What is a Live-in Carer?
If you have been considering a career as a live-in home carer, you may have some questions about the day-to-day reality of this unique and rewarding role.
Here, we aim to provide a thorough explanation of what a live-in care role involves, what you will and will not be expected to do, what skills and qualifications you may need, the salary you can expect to make, career progression opportunities, how to know if this is the career for you, and how to kick-start your career in live-in care.
At Home Instead, our aim is to help people age positively and in place by bringing expert care to their home. For nearly 20 years, we have been providing the highest standard of care, and creating industry-leading training programmes for our Care Professionals that are accredited by nursing and medical professionals. Today, we are the world’s largest global home care network, supporting over 100,000 older adults with personalised, tailored care at home. Whatever questions you have about our services and the roles we currently have available, we can help.
What is home care?
Home care is a type of care that someone can receive in their own home, instead of having to move to a hospital, assisted living facility, care home or nursing home. Those who require a helping hand with daily living activities but are not yet ready to move out of their home could benefit from home care so they can remain in the comfort and familiarity of their own house and retain independence.
Home care professionals visit clients in their homes to help with a number of things, such as personal care (getting washed and dressed), providing companionship, cooking and eating, managing medication, taking care of housework, and other things.
What is a live-in care role?
Live-in Care is a more full-time version of home care. While it provides a very similar service, Live-in Care means you will live in the client’s home and share their space every day in order to provide the best care for them.
For those who require care on a regular basis throughout the day, live-in care makes it easier for the client by making sure there is always someone around to help, and for the carer by cutting out travel time and allowing you to focus on one client’s needs.
As with home care, live-in care would require a carer to help with things like:
- Personal care tasks (getting to the bathroom, getting dressed, etc.)
- Providing specialist medical care if needed, or coordinating other medical professionals visiting the home
- Helping clients feel safe and supported at all times, even during the night
- Reminding clients to take medication or administering this if relevant
- Cooking and encouraging the consumption of regular healthy meals that adhere to any dietary requirements
- Housework and other chores
- Helping clients move around safely in the home if they have mobility issues
- Taking clients to any weekly appointments (this may involve driving them)
- Providing companionship and keeping an eye on the mental health of the client
- Putting together a range of enjoyable and stimulating activities for the client
- Helping with any daily chores or errands
Why would someone need live-in care?
There are a number of reasons a person might need live-in care rather than a home care professional to visit occasionally or regularly. It may be they need several types of care throughout the day (such as personal care, administering medication, and more) and would prefer to have one live-in carer perform all of this, or they might suffer with ill health and prefer to have a carer around at all times to manage any incidents or help with mobility.
Other scenarios might be that they have dementia and require a live-in carer to provide 24/7 care so they always feel safe at home with a familiar face, or perhaps they have a challenging recovery ahead after a hospital stay and need things like wound cleaning or vital signs monitoring. Whatever the reason, live-in care provides a handy option by having someone around to help more frequently.
What are the different types of live-in care roles?
Live-in care encompasses a number of different care options, which means there can be variations between job roles. Many care agencies will offer their own types of care, but most will have the following:
- 24-hour live-in care: For those who need round-the-clock care, 24-hour live-in care means a carer will be present to help with whatever the client needs, even if it is the middle of the night. This will typically involve more than one carer taking shifts.
- Companionship care: Some clients do not need 24-hour live-in care, but they feel safer and less lonely with someone in their home at all times. Companionship care means you will be a friendly face to chat with, and you might also help with tricky home tasks or basic needs while there.
- Convalescent care/Intermediate care: This type of care is specifically for those recovering at home after a challenging surgery, injury or illness. You may provide temporary live-in care to a client who needs post-hospital care and needs to be monitored at all times until they regain strength and independence.
- Complex live-in care: This type of care is designed for those with conditions like dementia or Parkinson’s, and will require a specially trained carer with experience caring for these conditions. At Home Instead, we can provide training that covers a range of topics including specific subjects like Parkinson’s and dementia.
