Live-in Care in Old Malden

Yes, we provide live-in care in Old Malden for one person or for a couple. A carer moves into a spare bedroom and supports the household through the day, which works well in the area's semis and detached houses. Jackie, our registered manager, comes to the house for a free assessment first, and the care plan is agreed in writing before the carer arrives.

Can one live-in carer look after both of us?

Often, yes. A common picture is one partner who needs help with washing, dressing, medication and moving about, and another who is mostly independent but tires easily or is worried about coping. A live-in carer gives full care to the first and practical help to the second: shopping, cooking, the heavier housework, a hand on the stairs. The couple keep sharing their home, their meals and their evenings.

It works less well when both partners need two people for every transfer, or when both need help several times a night. One carer cannot safely cover that, and we would say so and talk about other arrangements. The care plan names both people, so it is clear what each one needs.

Detached houses, semis and older cottages

Most Old Malden homes are interwar semis and detached houses with gardens, so finding a bedroom for the carer is rarely the hard part. A detached house may even give the carer a room on a separate landing, which helps everyone's privacy. What needs more thought is the bathroom. An upstairs bathroom with a bath is the usual problem, and a level-access shower or a bath lift may be worth asking the council about before the stairs become the limit.

The handful of older cottages near the church and the green are another matter. Small rooms and tight stairs can make a second bedroom and equipment harder to fit, and we look carefully at both before suggesting live-in care.

Getting the carer to Old Malden

Changeovers are planned ahead, and a carer who travels by train has two options. Malden Manor station, on the Chessington branch, and Worcester Park station at the southern end are each about 25 minutes from Waterloo on South Western Railway. The 213 bus runs along Malden Road. The area is suburban and mostly car-friendly, with no controlled parking zone on the council's list for these streets, so a carer who drives can usually park on the drive or outside.

Dementia, and keeping a couple together

Where one partner is living with dementia, the live-in carer can take on the prompting, the personal care and the watchfulness, leaving the other partner free to be a husband or wife for part of the day. Staywell says all its services can support people living with dementia and their carers (see its dementia support page), and the council's partner directory lists dementia-friendly groups across Kingston. A walk around Plough Green or a visit to St John the Baptist church, close to the Hogsmill, can stay part of the week with a carer alongside.

When one of you comes out of hospital

Kingston Hospital is the usual acute hospital, though being on the Sutton border some people are treated at St Helier or Epsom. A discharge in a couple brings a particular worry: the partner at home may not manage the lifting, the medication changes and the broken nights alone. Starting live-in care at discharge supports both of them. Let us know as soon as a discharge date is discussed, and see our hospital discharge page.

What does live-in care for a couple cost in Old Malden?

We give a written figure after the assessment, because care for two people depends on what each one needs, by day and at night. Kingston Council assesses each person's needs and finances separately, and NHS Continuing Healthcare may fund care for a partner whose needs are mainly health needs. Our Kingston live-in care page covers the council route and direct payments, and our London live-in care guide explains how a placement runs. If regular visits would be enough, see home care in Old Malden.

What we can help with in Old Malden

• A carer living in, with their own room
• Care for one person or a couple
• Personal care through the day
• Medication support
• Cooking, housekeeping and laundry
• Dementia support at home
• Company, outings and appointments
• Cover arranged for the carer's breaks