A live in carer can often be the best way to provide support and care for a loved one. With live in care, your loved one can retain as much independence as possible. Live in care also allows them to maintain their usual routines and lifestyle and stay in the familiar surroundings of home.

If you and your loved one have decided that live in care is the right solution for you, then it is worth taking some time to prepare. It can take a while to adapt to having a new person in the home but your loved one will soon adjust to the presence of the carer in their home.

In addition to making sure your loved one feels happy and secure, you will want to ensure that you provide a comfortable environment for your new care worker to live and work in. Here are some things you should consider to ensure the relationship with your new carer gets off to a good start and is given the best chance to flourish.

Provide your care worker with their own space

Your care worker will need a space of their own where they can sleep and spend time when they are not actually providing care. It is important that your care worker has some space of their own to unwind and relax. Your care worker should have a bedroom of their own. If this is not possible you may have to adapt another room for them to use.

Before your care worker moves in you should make sure the room is clean and bright and has fresh bed linen. You should also ensure they have storage facilities such as a wardrobe or chest of drawers. The room should, of course, have adequate heating and ventilation.

Ideally, a live in carer will have their own bathroom. However, this is not always possible. If they share a bathroom, ensure they have a place to store their toiletries.

Make sure insurance is arranged

The company you use to arrange live in care will usually provide insurance. However, if you have hired someone privately you will need to ensure that you are covered. In addition, you should inform your insurance company of the new situation in case this affects household insurance policies. If your carer will be using a car provided by you or your loved one, then insurance for this should also be arranged.

Ensure they have easy access to all necessary information

Your care worker will have access to your loved ones needs and preferences via their care plan. This should list dietary requirements and medication schedule as well as any additional information required for daily care.

However, it is also a good idea to provide further information for your care worker so they can easily find any additional information that they need. This includes contact details for you and other family members, the doctor and pharmacist as well as any other people involved in your loved one’s care.

You can also include information to help with the smooth running of the home such as alarm instructions, manuals for household appliances and details about refuse and recycling collections.

Provide a system for day to day expenses

Your live in carer may be responsible for many household expenses such as grocery and household shopping. You may want to provide cash and ask for receipts. Alternatively, you can set up a bank account for these expenses with a debit card so that you a carer can easily make payments. Do discuss with your carer what this money is for and any exceptions so that no misunderstandings occur.

Install an internet connection

Although your loved one may not use a computer or tablet, your care worker will probably appreciate access to the internet. This can also make it easier for your care worker to access information on your loved one’s behalf. Mumby’s have recently implemented the use of an innovative PASS system so loved ones can access live care notes created by their care worker. If the home doesn’t currently have an internet connection and WiFi consider having it installed.

Final thoughts

Having a live in care worker has many benefits but there is always a period of adjustment to new situations. Keeping lines of communication open is the best way of ensuring that everything goes as smoothly as possible. A key way to ensure your care worker and loved one’s relationship gets off to a flying start is to make sure your carer has all the information they need, a clear idea of expectations and comfortable space to live and work.

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