- Respite care: Respite care is designed to allow other carers or family members to take a break from caring for someone, and this could be for a number of reasons such as a holiday, an important event, or simply to avoid burnout. Live-in respite care means you will take over caring tasks on a temporary basis, and move into the client’s home to ensure all needs are met for the duration of the respite period.
- Emergency home care: Sometimes things come up at short notice and require expert care at the drop of a hat. In these cases, clients often feel safer and more supported having a live-in carer move into their home temporarily to take care of them.
- Palliative care: For those with a terminal illness, staying at home where they feel comfortable is so important. In these cases, live-in care can be extremely helpful to ensure they have absolutely everything they need during this challenging time, and that their family members feel confident they are receiving the best care.
Do carers really live there full-time?
A live-in carer role is different from a regular at-home care role, because as the name suggests, it requires you to live in someone’s home. It is understandable to have some questions about what this might look like in reality, what will be required, and where the boundaries lie – after all, when you are sharing a living space with someone it can be difficult to know what is and is not acceptable on both the side of the client and the carer.
Many live-in carers work with an agency, and due to the all-encompassing nature of the job you will usually work on a rotating shift basis with at least one other carer. This means you may provide care to the client either throughout the day or overnight.
You will aim to integrate into your client’s life in order to provide the relevant services, however you will still be able to have daily breaks and time off each week just as you would in any other job. In some cases, a carer will work in stints. For example, working 2 weeks full time in a client’s home, and then taking 2 weeks off while another carer takes over. Other arrangements might be made, such as more carers or shorter shifts, but regardless of the shift patterns carers will always be encouraged to take regular breaks.
As a live-in carer, you will likely:
- Work between 8 and 10 hours a day (but be on hand during a 24-hour period for anything that comes up)
- Take a 2-hour break in each 24-hour period to rest and recharge. Breaks may be covered either by a family member or another carer
- Plan your breaks and shift patterns around your client’s activities, daily routine and preferences to ensure they are not missing out on care needs
- Plan your breaks so you have ample time to eat meals yourself (if you would prefer to) and do any other necessary personal tasks
At Home Instead, we are dedicated to the wellbeing of our Care Professionals, so rest assured you will never be thrown into a situation you are not comfortable with. While you will always be expected to put the client’s health first, your breaks, shift patterns and role expectations will all be agreed upon in advance so you can feel confident and comfortable in the role.
How long would I live there?
This entirely depends on the agreed shift pattern and the client’s needs, but normally live-in care placements will last a few weeks followed by an extended period of leave. Depending on the agency you work for, there may be a minimum placement length to sign up for, but outside of this shifts are normally flexible.
Shifts could look something like 2 weeks on 2 weeks off, 4 weeks on 2 weeks off, 3 weeks on 3 weeks off, and any other combination.
We believe in creating as much continuity for our clients as possible while helping our Care Professionals achieve a work life balance that suits them, so we always endeavour to find the best placement length and shift pattern for everyone involved.
What duties does a live-in carer help with?
Live-in care can be an exciting and varied role, as you will likely be helping with a combination of daily care needs. These might include things like
- Personal care such as getting washed and dressed
- Monitoring medication and picking up prescriptions (or administering medication, if you are qualified to do so)
- Cooking, providing adequate nutritional intake, and collecting groceries
- Keeping up with light housework chores, gardening and feeding pets if needed
- General companionship so the client always has someone around to chat to
- Help getting around the home, and organising travel to places in the community (you may need to drive your client to appointments or social events, but this will be made clear before you start)
- Helping with administration tasks, such as correspondence or booking appointments
- Waking nights, which means staying awake overnight to provide any necessary care the client might need, like help to reach the bathroom
The specifics of what each carer does will depend on the client’s needs and health conditions, and a bespoke care plan will be arranged and discussed with you before you move into their home. This may be updated as you both settle into the arrangement.
What does a live-in carer not help with?
As mentioned, it is important to establish boundaries in your role when you live with the client, as it is easy for the line between work and life to blur over time. Have a conversation with your agency before starting work so they can establish your job description and you can ask any questions you have.
