Get Your Questions About Companionship Care Answered

Q.

Who choses Live-in Care?

A.

Those who are struggling to remain at home safely and require more regular assistance than a couple of calls a day from a Domiciliary Care Agency.
Those who want to stay in their own home with one-to-one personalised help and support.
Those struggling with daily household chores.
Those who want to remain with their beloved pets.
Those with poor mobility it reduces the risks of falls and hospitalisation.

Q.

What are the differences between domiciliary care and Live-in Care?

A.

With Domiciliary care you will likely get a large team of carers who will visit, this can cause confusion and discomfort for some people, with live-in care you will usually get a permanent carer, who you can build a relationship and bond with.

Although Domiciliary care companies will try to stick to times that you request, quite often they will need to move times due to capacity or staff illness, with Live-in Care from Spring Retirement you get the support you need, when you need it.

Domiciliary carers are often on tight schedules with little to no flexibility, not allowing much or any time for the carer to spend quality time with you, with Live-in care being one to one, they are flexible on how the day goes, if there’s an ad hoc event you want to attend, you’ll have someone by your side. This also means that if you have a domiciliary morning call at a certain time, you don’t often get the option of a lie in or breakfast in bed.

With Live–in Care, the carer very much integrates with your way of life, so you get the benefit of your routines not changing, we’ll fit around you!

Q.

Is there any financial help?

A.

Here at Spring Live–in Care we like to be open and honest about our costs, you’ll pay no set-up costs and the price you are quoted will be the price you pay unless something changes in terms of level of support needed.

There is plenty of support available to people from both the local authorities and the NHS. We’re experienced in helping people make sure they get all the support they can in order to live comfortably, give us a call and we will guide you on the next steps.

Q.

Will my carer take breaks?

A.

Your carer is entitled to 14 hours of break each week. Some carers take two hours of breaks each day, while others bank their hours to take longer breaks later in the week. All placements and circumstances work differently, this can be worked out on an individual basis.

A carer’s holidays are pre-planned, and another carer will always be ready to provide cover. A detailed handover between carers takes place, ensuring continuity of care. Just like your main carer, your supporting carers will also be carefully handpicked.

Q.

What will the Live-in carer need?

A.

The Carer will need their own private bedroom so they can have privacy when needed for breaks and overnight. The room should contain a bed and storage for clothes / personal belongings with shared access to a bathroom and kitchen. TV and Wi-Fi in the room is preferable although not essential, give us a call for more information!

Q.

what are your Covid-19 procedures?

A.

All Carers are tested ahead of placement. Gloves, masks, aprons and sanitiser are provided. Continuity of carer reduces the number of people in your home.

Live–in Care was proven the safest care option during the recent COVID-19 pandemic, due to minimal change overs and the continuity of care.

Friends and family can continue to visit (adhering to government guidelines), as long as a negative test has taken place.

Q.

How long will my carer stay?

A.

On our initial assessment we’ll discuss what you require from a carer. Some clients prefer to have a carer for long periods of time, whereas some like to get to know different carers, we like to think of two weeks as the minimum a carer should stay, that way they get to know you and your routines. We tailor our approach to what will work best for you.

Q.

How do loved ones receive updates on care?

A.

With Spring Live-in Care we like to keep everyone updated, we’re here to take the weight of your shoulders.

We offer a fully managed service which includes regular visits to make sure things are going smoothly, we’ll feedback regularly on how everything is going. Some families chose to set up a WhatsApp group with the carers, and carers tend to enjoy this too as it’s a way to share the lovely activities they get up to with the family.

We also use software called Nursebuddy, which on set-up you can decide who will be granted access. Nursebuddy is where the carer records their activities for the day, this can include personal care completed, nutrition and hydration, any appointments, wellbeing concerns, housekeeping, and any activities they’ve participated in on that day, as well as the medication that’s been administered, which gives you peace of mind that everything is covered.

Q.

How will I be matched with a carer?

A.

At our initial assessment we will complete a full assessment and write up a support plan that is specific to you, this will include medical conditions/history and what help you need, but also things such as hobbies and interests, from this we match a carer who has the right level of skill and experience, as well as similar interests, to allow you to build a bond with them.

Once we’ve selected a carer who think would be a good match, we’ll send you a detailed profile for the carer, which will list their skills and experience as well as hobbies, we can then arrange phone calls or meetings with carers for you to have the opportunity to ask any further questions to see their suitability.

If you feel that the carer has a certain quality that won’t work, we can offer alternative carers who may be more suitable.

Q.

How do you monitor the quality of care?

A.

We constantly monitor our quality of care by holding regular review meetings with our clients and their family members, checking on their health and engaging in two way feedback enables us to react effectively to any changes required and ensures we improve and build upon our high standards. We conduct 'spot checks' enabling housekeeping standards to be monitored along with conducting regular review / supervisions with our Carers.

The Registered Manager also monitors the daily logs on the Nurse Buddy system where both carers and family members can add notes and keep updated as to the clients daily activities, nutrition, appointments' medication etc,

We are fully inspected and rated by Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Q.

What checks do you complete for carer recruitment?

A.

We take pride in providing good care so when we recruit a new carer there are a number of stringent internal tests and processes that must be completed and passed to a satisfactory standard. On top of that, there is a layer of external checks including the enhanced DBS check and working eligibility.

Our carers represent our company and brand, it is in our best interests of responsibility and due diligence that we fully check references, validate any previous training qualifications and ensure our recruits have a good standard of written and spoken English.

If any training is required we ensure that it is fully completed ahead of placement.

Q.

Will my carer be able to drive?

A.

Depending on your requirements, you can be matched with a driver. Some clients and their families request that a driver is essential and therefore are happy to add them to their own car insurance.

Q.

What things will a live in carer complete around the house?

A.

All domestic duties can be covered, including cleaning, laundry, shopping etc.

Menu planning with yourself and meal preparation, and will always be “on hand” to put the kettle on !

During our initial assessment we’ll go through what you would like the carer to do around the house depending on what you need – we’ll assist or support with any tasks you can do for yourself, we’re firm believers in the old saying “if you don’t use it, you lose it!”, so we’re here to facilitate your independence.