Live-in dementia care at home
A matched carer living in, keeping days calm, familiar and safe, so the person you love can stay in the home they know.
Why home is often the best place for someone with dementia
For many people living with dementia, home is the one place that still makes sense. The furniture is where it has always been, the kettle is in the same spot, and the view from the window is familiar.
Moving into a care home can be unsettling for someone with dementia: new rooms, new faces and new routines arrive all at once, at a time when change is hardest to manage. Live-in care offers a different path. A carer moves into the home and provides one-to-one support around the clock, building the day around the person rather than around a rota.
Because there is one main carer, plus a regular second carer for breaks, the person sees the same faces every day. That consistency matters. Over time a good carer learns how someone likes their tea, which songs lift their mood, what tends to trigger distress late in the afternoon, and how to gently steer a difficult moment.
It also means families can step back from being full-time carers and go back to being sons, daughters, husbands and wives. Many families tell us that is the biggest change of all.
How a live-in carer helps someone with dementia
Calm, predictable routines
Getting up, meals, walks and bedtime at familiar times, which helps reduce confusion and anxiety.
Help with personal care
Washing, dressing and continence care done patiently and respectfully, at the person’s own pace.
Meals and drinks
Home-cooked food they enjoy, finger foods when cutlery becomes difficult, and regular drinks to help avoid dehydration and infections.
Medication prompts
Reminders at the right time, so doses are not missed or taken twice.
Safety without restriction
Someone there to spot risks such as wandering at night, falls or a hob left on, while still supporting independence.
Connection and purpose
Conversation, music, photographs, gardening, walks and familiar hobbies, which can help with mood and wellbeing.
What dementia care at home looks like
- Morning
- A gentle start: help with washing and dressing, breakfast and medication prompts, with time to wake up slowly.
- Daytime
- A walk, a trip to the shops or a café, a favourite programme, or looking through old photographs together.
- Late afternoon
- Many people with dementia become restless later in the day. The carer keeps things calm, with a familiar activity and a cup of tea.
- Night
- The carer sleeps in the house, so someone is there if your loved one wakes confused or needs help to the bathroom.
The carer needs a private bedroom and takes a two-hour break each day. We arrange cover for breaks and holidays.
What a live-in carer can and can't do
Our live-in carers are experienced, trained and checked, but they are carers, not nurses. They provide practical and personal support, and work alongside the GP, district nurses and other professionals who look after the clinical side.
A live-in carer can help with
- Personal care, washing and dressing
- Continence care
- Cooking, eating and drinking support
- Medication prompts and reminders
- Light housework and laundry
- Company, activities and trips out
- Accompanying to GP and memory clinic appointments
- Keeping the family updated
A live-in carer doesn't
- Clinical or nursing tasks such as injections or wound care
- Restraining or locking someone in
- Managing complex medical equipment
- Working without breaks: the carer takes two hours off each day
Choosing the right carer for someone with dementia
We match carers on dementia experience first, then on personality, interests and the practical side: whether your loved one prefers a quieter or chattier carer, whether a driver would help, and whether there are pets in the home.
You meet the carers we suggest and you choose. Once care begins, we arrange a regular second carer to cover breaks, so the same two faces become familiar rather than a stream of strangers.
As dementia progresses, needs change. We review the arrangement with you and will be honest if needs have become more clinical than a live-in carer can safely support, so you can plan ahead together with the GP and local services.
How much does live-in dementia care cost?
The exact cost depends on the support needed, including how often the carer is woken at night. We will give you a clear figure on the first call, with no obligation.
Help may be available from your local council, NHS Continuing Healthcare and Attendance Allowance. See the full cost breakdown → Ways to fund live-in care →
Live-in dementia care across the South East
We arrange live-in dementia care across Surrey, Kent, West Sussex and East Sussex. See the map of areas we cover →
Dementia care at home: your questions
Is live-in care suitable for someone with dementia?
For many people, yes. Staying in a familiar home with the same carer can reduce confusion, anxiety and distress, because routines, rooms and belongings stay the same. Live-in care suits people at most stages of dementia, as long as their needs are not mainly clinical. A carer can help with personal care, meals and drinks, medication prompts, gentle activity and reassurance. We'll talk it through honestly on the first call, including when another option might be safer.
How much does live-in dementia care cost?
Live-in dementia care starts from £1,190 a week paid to the carer, plus our weekly agency fee of £250 and a one-off registration fee of £250. The household provides the carer's food and a private room. The exact cost depends on how much support is needed, especially at night. Attendance Allowance, council funding or NHS Continuing Healthcare may help pay. See our cost page and funding guides for a full breakdown, or call us for an exact figure.
What if my loved one wakes in the night?
The carer sleeps in the house and can help if your loved one wakes occasionally, for example to use the toilet or for reassurance after a bad dream. A live-in carer cannot work all day and also stay awake all night, so if someone is up regularly through the night we'll talk honestly about extra night support or a second carer. Simple changes, like a calmer evening routine, night lights and a door sensor, often help sleep settle.
Can a live-in carer stop someone wandering?
A carer cannot lock someone in, but they can reduce the risk a lot. They keep a calm daily routine, go out walking together so the urge to leave is met safely, and notice the signs that your loved one is becoming restless. If the family chooses, door sensors, GPS trackers or a pendant alarm can add reassurance. We'll agree a plan with you for what the carer should do if your loved one does leave the house.
Will my loved one have the same carer?
We aim for one main carer plus a regular second carer who covers breaks and holidays, so the faces stay familiar, which matters a great deal with dementia. You meet the carers we suggest and choose who feels right. Before the first carer starts we help you write down the details that make your loved one feel at home, such as favourite foods, music and routines, so every handover keeps things consistent.
Can the carer help with dementia-related behaviour?
Yes. Our carers are experienced in supporting people living with dementia through confusion, frustration, repeated questions and sundowning in the late afternoon. They use calm, patient approaches, such as reassurance, distraction and keeping to familiar routines, rather than arguing or rushing. If behaviour changes suddenly, the carer will let you know, because it can be a sign of infection or pain, and will encourage a GP check. Memory services and community mental health teams stay involved as usual.
Are you regulated by the CQC?
Medicare People currently provides introductory live-in care services. We have submitted our application to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and intend to introduce a fully managed live-in care service following registration. As an introductory agency, we find, check and introduce self-employed live-in carers, and the family agrees the day-to-day care with the carer directly. Before any introduction we carry out right-to-work, DBS and reference checks and interview every carer. Our team stays in touch after the carer starts, arranges relief cover for breaks and holidays, and finds a replacement carer if the match isn't working.
Talk to us about dementia care at home
Free, no-obligation advice. Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm.
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Medicare People currently provides introductory live-in care services. We have submitted our application to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and intend to introduce a fully managed live-in care service following registration.