Live-in care or visiting care: which is right for me and my loved one?

Choosing the right care for your loved one is a big decision, and it isn't always an easy one. There's a lot to think about, and it helps to start by looking closely at what daily life looks like now, and what needs to change.

Whether you're weighing up live-in care or visiting care, the aim is the same: helping your loved one stay as independent as possible, with a good quality of life. Carers can support with a wide range of everyday tasks, including:

• Getting out of bed
• Washing and dressing
• Help with toileting
• Medication reminders
• Preparing meals
• Cleaning
• Looking after pets
• Getting to appointments
• Companionship
• Clubs and social events
• Running errands

In this guide, we'll cover when to put care in place, the pros and cons of live-in and visiting care, how much each option costs, and how one Elder customer made their decision.

Live-in care or visiting care, at a glance

There's no single right answer here. The best option depends on your loved one's needs today, and how those needs might change.

Live-in care: pros and cons

Live-in care means a dedicated, full-time carer moves into your loved one's home to provide round-the-clock support with care needs and domestic tasks. It's often a cost-effective alternative to a care home, without the upheaval of moving or downsizing. See our live-in care page for a full breakdown of what's included, or our live-in care vs care home guide if that's the specific comparison you're weighing up.

Pros

• Helps people with mid to high care needs stay independent at home
• One-to-one care from a dedicated carer
• High continuity of care, with the chance to build a real bond with the same carer
• Highly personalised, as the carer learns and adapts to your loved one’s routine and preferences
• Support available during the night, such as help getting to the toilet or if your loved one wakes up confused
• Frees up time and provides peace of mind for families

Cons

• It can take some people time to adjust to having someone living in their home
• You'll need a spare room for the carer, or a reception room that can be adapted
• Costs can be higher than scheduled visits, since your loved one is getting round-the-clock care

Visiting care: pros and cons

Visiting care means a carer visits your loved one's home at agreed times, usually for 30 minutes to a couple of hours, to help with things like personal care, medication reminders or meal preparation. It tends to suit people who are fairly independent. See our visiting care page for a full breakdown of what's included and how it works.

Pros

• A more affordable option if your loved one needs less day-to-day support
• Helps them maintain independence in their own home
• Visits fit around their existing daily routine
• A good option for respite care while adjusting to life after a hospital stay
• Frees up time for family members

Cons

• Time alone between visits may feel isolating, particularly for those who've lost a spouse or can't get out and about as much as they used to
• Carers can be delayed by traffic, cancellations, or a previous visit overrunning
• Your loved one may not always see the same carer, which can mean less personalised care
• Support isn't around the clock, so it may not suit someone prone to falls or bouts of confusion
• It's not usually a long-term solution for progressive conditions

How much do live-in care and visiting care cost?

Cost is often the deciding factor, so here's a simple snapshot:

• Visiting care starts from £30 an hour with Elder, and works well if your loved one only needs a few hours of support a week.
• Live-in care starts from £1,150 a week with Elder, covering round-the-clock support from one dedicated carer.

If your loved one needs several visits a day, the total cost of visiting care can start to look similar to live-in care. It’s worth comparing both properly rather than assuming one is automatically cheaper. Our guides to home care costs and live-in care costs go into more detail, including funding options like Attendance Allowance and local authority support.

Putting support in place at the right time

There’s no single point when someone needs home care, but certain changes can suggest your loved one would benefit from more support. Look out for:

• A change in personal hygiene, appearance, behaviour or mood
• Wearing dirty clothes, repeating the same outfits or dressing unsuitably for the weather
• Eating the same meals repeatedly or relying heavily on ready meals
• Avoiding visitors or turning down invitations
• Struggling to manage prescription medication
• Letting post, newspapers or clutter build up
• Finding it difficult to keep on top of cleaning
• Keeping large amounts of expired food or toiletries

Supporting independence and wellbeing

Putting care in place before things reach a crisis point can help your loved one remain independent at home and in their community for longer. A carer can support the people, places and routines they value while providing more help as their needs change.

The right support can also help prevent avoidable accidents and hospital stays. Falls are the leading cause of emergency hospital admissions among older people. Having support at home can help spot small problems early and reduce the risk of falls and other accidents.

Easing the pressure on family

Care doesn’t have to fall entirely on family members. A professional carer can take on some or all day-to-day care, helping to reduce pressure and prevent burnout. They can also provide help with more personal tasks, such as washing or using the toilet, that a parent or child may feel uncomfortable doing for each other.

With the UK population ageing, the need for home care is likely to grow. In mid-2024, 1.75 million people in the UK were aged 85 and over (2.5% of the population). By mid-2049, this is projected to more than double to 3.6 million (4.9%)*. Thinking about care earlier can therefore be an important part of planning for the future.

*Source: Office for National Statistics (ONS)

Wendy's story: from daily visits to live-in care

“Mum has been disabled for a few years now. She used to have hourly care visits, but last summer she fell and broke her wrist and her hip.

She was in hospital for three months in the end. It was then decided by the NHS and family that it was no longer safe for her to live alone – her mobility just wasn't the same.

I wasn't sure how to go about finding full-time care. I just knew Mum didn't want to go to a care home. I searched care at home online and came across Elder. The reviews looked great, so I gave them a call and spoke to Gus, a family advisor.

The carer is important, because it's different if someone is just popping in a few times a day, but when it's live-in care, you take it more seriously. The main thing for me was having carers who are genuinely caring and really listen to Mum.

Elder sent over the profile and video for a carer called Violet, which reassured me she was worth meeting. When she arrived, she came across as so lovely and cheerful. When Violet took a break, we found our respite carer, Suleekha. She has been brilliant too.

Violet and Suleekha have both got to know Mum's ways now, and she's got to know them. They're both such warm personalities, always smiling and having fun with Mum. They're like part of the family now, and we hope we can keep them for a long time”.

Read Wendy’s full story

Not sure which is right for your family?

Every family's situation is different, and there's no substitute for talking it through with someone who knows care inside out.