Avoid lockdown loneliness with care and company this COVID Christmas
If you’re keen to keep your independence at home but don’t relish the thought of lockdown loneliness during a COVID Christmas, why not look into live-in care?
Live-in care services: the safest form of support
Live-in care has been widely recognised as the safest form of care during the coronavirus pandemic.
A professional care worker lives in your home with you. You stay in the home you know and love, with all your possessions and pets, and near the people you know in your local community.
In these strange COVID times, live-in care might just be the perfect solution to help you live as independently as possible at home. And that’s particularly true if there comes a point when you need to self-isolate as live-in care gives you complete control over who comes in and out of your house.
Avoiding lockdown loneliness during the festive season
Because your live-in care worker is part of your household, not even a full lockdown would put a stop to your on-the-spot, seven-days-a-week support.
So no matter what tier you’re in, or which local restrictions are in place, you have someone with you to help you over Christmas and then through what are often the dreariest and most lonely months of the year.
For your family and friends too, live-in care services could be just the ticket this Christmas. If they are unable to visit you in person over the festive season, live-in care will give them the reassurance that you have someone on hand to give you 24-hour care.
Our live-in care workers have supported lots of clients to keep connected with loved ones using iPads, FaceTime and WhatsApp.
Support on many levels
Your live-in care worker can support you on many levels. Physical support is often the primary reason someone decides to have live-in care. Depending on your needs, this could be a reminder to take your medication at the right time or to move around the house. Or you may need support with significant healthcare issues, such as chronic illness or a disability.
But there are other ways live-in care services can improve your quality of life too:
- Emotionally, by providing companionship to avoid lockdown loneliness. There’s always someone on hand to give you company, to chat to, share a joke with or a comment on the goings-on in your favourite soap opera
- Socially, by helping you get to your usual clubs and events (probably virtually in COVID times) and maintain your friendship networks
- Practically, by getting the shopping in, taking you to appointments or making sure your pets are fed and exercised
- Nutritionally, by preparing you delicious, home-cooked food that you enjoy eating. And by sharing mealtimes, eating becomes less of a chore and more of a sociable pleasure
Dedicated care workers
Our live-in care workers have been amazing since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. They know how important consistent 24-hour homecare is to the people we support. Throughout the pandemic many of our care workers have stayed with their clients for much longer than they would in ‘normal’ times.
What people say about our service
There’s no doubt that the dedication and commitment of our care workers have played a massive role in our clients’ satisfaction with our live-in care services.
In a recent survey of our live-in care clients, 95% of the people who responded agreed that they felt comfortable and safe with their care worker. And 97% told us that our live-in care helps them to feel in control of their daily life, and that ultimately the service they receive from Agincare has helped to improve their quality of life.
We also welcome feedback direct from our clients and their families, such as this one from a client’s daughter:
We asked Agincare to come and assess my mother for live-in care and found them to be very thorough, excellent at communication and understanding [of] her needs. Her current carer is lovely and Mum is very happy, especially with her culinary skills!
And when it comes to external inspections and monitoring, you, your family and friends can take reassurance from the fact that the Care Quality Commission has rated all three of our live-in care regional teams as ‘Good’. But we’re not resting on our laurels – we’re working hard to keep improving, with ‘Outstanding’ our next aim.
