The carer's day and their break
Your carer's day follows your routine, not a timetable: getting up, personal care, meals, outings, appointments, company and getting ready for bed. Every live-in carer also needs a daily break to rest and recharge. If you would not be safe or comfortable on your own during that time, we arrange cover with another carer or with your family, and agree it together in your care plan. Break cover from a carer is extra to our live-in price and is shown in your written quote.
Nights
A live-in carer rests at night and is there if you need them now and then, for example to help you to the toilet. If help is needed often through the night, a single carer cannot stay rested and alert both day and night, so we would suggest 24-hour care, with a day carer and a waking night carer working in shifts so that a carer is awake through the night. We can arrange this anywhere in England. In Oxfordshire, waking nights and sleep-ins can also be booked on their own. We talk this through openly with you at the assessment, and your written quote shows the night arrangement agreed. See night care: who is awake.
The carer's room
The carer needs a private bedroom with a proper bed and somewhere to keep their things, and access to a bathroom and the kitchen. Wi-Fi or a good phone signal helps them stay in touch with our office and their own family.
Food
Your carer's food is included in our live-in price, so you do not need to budget for it separately. (The carer's travel is extra and is shown in your written quote; see costs.)
Time off and holidays
You have one main live-in carer, with a relief carer covering holidays and time off. Your main carer has regular time off, so one carer is not with you all year round. Before your carer goes on leave, the outgoing carer gives the relief carer a full handover of your routine, preferences and medication, so they know how you like things done.
If the match is not right
Feeling comfortable with your carer matters as much as the care itself. If it does not feel right, please let us know and we will look for a carer who suits you better.
Records, money and safety
Our live care monitoring system holds every task, every medication, assessments, care plans, carer notes and alerts. Your carer records each task and medication in our care app as they give it, so the record is visible to our care team as it is entered. Our care team reviews records and alerts during office hours and follows up; outside office hours, the on-call manager deals with urgent alerts. With the agreement of the person receiving care, relatives can see care notes through our family app. Any help with shopping or money is agreed in your care plan and recorded, with receipts kept. Our carers do not accept gifts or money, so please never feel you need to offer them. Every carer has an enhanced DBS check, references and training before they start. Online courses are only part of that training: we check practical skills for the needs of the person each carer supports through shadowing, spot checks and supervision.
Who to call
Our care team supports every live-in placement. During office hours (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm), you, your family and your carer can all reach us on 01865 715780; outside office hours, a manager is on call on 07775 686272.
Questions
How quickly can live-in care start?
We can often start within 24 to 48 hours of the assessment, depending on carer availability. We assess the care needed, arrange a carer and confirm the start date once the carer is arranged, so it is not a guarantee until then. If someone is in hospital, tell us the expected discharge date as early as you can. Please call us on 01865 715780 and we will tell you honestly what we can arrange, and when.
Can one live-in carer look after a couple?
It depends on both partners' needs. When one carer can safely meet them, a couple can stay at home together with a single live-in carer, from £1,800 a week (£250 a week more than for one person), which can cost less than two care home places. We assess you both first, and if one carer would not be enough, we will say so. See live-in care for couples.
Prepared by the care team at Day and Nightcare Live In Limited. Last updated 30 October 2026.