Request, select and start your care with Elder

Absolutely. Live-in carers offer assistance with a huge range of day-to-day requirements – including hygiene and grooming.

Putting your loved one at ease during this sort of care is tricky, but live-in carers are uniquely positioned to do just that. They can devote the time and attention required to build trust, as well as get to know just how much help they need to offer.

Of course. Live-in carers move into your loved one's home to offer 24-hour care – even if that means getting up occasionally in the middle of the night.

They'll help create routines around bedtime, ensuring better quality sleep for improved wellbeing. They might also get your loved one to the toilet if they need it, or put their mind at ease if they're confused.

If you begin to need more regular or intensive night-time support, you may benefit from a dedicated night carer, to ensure your day time live-in carer is getting enough rest.

A carer who moves into your loved one's home with them will need their own space in which to sleep and spend time when they are not actually providing care. Most commonly, a carer will have a bedroom of their own, but if this is not practical, you could adapt a reception room or study for them to use – as long as it's a private space i.e not a thoroughfare to another room or in regular use by other family members during the day.

The live-in carer will not need a bathroom of their own, although this would be preferable. They will need clean and functional bathroom facilities that they can use, and if sharing a bathroom, there should be somewhere for them to store toiletries.

We also recommend setting up a WiFi connection if you don't have one already. The internet is useful for many things, including keeping in touch with Elder, which can be even more important if you live in a rural location with poor phone signal.

Once you've got in touch and told us your care requirements, We'll review this information carefully and uniquely match you to a selection of carers we think would be a great fit for you.

You'll have time to review a detailed profile for each carer you're matched with in your MyElder account, as well as an introductory video where they'll talk about what they enjoy about being a carer and their experience, as well as their hobbies and interests. Then you simply need to confirm which carer you like best. You can also speak directly to them using the chat feature within MyElder, or arrange a phone call.

When someone new moves into the home, it can take a bit of time to settle in and build a routine that you're all comfortable with. With Elder, your needs will always shape your care schedule so that it's personal to you.

Usually, your carer will stay with you for around four weeks (although this is flexible depending on your needs), before taking their first week off to rest and recharge. We'll work with you to help you secure a temporary carer you're happy with, who can move in and provide respite care while your main carer is away. They'll arrive between 12-2pm on their first day for a handover with your main carer.

When your main carer returns, they'll typically be in place for another three to four weeks. This working pattern will usually then continue, so everyone can get into a comfortable and familiar routine.

With Elder you'll be set up with your own MyElder online account. As well as being where you can tell us all about your care requirements, you can also use your account to -

• Add other family members to get them involved in the arrangements
• Review carer profiles and select your carer
• View your schedule and plan handover days when your carer takes a break
• Read updates from your carer with the Care logs feature
• Keep care information updated and update any changes to your care needs
• Easily update payment information and track your invoices

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.

Not at all. We offer short-term care options too, for as little as 3 days at a time.

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.