The two obvious choices in the UK are nursing homes and live-in caregivers.

Over the last thirty years I have seen most options with varying degrees of success. It can be a veritable minefield of information and choices.

I was thinking about the various films that have been made that revolved around ‘elderly care’ especially in Nursing homes, for example Quartet and Mrs Caldicot’s Cabbage War.
Unfortunately films that have been made about live-in carers have been less comforting and amusing. I’m not going to name them. Too depressing.

However, this is exactly where the right care agency comes in. Care and Choice apart from doing the necessary background checks take time to interview each candidate in person. And even more importantly they will follow up if any issues arise with either the client or the carer. Regular updates from clients, their representatives and carers are key to ongoing quality care. Does your chosen care agency encourage this?

Over the years Care and Choice have developed their client questionnaires to more fully understand a client’s needs. Thereby helping them to match the right carer to the right client.

Facts and figures are fine.
Car driver required.
Does the live in carer do the shopping?
Cat lover a must.
Can the client be left alone when the carer takes a break?

All valid and necessary questions but how a client feels about having a stranger in their homes is paramount. And I have to say from experience, The Brits are not always the most forthcoming. Again, Care and Choice ladies are experienced at reading between the lines. A skill that develops with time and an unrelenting passion to ‘do a good job’.

There are very obvious advantages to your parents staying at home but the one that always stands out to me, apart from keeping pets, is a garden. My mother was a keen gardener and she really missed this activity in a nursing home. My dad just liked sitting in the garden, feigning sleep, to get out of the gardening. Either way, unless your parents already live in a flat, a garden can be important to their ongoing mental health.

One of the most significant advantages of in-home care is that it allows mum & dad to remain in their own homes, where they are often most comfortable.

When you, as a potential client, first phone Care and Choice you will find both Sharon and Tracey are always happy to hear your requests and to ask the right questions.

They will recognise your anxiety at this time. They have heard it all over the years.

But rest assured your concerns will be met…. Most of all families want to know how to find a reliable carer, can a carer stay long term or return regularly, and what tasks are the carers responsible for – can the carer cook and clean as well as take their client out to appointments or social events? You may want to know is live in care best compared to a care home, how will I choose my live in carer and how much does live in care cost, do I need to adapt my home for a live in carer, what does a live in carer need? Which medical conditions can live in carers cover?

Care and Choice will answer all your questions and put your mind at ease about what ever care you need, respite, home from hospital, long term, short term and specialist care is all covered.

Something else to consider is this:

Some clients prefer a private carer. It can make financial sense but…the one thing I have learned over the years is that working privately, without an introduction agency can be fraught with problems. The obvious issue is if you are suddenly unable to go to a client. Who finds your replacement? Plus, you are relying on just two people’s (current carer and the client’s representative) opinions about a client. A good care agency will gather information from as many people as possible.

And that’s where Care and Choice excel.

Clients are sent a carer's resume before choosing in the same way that carers read about their potential client. And that’s as good as it gets.

One tricky area for carers can be the right amount of time spent with a client. That expression about ‘reading the room’ can be a challenge. One client will feel short changed if they don’t have your attention or see you doing something constructive with all their time; others will prefer that boundaries are outlined at the beginning. E.g. Cook, clean, chat over a cuppa but otherwise not needed. Sometimes with some clients, less is more.

Or as one client put it describing her favourite long term carer. She just behaves as if she lives here. So, that’s another aspect to consider. Will your chosen care agency strive to find not just a suitable carer but ones that can return to provide some stability for the client.

Or maybe a client enjoys having a new face. Someone to share interests with. Discover favourite recipes or maybe learn some gardening tips! I think most people will agree that it’s not just quantity but quality of life that matters. Care and Choice will do just that.

Care and Choice are an introductory home care agency in Horsham West Sussex, providing 24 hour support at home for senior individuals or elderly couples, providing assistance and support all across the UK. Specialising in Live in Care, carers provide one to one care and round the clock support at home with Dementia care, Alzheimers care, Palliative Care, Stroke Care, companionship for seniors, End of Life care services, 24/7 care and overnight care at home, mobility assistance, personal care and respite care.