What Is Live-In Care?

Zuva explains the role of a Live-In Carer, addressing the overlap and differences between other Care roles, as well as what you can expect from your next role in Live-In Care.

Topics covered in this article

Introduction

What Is Live-In Care Work?

Duties As A Live-In Carer

Do I Need Training?

What Hours Will I Work?

How Much Does Live-In Care Work Pay?

Is The Work Difficult?

It Can Be A Very Rewarding Career

Introduction

So you may have heard people talking about Live-In Care work or you've taken an interest in it for yourself but you're not exactly sure what's involved.

Well in this video, you'll learn what Live-In Care work is and you'll also get some answers to a few common questions about Live-In Care work.

My name is Zuva and I've previously worked as a Live-In Carer.

As I go through this video you may hear me say Live-In Carer or Live-In Care Assistant and they basically just both mean the same thing.

So with that being said, let's get started.

What Is Live-In Care Work?

When you work as a Live-In Carer, you are a Care Assistant, the main difference is you're live-in in somebody's home.

And that home obviously belongs to the person who you'll be there to assist.

And you'll be there 24/7.

I'll talk a little bit more about the working pattern later on in the video, but for now let's talk about what sort of things you'll be expected to do as a Live-In Carer.

Duties As A Live-In Carer

Your duties will be different from person to person.

It really depends on their needs and you should always be told what those person's needs are before you take on a placement.

But to give you an idea the most common duties are personal care, so you're helping somebody with washing their personal hygiene and toileting needs, medication, cooking and cleaning, to make sure they're eating well and that their live-in space is tidy and safe, and helping them with social activities.

So going out and about, and also assisting them with going to appointments.

But because people have different needs, you may or may not be expected to do all of that.

It really depends on the person and their needs.

And lastly, another very important aspect of Live-In Care work is that no matter where you work you'll be expected to keep a daily record of their progress.

So note taking, record keeping is a big part as well of Live-In Care work.

Do I Need Training?

Whilst you don't need experience to work as a Live-In Carer, you do however need training and most employers will provide you with that.

That's because you're dealing with activities such as assisting somebody with medication or moving and handling, and you need to be trained so that you can do this safely and effectively.

Now, if you do Live-In Care work privately which means you are working for somebody without the involvement of a care company or an agency, you may come across some people who will ask you to work for them even though you may not have the relevant training.

That happens because some people who employ Carers or Care Assistants privately prefer to do their own training.

And whilst that may seem harmless and probably a lot more convenient, my advice to you would be to always make sure that you at least take training courses where you do get some sort of a certificate.

That's just so you can feel more confident in the role and know how to do things safely.

Especially if you're doing things like moving and handling and assisting with medication because there are regulations that need to be followed.

It's better for you and better for the person you'll will be assisting.

But the topic of private Live-In Care work deserves a video of its own because there's a few other things to be aware of if you choose to do that type of work.

What Hours Will I Work?

A Live-In Carer is expected to work 24/7.

And what that means is that you will be with that person most of the time except when you're on your break or you have time off to sleep.

Talking about breaks, the minimum break you'll get every day is two hours.

That can be more depending on where you're working and it doesn't include any downtime you'll face when you're on the job.

You're not constantly going to be working during that 24/7 period.

However, you can expect to work long days in some placements of about 10 to 12 hours.

Again, this depends on the person's needs.

All of that information though should be given to you before you start a placement.

Another thing to know about Live-In Care work is the working pattern.

So Live-In Carers are expected to work a minimum of one week on before taking time off.

And that time off can be anything from one week off to as many weeks as agreed between you and the employer.

Some common work patterns are one week on one week off or two weeks on two weeks off.

And you may even come across some employers that offer longer work patterns such as 12 weeks on before taking your time off.

How Much Does Live-In Care Work Pay?

The pay for Live-In Care work varies and it depends as well on the person's needs.

The more complex their needs are the more you'll get paid.

You will find that Live-In Care jobs pay per day or per week.

Very rarely do you come across per hourly Live-In Care jobs.

The day rates can be anywhere from about £85 per day right through to £150 per day or £500 per week right through to anything to £1000 per week or more.

Is The Work Difficult?

Like any other job in social care, Live-In Care work has its fair share of challenges.

It's important to know that you'll be spending a lot of time away from your friends and family, and may have less time to do the things you personally enjoy.

That's because the work patent is unusual in that you are staying at the place you'll be working, so you'll be away from home for all that time.

It's not like your usual nine to five job where you can go to work in the morning and you'll be back home in the evening.

When you're on duty you are there until your time off is due.

And when you're on duty, most of your time and attention is on that person.

And so perhaps the most challenging aspect of the job becomes balancing being able to take care of yourself, so making sure you take care of yourself whilst you're on the job but also making sure you're there for the person.

It's very easy to fall into a trap of neglecting yourself because you're focusing so much on somebody else when you're at work.

So that can be quite challenging to navigate.

From my experience in the role, that is what I found most challenging, especially in my early days when I had no experience or any idea what to expect.

You've got to remember, you'll be living in somebody's home and their home is also your workplace, so naturally conflict can occur because of that situation.

It Can Be A Very Rewarding Career

However, that shouldn't put you off because Live-In Care work is not all doom and gloom and it can actually be a very rewarding career, especially if you're aware of what to expect and you prepare for it.

Along the way, you'll also form some great relationships with the people you work with and you find that you also get to learn a lot from these people.

So despite the challenges of the job, you really shouldn't be put off because the benefits can in some places outweigh the negative.

More on how to prepare for the role will come in other videos, but for today, I hope you now have a better understanding of what Live-In Care work is.

And if you have any more questions, leave a comment below this video and I'll do my best to answer them.

Until next time, stay safe and stay well.