Home Care and Live-in Care in Upminster

Yes. In Upminster we mainly provide live-in care, where a carer lives in your relative's home and supports them through the day. Upminster is at the far eastern end of London, so visiting care is only possible when we have a carer whose journey makes it sustainable, and we will tell you honestly whether we do. We start with a free home assessment, then write a care plan.

Can I get live-in care in Upminster?

Usually, yes, and Upminster homes are well suited to it. The main requirement is a bedroom for the carer, and the area's large interwar semis and detached houses nearly always have one. Two things to think about before the assessment are where your relative will sleep and wash if the stairs become hard, and whether the carer will have somewhere private to take their daily break. One carer can also support a couple when both partners need some help. Our live-in care page explains how the arrangement works.

Bungalows, sheltered flats and Edwardian houses

Not every Upminster home is a big semi. The town also has a good number of bungalows and sheltered flats, which are easier for someone who can no longer manage stairs, though some sheltered flats are too small for a live-in carer. A one-bedroom flat can still have visiting care when we have the availability, or the scheme's own support. Near the station there are Edwardian houses with taller staircases and narrower halls, where a walking frame or wheelchair can be harder to manage.

At the end of three lines

Upminster station is the eastern terminus of the District line. It is also on c2c, which runs to Fenchurch Street and Shoeburyness, and on the Liberty line to Romford. Upminster Bridge, one stop west, is on the District line too. All those lines still leave Upminster typically 65 to 90 minutes from our Lewisham office, which is why we describe it as live-in territory. Residential roads further from the station are mostly free of parking restrictions, but there is permit parking around the station.

Towards Cranham and the farmland

East and north of the town, the houses give way to Green Belt farmland, and some RM14 addresses feel genuinely rural. For a family carer who lives elsewhere, that can mean a long drive with little public transport, so a live-in carer often makes more sense than a series of visits. It also means the walks are good. Upminster Windmill, a smock mill built in 1803, stands on Windmill Field, and the Tithe Barn Museum of Nostalgia is also in Upminster. Both are possible outings with a carer for someone who has lived here a long time.

Short breaks for the person doing the caring

A live-in carer can stay for a week or two while a husband, wife or adult child has a rest or goes away. That is respite care at home, and it means your relative's routine stays the same. Havering Council and its commissioned carers' service (Imago, 0300 011 1965) can carry out a carer's assessment, which may lead to help with the cost of breaks.

Going through Havering Council

Havering Adult Social Care often begins by offering a Local Area Coordinator, a community worker who helps people find local support before or alongside a formal assessment. For a Care Act needs assessment, use the council's online form or call 01708 432000. GOV.UK has a direct apply for a needs assessment link for Havering. Eligibility is followed by a means test. NHS Continuing Healthcare is assessed separately. For older people's activities, befriending and falls classes, contact Age UK Redbridge, Barking and Havering. More detail is on our Havering home care page.

What we can provide

• Live-in care
• Palliative care
• Respite care
• Dementia care
• Personal care
• Sit-in service

What we can help with in Upminster

• Personal care, washing and dressing
• Medication prompting and support
• Meals, laundry and home help
• Companionship and getting out
• Dementia care at home
• Support after a hospital stay
• Short breaks for family carers
• Live-in care when needs grow