Quick Guide for Customers and Care Recipients

Arranging live-in care for a loved one is a big decision. It's important to the whole family has a good idea of what to expect. 

This page outlines what an Independent Care Professional will expect from a placement facilitated by Elder. We want to ensure the relationship you are building with your Independent Care Professional is positive and long-lasting. Even if your care is short-term, we hope that both you and your Independent Care Professional will come away feeling the arrangement was beneficial and successful. 

The goal of this page is to help you understand Elder’s requirements for engaging, and maintaining engagement with Independent Care Professionals matched by the Elder platform. We have developed a separate set of minimum standards expected of Independent Care Professionals accepted onto the platform which can be found here

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1. Dignity and respect:

Independent Care Professionals should be treated with dignity and respect. Any form of intentional verbal, physical, or emotional abuse will not be tolerated. Where an Independent Care Professional is subjected to any form of abuse or mistreatment they will be supported to leave a placement in a timely manner should they choose to leave.

When working as a live-in carer, Independent Care Professionals have the right to privacy (see “The Working Environment”). 

For Elder’s full Anti-Discrimination & Respect policy, please visit this link.

2. The Working Environment:

Independent Care Professionals must have their own private bedroom, a secure place to keep their belongings, fresh bedding and towels, and confirmation that essential appliances are working properly (i.e. the cooker). Independent Care Professionals will have access to information regarding where a placement is located and some detail about the local area (i.e. local shops and public transport). 

Independent Care Professionals should be informed about who else lives in the home, in addition to the Care Recipient, prior to accepting a placement. The Independent Care Professional should also be informed of any CCTV in and on the property. Independent Care Professionals must only provide support to the person for which the Care Appraisal is completed.  

3. The Care Appraisal:

The Care Appraisal must be an up-to-date and accurate reflection of the Care Recipient’s needs. This includes medical conditions, medication, nutritional needs, personal care, mobility, continence, behaviour, night-time support, and any equipment the Independent Care Professional might be expected to use to support the Care Recipient. 

 

Should an Independent Care Professional feel the Care Appraisal is not an accurate reflection of the duties they are performing they have the right to ask you, the Customer/Care Recipient, to update the Care Appraisal accordingly. Should the matter not be resolved, the Independent Care Professional has the right to raise concerns with Elder directly. An accurate and up-to-date Care Appraisal helps to ensure Independent Care Professionals are working within their competencies and helps to keep everyone safe. 

Failure or refusal to maintain an up to date Care Appraisal record may result in matching being suspended or loss of access to the platform.

4. Breaks & Time-Off:

Breaks should be agreed with you, the Customer/Care Recipient, prior to a placement starting. All parties should be clear on break arrangements, coverage requirements, and agree to any subsequent changes. Although Independent Care Professionals are not employed by Elder, we encourage arranging appropriate breaks following government guidelines (https://www.gov.uk/rest-breaks-work). 

5. Night-Time Support:

Independent Care Professionals who are undertaking regular live-in care duties can prepare to assist with night-time disturbances up to 2x per night for around 15 minutes on average. Should a Care Recipient require additional night time support, waking night care, alternative arrangements must be explored by you, the Customer.  

An Independent Care Professional will not expect to exceed these waking times unless he/she is a waking night carer.  

6. No Specialist Care Provision:

An Independent Care Professional on the Elder platform will not be expected to undertake any duties which are nurse-led, require specialist training, or any for which you, the Care Recipient/Customer, or they feel they can not undertake safely. 

Specialist care that falls outside of the services of the platform includes: 

  • STOMA care
  • PEG care 
  • Wound Care
  • Ventilation, Oxygen Support, BiPAP or CPAP Support
  • Unstable Epilepsy
  • Controlled Drug Administration
  • Covert Medication Administration
  • Glucose readings via finger pricks
  • Injections
  • Pessaries, Enemas, Suppositories
  • Active addiction 
  • Acute mental health disorders
  • Any actions which could be considered a Deprivation of Liberty (i.e. locking doors to prevent someone from leaving their home)

You can find our Community Standards here.