Elderly care at home
Help for an older parent or relative to keep living at home, from a few hours a week to a carer who lives in. LCH Care introduces checked, self-employed carers, and you choose who comes into the home.
What elderly care at home is
Elderly care at home is personal and practical support for an older person in their own home. It can be a carer who visits for a few hours, someone there at night, or a carer who lives in. It is also called home care, homecare or domiciliary care.
At every level the aim is the same: to help your relative keep their routine, their independence and their home for as long as that is right for them.
What a carer helps with
- Washing, bathing, dressing and continence care
- Meals, drinks and keeping an eye on appetite
- Reminders to take medication
- Housework, laundry and changing beds
- Shopping, errands and getting to appointments
- Moving safely around the home
- Company, conversation, hobbies and outings
- A break for husbands, wives and family who do the caring
Carers do not give nursing or clinical care, such as injections or wound care. That comes from the NHS team, for example the GP and district nurses.
Signs an older relative may need help
- Post and bills piling up unopened
- Out-of-date food in the fridge, or meals being skipped
- Weight loss, or clothes that look unwashed
- Missed medication or appointments
- Falls, bruises or a new fear of falling
- A home that is less clean or tidy than it used to be
- Seeing friends less, or seeming low or withdrawn
- A husband, wife or family member who is worn out from caring
Anyone can fall, but the NHS says a fall is more likely for older people and people with mobility problems. If your relative has fallen or you are worried about their balance, see their GP, who may refer them to a specialist falls service.
How much help, and which care fits
Most families recognise one of these stages. Needs often move from one to the next, and care can change with them.
Managing, with a few worries
Mostly independent, but lonely or less confident going out.
Often suits: Companionship care or a weekly visit
Needs a hand some days
Finding some tasks hard, such as shopping, cleaning or a bath.
Often suits: Hourly care a few times a week
Needs help every day
Help to get up, wash, dress, eat and take medication each day.
Often suits: Daily hourly visits, or live-in care
Not safe alone at night
Getting up in the night, confusion after dark, or a risk of falls.
Often suits: Overnight care or live-in care
Needs someone there all the time
Help through the day and night, often with dementia or after a decline.
Often suits: Live-in care, or 24-hour care with two carers
Choose the carer before anyone comes in
Read profiles of checked, self-employed carers and speak to them by phone or video call before you decide.
Conditions common in later life
Many older people live with a condition such as dementia, Parkinson's, the effects of a stroke, or heart and breathing problems. Each carer's profile says what experience they have, so you can choose someone who understands. Near the end of life, palliative care at home gives comfort and company alongside the NHS team.
Coming home from hospital
If your relative is coming home from hospital, care can start at short notice when a suitable carer is available. See emergency and short-notice care.
What elderly care costs
With LCH Care, hourly care costs £25 an hour, with a minimum of 2 hours a visit, and live-in care costs £1,100 a week, with a minimum of 2 weeks. Your written quote confirms the full price before care starts. See the cost of hourly care and the cost of live-in care.
Help paying for care
- Attendance Allowance: £76.70 or £114.60 a week for people over State Pension age who need help, not means-tested
- Council funding: after a free needs assessment and a means test
- NHS Continuing Healthcare: when needs are mainly health needs
- A Disabled Facilities Grant: help with changes such as grab rails, a stairlift or a level access shower, including for age-related needs
Rates and rules checked against GOV.UK and the NHS in October 2026. Benefit rates usually change each April.
Talking to your parent about care
- Start early, before a crisis forces a quick decision
- Talk about what they want to keep doing, not what they can no longer do
- Start small, for example two visits a week for shopping and company
- Let them help choose: they can speak to carers before deciding
- Agree a trial period, then review it together
If your relative can no longer make decisions, a lasting power of attorney for health and welfare lets the person they chose make decisions about their care. Compare the options in home care or a care home.
Tell us what is needed
Your relative's routine, what they find hard, any conditions, and what matters to them.
See matched profiles
Profiles say what experience each carer has, so you can choose with care.
Speak first
Talk to carers by phone or video call before you agree to anything.
Care starts
You and your carer agree the routine, and change it as needs change.
How carers are checked
Before LCH Care introduces a carer, we check their identity, right to work in the UK, Enhanced DBS, two references, work history, and relevant training or qualifications. Carers also hold their own public liability insurance. You then speak to the carer by phone or video call before you agree to anything.
Who else care is for
Questions
What is elderly care at home?
Personal and practical support for an older person in their own home, from a few hours a week to a carer who lives in.
How do I know if my parent needs care?
Common signs include missed meals or medication, falls, weight loss, an untidy home, unopened post, and seeing friends less. A talk with your parent and their GP is a good first step.
Is care at home better than a care home?
It depends on the person. Home suits people who want to stay in familiar surroundings and whose needs can be met safely there. See home care or a care home.
How much does elderly care at home cost?
With LCH Care, hourly care costs £25 an hour (minimum 2 hours a visit) and live-in care costs £1,100 a week (minimum 2 weeks).
Can my parent get help paying for care?
Possibly. Attendance Allowance is not means-tested, and the council can carry out a free needs assessment. NHS Continuing Healthcare may pay when needs are mainly health needs.
Is home help the same as elderly care?
Home help usually means housework and shopping. Elderly care can include that, plus personal care, medication reminders and company.
Can care start after a hospital stay?
Yes, when a suitable carer is available in your area. Tell us the discharge date as early as you can.