A few things you may not do in a live-in care job (or may not be allowed to do) include:
- Deal directly with a client’s finances, for your own protection
- Work a 24-hour shift without breaks or support
- Administer medication unless you are trained and licensed to do so, and it has been agreed you will do this. You may instead be responsible for managing medication schedules, reminding clients to take their own medication, or coordinating community nurses and other healthcare workers who can administer medication
- Move the client without the appropriate equipment or help, for your own safety and that of the client
- Smoke or drink within the home, unless the client gives you permission to do so
- Invite your own friends or family members to the client’s home
- Eat the client’s food or make phone calls from their home without permission
- Cook for other members of the client’s family who visit
- Accept gifts or money from the client
- Be a witness for any legal documents, for your own legal protection
If you have any questions or concerns about what you will be expected to do while living with your client, you can speak to the agency providing the services. At Home Instead we have a dedicated office team on hand to help with any questions you have, so you can call anytime to clarify anything that may be a grey area.
We understand living with a client might feel like a bit of an adjustment as you will be on call most of the time, and will be spending time away from your own home and loved ones. We aim to ensure our Care Professionals are always supported and their wellbeing is prioritised, so you can rely on the Home Instead team to stay in touch throughout your placement and ensure everything is going well for both you and the client.
What would a typical ‘day in the life’ look like for a live-in carer?
A typical day will look different for every live-in carer as each client will have their own care needs, routines and preferred activities. It is important to maintain the client’s usual routine as much as possible, so your routine will mostly match theirs. As an example:
7 – 8.30am: You might start the day by helping them get out of bed safely, wash and dress.
8.30 – 10am: Next you might make their preferred breakfast, and ensure they take any required medications (if you are expected to do so).
10 – 12pm: They may have health appointments to attend each week, so you might drive them to their appointment and provide assistance if needed.
12 – 2pm: At home you might make them lunch and organise an enjoyable activity for after they eat. As an example, this could be a craft project, a jigsaw puzzle, setting up a video call with a distant family member, or perhaps they have always been skilled at mending clothes, in which case you might encourage them to continue doing this. While they enjoy their activity, you might choose to do some of the housework to keep the place clean, tidy, and ensure everything is put away so the home is safe to move around in.
2 – 4pm: If a family member visits, you might choose to take your break at this time to give them some privacy.
4 – 6pm: You will likely make dinner for the client – which could be something cooked from scratch or something reheated from a meal delivery service – and ensure they are eating and drinking enough.
6 – 9pm: In the evening you might be providing companionship in the form of watching television together or playing a game to keep the client’s mind active.
9pm onwards: Later in the evening you might help them get ready for bed, and depending on what your shift pattern and role entails, you may provide night-time assistance for things like reaching the bathroom safely. If 24-hour care is required, a second carer will usually take over for night shifts.
What are the facilities like for a live-in carer?
When a client brings a live-in carer into their home, the agency will ensure their home is fit for purpose before you move in. Some things required of the home include:
- Comfortable, clean and tidy surroundings
- A private bedroom for the live-in carer – At a minimum this should be clean, comfortable, heated, and have a bed and some storage for your things
- Internet access – You will need to manage your work administration online, so internet access will be required
- Equipment – Anything you need to do your job well will need to be added to the home in advance, such as hoists, cleaning supplies, gloves, and so on
- An updated home insurance policy, if necessary
- Safety equipment – Things like smoke and carbon monoxide detectors should be fitted, and the agency will ensure this is done before you move in
What qualifications and skills are needed to be a live-in carer?
You do not need any experience or particular qualifications to become a Care Professional. However, it would be useful to have some experience of working in a care setting or interacting with older people. This could be personal experience of caring for a family member or voluntary experience. There are certain traits a carer should have to do the job well, and these include compassion, kindness, patience, sensitivity, open-mindedness, organisation skills, communication skills, and observation skills.
