If you’re looking to engage the services of a live-in carer, there are a few requirements we ask you meet to ensure your new assistant can settle in straight away to start supporting you and your family.
Choosing the right home care provider
You’ll need to supply a private bedroom with a bed and somewhere for them to safely store their clothes and personal belongings. There’s no need to worry if the bedroom is smaller than yours, if it provides a comfortable space for your carer to relax during their down time and sleep in then that’s all we ask.
Their own bedroom
Once you have a list of potential home care providers that look like they might be suitable it’s important to establish exactly what costs are involved. Bear in mind that charges will be higher at the weekend and on a bank holiday. You will be able to obtain a list of costs up front from any home care provider, helping you to make a decision. You may need to balance cost with trust and reliability. It’s often worth paying a little more for a service provider you feel you can trust.
Use of hygiene facilities
Whilst it is fine for your live-in carer to share the family bathroom, we do ask that they are given access to the shower/bath for their own personal hygiene requirements. They will supply their own toiletries. There will obviously be a need to share consumables such as toilet roll, but this can be worked out as you move forward together.
Use of general utilities
Giving your carer general use of facilities such as the washing machine, washing line, internet, cupboards, fridge etc will make their stay more comfortable and help them feel part of the family. Don’t worry, they will provide their own groceries as well as assisting with your shopping needs. Access to utilities such as the internet will also help them help you more effectively, as they can use this to help with directions, new places to visit and so on.
A 2 hour break each day
We ensure that all our live-in carers have a minimum of 2 hours a day to themselves. This is to help them unwind and relax, which in turn means they are more focused on their role in helping your family.
If extra support is needed during this period, please let us know. We can help to arrange this.
Regular communication with family and friends
By allowing your Assistant to integrate with your family and friend circle, they will be better equipped to not only support you, but also to support your wider network. Additionally, this will help them to understand your needs more and know they have others to speak with should they have any questions you may not be able to answer about daily care, activities and needs. Ultimately, your Assistant wants to become a friend as well as a carer.
Being a live-in carer requires special people who truly cares about others. We believe that they deserve full support from both the families they are living with and from us here at MyLife. We provide full, ongoing training and care for our Assistants so they can care for you.
