A Homemade Plan specializes in a 24/7 service called “live-in care.” Live-in care is a unique service that allows a Caregiver to live in the home of a Care Recipient, 24 hours a day, providing care as needed. Although a live-in Caregiver cannot be working the full 24 hours in a day, it gives you peace of mind that someone is right there to help in the home at all times. This service is a great alternative for someone who needs assistance daily but would like to stay comfortable at home.
Benefits to Live In Care:
Cost-effective- Compared to 24 hourly care, live-in care offers a Caregiver to be present 24 hours a day at a fraction of the cost.
Consistency- In general, the primary live-in Caregiver will be in the home for an extended period. This allows the Caregiver and Care Recipient to form a strong relationship.
Great long-term option- We serve many families who utilize live-in care. Many times this is a great long-term solution to help individuals age in place.
Caregiver is available 24 hours a day- Although a live-in Caregiver does not work 24 hours a day, they are available 24 hours a day. So if there happens to be an emergency at a time that is least expected, a live-in Caregiver will be available to assist.
How it Works:
A live-in Caregiver will come into the home and assist with all the services we offer including but not limited to personal hygiene, companionship, light housekeeping, meal preparation, transportation, and medication management. The Caregiver will live in the home around the clock ensuring that you or your loved one is never left alone. There are a few necessities that a Caregiver must have to be able to provide live-in care, including, a room to sleep in, meals to eat, 8 hours of sleep at night, and breaks throughout the day.
FAQ:
Q1. How does time off work?
A1. The primary live-in Caregiver will determine how often and how much time off they require. Usually, time off is on a regular and consistent basis and will be known before the start of care. An example of this could be every other weekend the Primary Caregiver will be off. A Homemade Plan will always find a fill-in Care Provider to cover time off needs. When a Caregiver requests off work beyond their regularly scheduled time off (such as a vacation), we ask them to give us two weeks’ notice so we have plenty of time to schedule and introduce a fill-in Caregiver.
Q2. How do sleep/break times work?
A2. Live-in Care Providers must have at least 8 hours of sleep at night. 5 hours which must be consecutive. In addition to 8 hours of sleep, we ask that our Caregivers have a total of 4 hours per day of break time. Break times can be taken around the Care Recipient’s schedule. For example, if a Care Recipient takes a nap during the day, the Caregiver can use this time as break time.
Q3. How do meals work?
A3. We ask that you offer our live-in Caregiver three meals per day. We do not expect you to make special meal accommodations, however, we ask that you offer our Caregiver to share meals with the Care Recipient.
Q4. What type of living area is required?
A4. We ask that there be a private living area and a bed so our Caregivers can sleep and have time to themselves as well as a place to keep some personal belongings.
Q5. What geographical location do you provide live-in care?
A5. A Homemade Plan can serve most of Maryland with live-in service.
24-Hourly Care V.S. Live-in Care:
Live-in care is a great option for certain situations. Live-in care works best when the situation allows the Caregivers the ability to sleep at night and take breaks throughout the day. However, some situations do require a Caregiver to be awake and attentive 24 hours a day. In this situation, 24 hourly care would be the best option. A Homemade Plan does offer 24 hourly care. Our office staff is happy to discuss the difference between the two services and help you decide the best option for you and/or your loved one’s needs.