You will have a passion for supporting others, be reliable, trustworthy and respectful, aim to preserve the client’s dignity as much as possible, and maintain a positive demeanour when dealing with personal care situations that the client may find embarrassing or challenging. Carers should pride themselves on delivering outstanding service, enjoy building professional friendships, and be comfortable spending time in the company of others.
At Home Instead, we have partnered with the world’s best training organisations to offer advanced professional development opportunities that can open up a number of career pathways. By starting with our exceptional training, you will build the foundations of a great career in care work that will give you the skills and confidence to continue developing as one of our trusted Care Professionals. Some features of our training include:
- Two Princess Royal Training Awards for our dementia training and end-of-life training
- City & Guilds assured
- Continual Professional Development certified
- Partnered with Alzheimer’s Society and more
What career progression is there for a live-in carer?
If you are considering a career in live-in care, there are lots of ways you can train and become qualified to do this. We believe Home Instead is one of the best organisations to kick-start your career, as we offer:
- The best resources and support for all carers at all stages of their career
- Workshops covering a range of topics, from general guidance on medication and manual handling, to safeguarding and basic life support
- Training on more specific subjects such as Parkinson’s, diabetes, catheter care, dementia, and end-of-life care
- A matching service to ensure you are paired with clients you enjoy working with, so your skills are utilised in the right place
- A mix of hands-on training and practical advice, so you get a combination of theory work, group discussions, role playing, practical competencies and more
- Virtual sessions and online modules with interactive activities and discussion opportunities
- The chance to work with external providers on training such as in-depth fire safety, PPE, and even unusual sessions like virtual reality care experiences
Home Instead can offer you the perfect start to your adult care career in a fast-growing industry with an estimated half-a-million extra job opportunities expected by 2035. With our industry leading training, support and mentorship, you will be best placed to progress to further opportunities within the sector.
You can learn more in our article: Progression Of Care Careers In Home Care and if you have any questions about becoming a live-in carer with Home Instead, reach out to our friendly team.
What is the average salary of a live-in carer?
The salary of a live-in carer may differ depending on what company you work for, where in the country you are based, and the exact role you are applying for. Our live-in carers may earn a salary of anything from £85 to £125 per day, with the average salary being around £100 per day. The price varies for couples being cared for in the same home, or for those with more complex needs who require a more skilled carer with, for example, specialist training, the ability to drive the client to appointments, or something else.
How do I know if a live-in carer role is right for me?
A live-in carer role will not suit everyone, but for those who are keen to explore a career that allows them to make a significant difference to the life of an older person, it could be a great fit. As an incredibly varied career, there are opportunities and placement lengths available to suit all, and it helps to find the right agency who can support you in the role. 95% of Home Instead Care Professionals say they feel motivated to go the extra mile, and with our training you can enter the job confidently, ready to enrich the life of your client.
If you believe you can be respectful in all situations, compassionate during your client’s most difficult times, remain patient when things get challenging, be a dependable carer, and bring kindness and fun to your client’s life, a live-in care career could be perfect for you.
How do I find work as a live-in carer?
Live-in carers find work through the same agencies other carers do, and there are many agencies offering home care to clients. Start by searching for the ones providing support in your area, and check their job boards to see if they have any roles currently available. If you find an agency you think aligns with your values, you may wish to contact them even if they are not yet hiring, and send a speculative CV.
You can find the recruitment page for Home Instead here, where you can apply for roles in live-in care and find out more about why 96% of our Care Professionals say they are proud to work for us.
“There is so much support for me to be able to do my job effectively and confidently. I have been accurately matched to my clients and have a great relationship with them all therefore I really enjoy going to see them. It doesn’t feel like work at all. Office staff are extremely friendly so visits into the office are very pleasant, and you really do feel a part of the team.”
– Sarah, Home Instead Care Professional
We’re an award-winning home care provider and part of a worldwide organisation devoted to providing the highest-quality relationship-led care for older people in their own homes. Learn more about joining our team today, or see if the bigger step of becoming a franchisee could be right for you!