Live-in care

Live-in care is a form of home care where a professional carer moves into the person’s home to provide support around the clock. Unlike visiting care, which delivers scheduled calls of an hour or two, live-in care means someone is always there – through the night, at mealtimes, and during the moments that can’t be planned.

The carer helps with everything from personal care (bathing, dressing, continence support) to medication management, meal preparation, household tasks, and companionship. For people living with dementia, Parkinson’s, or other progressive conditions, that continuity makes a significant clinical difference. The Alzheimer’s Society notes that familiar environments can slow disorientation and reduce distress in people living with dementia – something a care home placement cannot preserve.

Live-in care is distinct from 24-hour care, which involves rotating shifts between two or more carers, and from domiciliary or visiting care, which does not include overnight or continuous support. If you’re weighing up which model fits your situation, our guide to understanding the different types of home care sets out the practical differences.

Not all live-in care is the same. In the UK, care providers fall into two categories: introductory agencies, which match families with self-employed carers and then step back, and CQC-regulated managed providers, which carry ongoing clinical and regulatory responsibility for the care they deliver. Hometouch is the latter — and there are several things that set us apart.

We’re CQC-regulated

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent body that inspects and regulates health and social care services in England. A CQC-regulated provider is inspected against five domains – safety, effectiveness, care, responsiveness, and leadership – and is legally accountable for the quality of care delivered. Many well-known names in live-in care are introductory agencies and are not CQC-regulated. That distinction matters most when care needs are complex, medical risks are present, or a family needs to know there is a regulated escalation process in place.

We’re doctor-founded, with clinical oversight on every care plan

Hometouch was founded by Dr Jamie Wilson, a practising doctor with specialist expertise in dementia. Clinical oversight is built into how we operate at Hometouch. Every care plan is created with clinical input and reviewed as needs change. Our clinical team, led by Head of Clinical Governance Dimple Chandarana, is involved from the initial assessment through to ongoing review. This means that if a carer raises a concern, there is a clear clinical escalation path – not a call centre.

“The difference a doctor-founded model makes is that clinical decision-making happens inside the organisation, not as an afterthought,” says Dimple Chandarana, Head of Clinical Governance at Hometouch. “We review care plans with the same rigour you’d expect from a healthcare setting, because our carers are supporting people with real medical needs.”

We’re specialists in dementia care

Dementia care requires more than general training. Our carers are trained across all types of dementia (Alzheimer’s, vascular, Lewy body, and frontotemporal) and are supported throughout by our clinical team. Hometouch’s specialist dementia care at home service is built around the clinical evidence that familiar surroundings and a consistent carer produce measurably better outcomes for people living with dementia.

Our carers are employed by Hometouch

Unlike introductory agencies, which connect families with self-employed carers and then step back, Hometouch employs its carers directly. This matters for several reasons. Employed carers are covered by Hometouch’s clinical governance processes, have a clear line of support and accountability, and are trained and supervised to the standards our CQC registration requires. When something changes – in a person’s condition, in the care plan, in the carer’s circumstances – we manage it. Families are not left to resolve staffing or quality issues on their own.

We match you within 48 hours

When care is needed urgently – after a hospital discharge, following a sudden change in condition, or during a family crisis – waiting weeks for a placement isn’t an option. Hometouch can have a matched, vetted carer in place within 48 hours of a completed assessment. If you’re planning ahead of an immediate need, that speed gives you a safety net.

Live-in care is the right option when someone needs more than a few hours of help each day, or when their safety or wellbeing depends on consistent, around-the-clock support. Common situations include:

Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease

For people living with dementia, continuity of carer and familiar surroundings is not just comforting – they are clinically important. Frequent changes in environment or routine can accelerate disorientation and distress. Our specialist dementia care at home service is built on this understanding, with carers trained in all types of dementia, including Alzheimer’s, vascular, Lewy body, and frontotemporal dementia.

Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s affects movement, balance, and (in later stages) cognition. The unpredictability of symptoms, including falls risk and rigidity, means support needs to be close at hand rather than scheduled. Our Parkinson’s care service matches carers with specific experience of the condition’s physical and cognitive demands.

Stroke recovery

After a stroke, recovery often takes months. Physical rehabilitation, speech and language support, medication management, and emotional reassurance are all part of the picture. Live-in care can be arranged quickly after hospital discharge to support recovery at home rather than in a care facility. Our stroke recovery care article covers what this looks like in practice.

Post-hospital discharge

When someone is discharged from the hospital after surgery, a fall, or a serious illness, the transition home is one of the highest-risk periods in their care journey. A live-in carer provides the supervision, medication support, and practical help that reduces readmission risk and supports recovery. Hometouch can have care in place within 48 hours of discharge.

Frailty and age-related care needs

Many people don’t have a specific diagnosis – they’ve become more frail, more forgetful, or less able to manage alone. Live-in care provides safety, companionship, and practical support without requiring a move out of the home they know.

End-of-life care

When someone’s priority is comfort, dignity, and being at home in their final weeks or months, live-in care provides continuous support that allows that wish to be honoured. Our clinical team works alongside palliative care professionals and the NHS to coordinate care appropriately.

Couples

When one or both members of a couple need care, live-in care allows them to stay together at home rather than being separated into different care facilities. A single carer can support both people, making live-in care considerably more cost-effective for couples than two care home placements.

Getting care in place through Hometouch follows a clear, clinically led process.

Step 1: Clinical assessment

A member of our clinical team carries out a thorough assessment of the person’s care needs, medical history, daily routine, and personal preferences. This is the foundation of a personalised care plan – not a generic checklist. The assessment can be done by phone, video, or in person.

Step 2: Carer matching

We match the person with a carer from our employed network based on clinical requirements, personality, communication style, and any specific needs or preferences. Families are involved in the matching decision – you’re not simply assigned a carer. Our matching process typically takes 24 to 48 hours.

Step 3: Care plan

A personalised care plan is produced by our clinical team, setting out the carer’s responsibilities, the daily routine, medication management, and any clinical escalation protocols. The care plan is a live document, updated as needs change.

Step 4: Ongoing clinical oversight

Once care is in place, our clinical team remains active. Carers receive regular supervision and support, and families have direct access to a clinical contact for any questions or concerns. If a carer raises a clinical concern, there is a clear and immediate escalation pathway. Our carer support page covers what that ongoing support looks like in practice.

This is the question most families are weighing when they first contact us. Here is a straightforward comparison:

Live-in care costs vary depending on the level of care required, the person’s medical needs, and location. For a single person, costs are typically comparable to those of a residential care home. For a couple, live-in care is often considerably more cost-effective – one carer can support both people, whereas a care home charges separately for each resident.

For a full breakdown of costs by care level, including how Hometouch’s pricing is structured, visit our live-in care costs page. Our care advisers give clear cost information from the first conversation – no vague ranges, no hidden fees.

Funding options for live-in care include NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC), local authority care funding, Attendance Allowance, and personal health budgets. Our team can guide families through the funding landscape as part of the initial assessment process.

Live-in care near you

Hometouch provides CQC-regulated live-in care across England and Wales. Our matching process works nationally — carers are matched on clinical and personal fit, not just geography, so families in cities and rural areas alike can access the same standard of care.

We provide live-in care across the country, including Birmingham, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Norwich and Norfolk. If you’re not sure whether we cover your area, speak to a care adviser and we’ll confirm straight away.

Is live-in care right for your family?

If you’re not sure whether live-in care is the right option, our article on how to work out when live-in care is right works through the key questions. You can also speak to one of our clinical care advisers — no pressure, just answers to your questions.

Get in touch today to arrange a free assessment and find out how quickly we can have a vetted carer in place.