We have a large nationwide network of 4000+ carers, and can deliver care in over 500 towns and cities in England, Scotland and Wales. This means we can usually get care in place within 24 to 48 hours if your needs are urgent.

In non-urgent cases, we recommend taking a few weeks to get everything in place – this gives us plenty of time to learn all about you and your situation, and ensures you have space to ask questions and review your carer matches in detail.

Yes, many of our customers use funding from their local authority to cover all or part of their live-in care costs. Often customers choose to receive their funding as a direct payment, so that they’re free to choose their own the carer provider, rather than the council picking one for them.

If you’ve not started the process of applying for local authority funding, we have mapped out the full process here. 

If you or a loved one is living with an on-going health condition, it’s worth applying for NHS Continuing Healthcare too. If you meet the criteria, this form of funding will cover every penny of your care costs. 

Not at all. We offer short-term live-in care too. 

We understand that, if you’re caring for a loved one yourself, it’s important to feel you can take a break without worry. If your regular care arrangement falls through unexpectedly, it’s reassuring to have somewhere to turn to for cover. And, if you or a loved one is returning home from hospital, planning specialist, short term support can aid a safer and more comfortable recovery.

Elder can arrange short-term care for a few days to a few weeks, starting from £680. We offer discounted rates for multiple bookings, and we’ll always try to connect you to the same carer – so that you’re supported by someone familiar.

If you do decide on-going live-in care is best for your situation, your first week will be what we call a ‘trial’ week. This is an opportunity for everyone to get to know each other. If it doesn’t feel right, you’re able to cancel straightaway. However, we’re not going to lock you into any long contracts when it does work out either. If your care needs change, you’re able to end your care arrangement with just two weeks’ notice.

We’ll always send you an introductory video of each carer you’re matched with – where they’ll tell you about their background, what they enjoy about being a carer, and their hobbies and interests. 

Once you’ve chosen your carer, we’re happy to set up a virtual meeting too, such as a Zoom call so that you can get to know them better before they arrive.

Yes. Every carer we work with must have a good level of written and spoken English. 

If you’d prefer a carer who also speaks a second language, simply let us know. 

We understand the importance of continuity for those living with conditions such as dementia. However, the carers we work with are only human, and do require time off. You can expect your family’s primary carer to be with you for around four weeks at a time, usually taking one or two weeks off. During this period, we’ll arrange for a respite carer to step in, who has the right skills and experience to continue to provide a high standard of care, until your primary carer returns. 

When your respite carer arrives, we’ll ensure they have plenty of time to talk to your primary carer, understand your routine, and learn practical things like where the nearest shop is.