the client’s needs.
The client contracts with the self-employed nurse or carer, the Agency may assist with contracts or replacements.
The client is responsible for paying the nurse or carer directly.
The client pays the agency a daily fee determined by the agency twice monthly for the duration of the care contract.

Lack of regulation – Unlike CQC regulated providers, Introductory Agencies are not responsible for the quality of care provided by nurses or carers.
Employment responsibilities – The client or the family may carry more legal/admin responsibilities. Handling contracts and legal disputes.
Quality can vary between Nurses and Carers.
If care needs change, families must manage adjustments by contacting the agency to upgrade care from a carer to a nurse.

Introductory Agencies can be a great solution for those who want a hands-on approach to arranging care and prefer to build a direct relationship with a nurse or carer. However, for families seeking Fully Managed Care, supervision and professional accountability, a regulated provider registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) may be a better fit.

Live-in Care is a highly personalised care service where a professional nurse or carer lives in the clients home for the duration of the booking to provide one-to-one care and support.
It enables clients to maintain independence and safety in the comfort and familiarity of their own home, whilst receiving all the care and support they need.
We know through our decades of experience that people feel better in their own homes, and our live-in care and live-in nursing give more clients the freedom to make their own choices, and to live life their way.

The Client does not have to leave the comfort of their own home meaning that they can remain in their familiar surroundings.

Clients with a live-in carer or nurse always have a companion, preventing the likelihood of loneliness.
Live-in care offers clients continuity in the sense that the same person is consistently providing their care.
It provides family of the client peace of mind that there is always someone looking out for their loved one.
The presence of a live-in carer or curse can open up new possibilities for a client, leading to an improved lifestyle. For instance, they may have stopped doing certain things that they enjoy before having a live-in carer due to no longer being capable to do so alone. A carer can assist them to pick these hobbies back up!

A Live-in carer is there to support your holistic needs, including all your care and support requirements, lifestyle and social preferences and companionship.
They will help with personal care, mobility support, companionship and emotional support, meal preparation and cooking, light housework and domestic tasks, health monitoring, transportation and running errands, ensure a safe and secure environment and respite for family carers.

Live-in Care is ideal for clients who need continuous support due to age, illness, disability or who are recovering from surgery.
It is also suitable for couples who want to stay together whilst receiving the care they need, or for anyone preferring not to have to leave their home and move into residential care.

Yes. Live-in Care is the ideal choice for couples who both need care. It provides a cost-effective way to provide tailored support, whilst allowing both individuals to remain together in the comfort of their home, avoiding the need to be separated through a move to a residential care home.

Yes. We work closely with you and your family to match you with a carer based on your preferences, lifestyle and care needs. To ensure you have continuity of care, you will have a team of carers who will get to know you and provide cover for each other’s time off.

Yes. We offer short-term live-in care, which can be arranged for respite care to give a family carer a much-needed break or following surgery to support rehabilitation and recovery. Short-term respite care also offers an opportunity for a family to try live-in care for the first time to make sure it is the right long-term care choice.

Yes of course. One of the many benefits of live-in care, when compared to moving into a residential setting, is that you do not need to be separated from your beloved pet. When we are planning care and matching you to the perfect carer, we will take this into consideration when making our carer selection. Many carers are happy to help with pet care, such as feeding, walking and companionship.

You will need to provide a private bedroom with basic amenities, including a bed and somewhere to store their clothes. They need to have access to a bathroom, but this does not need to be a dedicated bathroom.
Carers will also need access to Wi-Fi to enable them to complete administration tasks.
Meals and food allowance will also need to be agreed between the client and the carer.

It is expected that your live-in carer sleeps during the night, so they are rested and refreshed to provide high-quality care during the daytime. We understand that occasional night calls are required, which the carer will respond to. Your dedicated Care Consultant will monitor this, to ensure it is not impacting our carer’s wellbeing and their ability to perform their role. Should you need more care during the night, then a second carer can provide overnight care.

This will completely depend on your care and support needs. Should you have healthcare needs that a professional carer cannot support, for example help with administration of injections or PEG feeds, or tracheostomy care, then you would require the services of a live-in nurse. Our Care Advisors are here to guide you through which of our services would best meet you or your loved one’s needs, to ensure you have the right level of care and support. Should your health care needs evolve and cannot be met by a professional carer, we can offer live-in nursing and seamlessly transition you to this level of care.

Carers are entitled to adequate breaks and time off. We ensure you have a small team of carers who get to know you or your loved one and understand your needs who then cover each other’s time off ensuring continuity of care.

Live-in Carers will typically work over a 12-hour period, working up to 10 hours a day with a 2-hour daily break. If a client cannot be left alone, a family member or other care provider will need to ensure their care needs are met during the carers break.

If you are not satisfied with the carer for any reasons, we will work quickly with you to address your concerns and arrange an alternative carer.
Our priority is to ensure continuity of care whilst a change of carer is facilitated.

All our carers are thoroughly vetted through a rigorous selection process, which covers all background checks, including Right-to-Work, an enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check and employment reference checks. Carers then complete an aptitude test to ensure they have the necessary skills, ability and personality traits to provide high-quality live-in care. Candidates then go through an interview process and once successful complete our market-leading training, followed by a two week on-boarding in a client placement, overseen by their local Care Consultant, as they work to complete their Care Certificate. We are dedicated to ensuring all our carers are compassionate and have the necessary skills and experience to meet our client’s needs.

Carers are trained to respond to emergencies, such as contacting emergency services, notifying family members, and following agreed protocols to ensure your safety. If you are receiving our high-quality managed live-in care service, you have around-the-clock support from a Care Consultant local to you and our office-based team. Should you be receiving our introductory live-in care service, the appointed family member or representative would need to be contacted in an emergency.

It starts with a friendly discussion with a member of our experienced Care Advisory team who will talk through your requirements, expectations and guide you as to the suitability of our different live-in care services.
Should you wish to proceed with our care service, a Care Consultant who is local to you, will conduct a comprehensive assessment of your needs in your home, alongside your family if you choose. We will discuss your care and support needs with you as part of our registration process.
We then match you with a suitable carer who we introduce to you to provide the care you need.
Once all the contractual paperwork is concluded a service start date is agreed.

Depending on the complexity of the clients care needs, we can generally set up live-in care within 24-48 hours.

Depending on your financial and health circumstances, there may be financial support for funding live-in care, including local authority funding, or NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC), funding from your Integrated Care Board (ICB), formerly a Clinical Commissioning Group (CCGs).
Many families are faced with having to fund live-in care themselves. However, there are many options including Care Fees insurance policies, and equity release schemes that can provide the financial support you need.
Our Care Advisors will help you get the best advice, so you can make the right choice for you or your loved one.