More choice
Search for your ideal self-employed carer from custom matches.
More control
Control when and how your loved one is cared for with your MyElder account.
More support
Access a library of care guides, and chat online to our team 7 days a week
More value
We’re 35% cheaper than traditional care companies, with no joining fees or upfront costs.
We understand every care story is personal, because ours is no different.
Pete’s family had a tough time finding the right care for his Gran, Frances.
When Frances needed a little extra help, they began looking after her themselves. Arranging for carers to pop in and out during the day wasn’t easy, and it was difficult to know when or how long they spent time with Frances.
Finally, Pete’s family decided the only way to keep Frances safe and ensure she got the care she needed was to move her into a care home.
Pete was struck by how, at the time, they felt there was no other option. For over 200 years, the care home has become an accepted practice when a loved one needs a certain level of care, and he wanted to know why.
Around 6.5 million people are looking after a loved one themselves – putting a considerable amount of emotional and financial pressure on families all over the UK.
Over 2.6 million people believe they will have to quit their jobs to provide care to a loved one. But what happens when people can’t leave their jobs? If marriages break up, or families need to move away?
Looking deeper into the social care industry, Pete saw the size of the problem ahead. The number of people aged 85+ in the UK will double in the next 20 years. However, the number of care homes isn’t increasing.
How will we then ensure our loved ones not only get the support they need but get the care that keeps them happy and connected to the lives they’ve built?
Our parents and grandparents spend years creating homes that become the heart of the family. A place everyone comes back to for Christmas and holidays. For Pete, he believed there had to be a way that older people could hold on to this and stay in their own homes for as long as they wanted.
Elder was created to provide live-in care that protects these connections. By matching carers on their personality, interests, and skills, older people can enjoy companionship while keeping the routines, hobbies, and lives they love.
Whether it’s going to the local bowls club (something Frances used to do quite regularly), popping to the hairdressers for a blow dry, going to church, or simply spending time with friends who live nearby, Elder can help people enjoy life to the fullest extent they can as they age.
More from Pete
What makes Elder different?
We’ve built a platform that makes it easier for families and self-employed carers to find each other, build ongoing relationships, and access dedicated support when they need it. We believe both families and carers should feel empowered and that every care experience should be personalised, flexible and transparent.
Online setup, with dedicated support & clinical team
Available throughout Great Britain
Get a carer in place in under 24 hours
Care is directed by you
Support from one dedicated carer
Managed agencies
Requires in-person viewings and assessments
Availability differs by provider
Average waiting time 1+ week
Care is directed by the provider
Support from a staff of carers
Care homes
Requires in-person viewings and assessments
Availability differs by region
Waiting lists can vary
Care is directed by the home
Support from a staff of carers
Our care advisors are here for you 365 days a year
Big care decisions need bespoke support. So, whether you’re ready to take the next step in finding a self-employed carer, or are just looking to learn more, give our friendly team a call.
What's important to us
Seeking excellence
Together
For our society
Our mission is to reinvent what it means to age. To change conversations and perceptions, so that getting older doesn’t mean giving up choice, independence, or the things that make us who we are.
We’re always seeking excellence – We raise the bar, break the mould, and commit to solving complex problems for customers and self-employed carers.
We do this by coming together. We’re powered by insight, ambition and purpose. We work together at pace, and ensure everyone has a voice.
And, we’re passionate about supporting people in their own homes as they age. We value those who care, and we’re working to change society for the better.
Keeping you in control
When you choose to find a self-employed carer through Elder, we’ll make sure you feel in control and fully supported, no matter what challenges you’re facing.
The right expertise at the right time
Accepting the help of a live-in carer can be tough, and everyone processes it differently. Our 5* rated care advisors are here seven days a week to answer your questions about Elder’s services and share guidance on a wide range of care topics.
You know best
When it comes to the kind of care you need, you should be free to make decisions that are best for your family. With Elder we’ll give you the tools and support to make arranging and managing care easier, but the care agreement will stay between you and your self-employed carer.
Matching you to the right self-employed carer
Our technology looks at over 25 skill and personality factors to uniquely match you with suitable self-employed carers. You can view each carer’s detailed profile and chat to them directly. And, because we know care decisions are often a family affair, our platform allows you to collaborate and work together.
More about Elder
Meet the carers
Meet the carers Live-in carers are ordinary people doing a truly extraordinary job. Watch the video Read their stories Trustpilot People who love what they
How arranging live-in care with Elder works
How Elder works Looking to arrange live in care or visiting care? From searching for a self-employed carer, to managing everything with your MyElder account,
Our Awards
Our awards and features We’re really proud of our achievements – they remind us that the work we do everyday is helping to change