Choosing live in care in London can feel overwhelming. Discover what to look for in a provider, the questions to ask, and how Jothno Care can help you find the best live in care services in London.
Why choosing the right live in care matters
Live in care provides older adults with the support they need to stay safe in their own home, rather than moving into a care home. This can be a difficult decision, as it entails admitting that they are no longer able to manage on their own and need help. It is also a big decision, to allow someone to live in your own home with you when you depend on them for assistance. For London families, it can be an urgent decision as they realise that a parent or relative needs more help than they can provide alongside their careers and young families. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the key things to look for, from CQC ratings to cultural understanding, so that you can choose with confidence.
What is live in care and who is it for?
During live in care a carer lives in the home and provides assistance 24/7, 365 days of the year. This can include personal care (help with dressing, washing, grooming, toileting) and daily care, help with meal preparation, eating, moving around the property safely, keeping them company, managing medication, and providing help around the house. At times, it is simply a matter of keeping the person company and providing accompaniment when they leave the house.
People who request live in care typically are older and getting frail, they have just been discharged from hospital after an illness or operation, or they have an ongoing condition; dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, learning disabilities, autism, multiple sclerosis, or physical disability.
Live in care is more intensive than home care, also known as domiciliary care or visiting care. Home care is provided for a few hours a day or week, the carer visits the person at home and helps them with their daily tasks, but generally the person is able to manage most daily activities by themselves.
Key qualities of the best live in care services in London
Safety, regulation and quality
Live in care providers are registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) that rates them as good (63-87%) or outstanding (88-100%) after an assessment during which they ask the recipients of the care for feedback. You can check the rating of a live in care provider online at the CQC.
Robust safeguarding, risk assessments and medication management policies matter when a provider is looking after a vulnerable person and this is never more important than when they need live in care at home.
Jothno Care is registered with the CQC and they have rated our service as “good”. We also work closely with local authorities in London, e.g. locally we work with Newham Council, Redbridge, Barking & Dagenham and Haringey.
Person‑centred, flexible care plans
Person-centred means that a care plan is built around the person’s history, taking into account their personal preferences and remaining mindful of their culture and traditions. We listen to their goals for their life, and don’t treat them as just another patient on a list.
Families who are considering using our live in care service can ask to see sample care plans, which we will share, as well as our policies on how we review care plans. We work closely with the families of our service users, and include them in planning care for their relatives, so that everyone feels heard and included.
Our care plans are flexible. They can be set up relatively quickly once help is requested and they can be adjusted as the person who requires care changes. For example, if an older person becomes more frail or develops dementia, they may need more care. If the care plan was put in place after a hospital visit, the person might get better and require less care.
Trained, compassionate carers
A professional carer requires training to handle complex needs and conditions. The core training to look for from a live in care provider is safe moving and handling, medication management planning, dementia friendly practices, autism awareness, end of life care, and communication skills with those who have a sensory disability.
Jothno Care provides consistent, reliable carers, with good supervision and support from the care co-ordinators in our head office. All our carers are DBS checked. They are trained in-house to ensure they follow our standard practices. The ongoing training makes such a difference to the quality of life of our service users and they comment on it in their reviews.
“We have been using their client support for several months now and we are incredibly pleased with their services. The staff is always punctual, friendly and highly competent. They have greatly improved my aunt’s quality of life by assisting her with daily tasks and providing companionship. We are so thankful for their dedication and care.” Singh, P.
Cultural understanding and carer matching
Cultural fit matters in East London where our population is diverse and includes families of different languages and faiths. At Jothno Care, our strength lies in understanding how multicultural families living in London work and what they need to support their care of their elders.
Jothno Care goes to great lengths to match the right carer or care team to the person who needs care. We take into account the languages spoken, the faith and traditions, food and dietary preferences, requests for the gender of the carer and the role of family in order to provide the best live in care in London.
As a South Asian family run business, we understand the responsibility families have to extended family members and the role of family in caring for their elders. In our work, we support families to fulfil their obligation to care for their elders.
Practical support: from personal care to meal preparation
Live in care services include everything a person needs on an everyday basis: bathing, dressing, incontinence support, light housekeeping and laundry, shopping, attending appointments and companionship.
These basic needs are crucial to maintaining health and dignity as we age. We highlight the importance of nutritional support that is in line with dietary needs and cultural food preferences. We encourage hydration which is important in older people as it aids cognitive function and prevents dizziness and falls.
Independence, dignity and community life
The best live in care in London balances safety with independence. We go above and beyond for our service users. For example, we provide them with stimulation and engaging activities and events so that they continue to be healthy in mind and body.
We encourage hobbies, going out for walks in nature, social visits, attending faith groups and regular religious activities. We can plan and accompany older adults on outings to places they enjoy going – shopping, eating out, cinema and theatre visits, tourism attractions and more – and we can arrange safe transportation to and from these activities.
Our goal is to encourage the person to be as healthy and independent as their health condition allows them to be, and to support them in a way that is safe and preserves their dignity.
Questions London families should ask a live in care provider
- Are you CQC registered and what is your latest rating?
- What types of health conditions and disabilities do you have experience with? (dementia, autism, complex needs, learning disabilities, mental health, end of life care, etc).
- How do you assess needs and build a personalised care plan? Can you involve family in this process?
- How do you match live in carers to clients (language, culture, personality, gender)?
- What training do your carers receive and how do you supervise them?
- How quickly can you set up live in care, especially after hospital discharge or in an emergency?
- What happens if a carer is ill or goes on holiday – how is continuity managed?
- How do you communicate with families and handle concerns or complaints?
- What are your fees and what is included (overnight care, outings, transport, equipment)?
Costs, funding and local authority support (London)
The cost of live in care in London is dependent on a number of factors. These include the level of need of the person who requires care and any medical conditions that requires specialist care e.g. dementia or complex needs.
Many families self-fund their care. Others receive support from local authorities or the NHS Continuing Healthcare fund, which both require assessments of the need of the person involved.
Our head office care team welcome a conversation on the costs involved in live in care in London and how we can help you to navigate funding options and the council referrals process. You don’t need to be referred to Jothno Care, a family or individual can self-refer for care. Just fill in our enquiry form or call the office for advice.
How Jothno Care supports London families with live in care
Jothno Care supports families across London with live in care. We provide 24/7 support from trained and professional carers – we care and we show it. We can arrange quick set up of care, sometimes even on the same day as requested, help with transitioning from hospital to home and emergency cover.
We have specialist carers who are experienced with dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, learning disabilities, sensory disabilities, autism, complex needs and challenging behaviours. We encourage families to be a part of our person-centred approach, after all, they know the person best. We can arrange joint planning meetings, respite for long term family caregivers, and communicate our emergency plans with the family.
“Jothno Care provided excellent respite care for my husband. The caregivers were attentive, respectful and skilled, allowing me to take a much-needed break. Their professionalism and genuine concern for his well-being made a stressful time much easier to manage. I wholeheartedly recommend their services.” Seema, W.
Arranging the best live in care services in London for your family
If you are just starting on the journey of finding live in care for your family, or you are facing an imminent hospital discharge – you are welcome to reach out for help with our team. We can arrange care provision quickly and professionally when required.
Call our live in care team on 020 4548 9300 to talk through your situation.
Use our online referral form if you’re a professional or family member who’d like to request support.