Live in care for older people
Live in care for older people who want to stay at home
Frailty, a fall, loneliness, or a house that has become hard to run are all reasons enough to ask about live in care. You do not need a crisis first.
- Doctor led live in care
- Initial assessment carried out by a doctor
- CQC registered for personal care
- Family run, with our own private GP clinic in Palmers Green
When everyday life has become hard work
Much of the care older people need is not about a diagnosis. It is the slow accumulation of effort: buttons, stairs, the shopping, the bills, remembering whether the tablets were taken. A live in carer puts another pair of hands into that life without taking the life away.
We start from what the person still wants to do and still can do. Independence is not a slogan on this page; it is whether they still water the tomatoes, still see their friends, still choose what is for supper.
What a live in carer helps with day to day
Support should make more of the day possible, not less of it the person's own. Typically the carer helps with:
- Washing, dressing and personal care
- Cooking, eating together and keeping the fridge stocked
- Prompting and giving medicines as agreed in the care plan
- Getting out, even if the walk is short
- Housework, laundry and keeping the home safe and warm
- Appointments, church, clubs and visits to friends
- Company that is adult and respectful
Live in care or a care home?
For one person with significant needs, the weekly cost of live in care is often in a similar range to a good care home, and the person keeps their home, their routine and one to one attention. For a couple it is usually the less expensive option. A care home is sometimes the right choice, especially where nursing is needed around the clock. The doctor led assessment is where that question gets an honest answer.
How live in care is arranged
Speak to our care team
Call or request a callback. A manager will ask about the person, the home and what has become difficult, and tell you whether live in care is likely to suit. There is no obligation.
Doctor led assessment at home
A doctor from our team visits to assess health, medicines, mobility, memory, nights and daily routine. The assessment becomes the care plan. It also tells us what kind of carer this household needs.
Your carer is matched and care begins
We choose a carer for this household, not the next name on a list. You are introduced before the start date, and the care plan is reviewed once the carer has settled in.
Questions families ask about live in care
What is live in care?
A professional carer lives in the person's home and provides personal care, meals, help with medicines, companionship and household support. It is one to one care in familiar surroundings, and for many people it is the alternative to moving into a care home.
Who carries out the care assessment?
A doctor from the Clinique Alpa team carries out the initial assessment at home. That is how we understand medical history, medicines, risks and whether live in care can support the person safely.
Does a live in carer work through the night?
No. A live in carer is in the home overnight and can help if someone wakes, but they need proper sleep and are not awake on duty for 24 hours. If a person needs frequent help through the night, we will say so at assessment and discuss waking night cover or a second carer.
What happens if the carer is unwell or on leave?
Live in carers work in planned blocks with time away, and a second carer covers those periods. Wherever possible the same two carers alternate so that both know the person and the routine. If a carer is ill, the office arranges cover; you are not left to manage it yourself.
Talk to Clinique Alpa
Speak to a manager about live in care
Call 020 8882 8088 or 07777 594448. You will speak to a manager, not a call centre. We will talk through the situation, tell you whether live in care is likely to be right, and explain what an assessment involves.
Live in care from Clinique Alpa is provided by Alpa Care Ltd, registered with the Care Quality Commission for personal care, provider ID 1-9691685023.