Live-in Care in Purley

Yes, we arrange live-in care in Purley. A trained carer moves into the home, has their own bedroom, and supports your relative (or both of you, as a couple) day to day, with a protected break every day. It starts with a free assessment by Jackie and a written care plan.

Purley is about an hour from our Lewisham office, which is why we lead with live-in care here: the carer makes that journey at the start of a placement, not every day. For a few calls a day, our home care in Purley page explains how visiting care works this far south.

Is there room for a live-in carer in a Purley home?

Usually, if the home is a house. Much of Purley was built between the wars as family semis and detached houses, so a spare room for the carer is often already there. A box room can work if it takes a proper bed and somewhere to hang clothes, and a room next to your relative's lets the carer hear them at night.

The blocks of flats around the town centre are a different case. A two-bedroom flat with a lift can suit live-in care well: level floors, no stairs between the bedrooms and no garden to worry about. A one-bedroom flat does not, because the carer cannot sleep on the sofa; visiting care, or a move to a flat with a second bedroom, are the options then.

Hoists, stairlifts and a carer on the premises

When the bedrooms and the only bathroom are upstairs, three things come up:

• A stairlift needs a curved rail if the staircase turns, and a live-in carer can help with transfers while your relative gets used to it.
• A hospital bed downstairs in the front room is common after a fall. The carer's bedroom then stays upstairs, and a baby monitor or call bell bridges the gap.
• A hoist needs floor space, and some hoisting needs two people. One carer cannot do that alone, so we will say plainly if live-in care is not the right fit.

The council's occupational therapists can assess for equipment and adaptations.

Changeover day at Purley station

Incoming carers usually come by train. Purley station is served by Southern and Thameslink, so a carer from south-east London can change at London Bridge or East Croydon and arrive beside the town centre. Purley Oaks and Reedham stations serve the north and west of the area.

By car, it depends on the street. The Purley Permit Zone covers roads close to the town centre, and Croydon Council lets residents in a controlled zone apply for a visitor day permit. Most roads further up the hills are uncontrolled, so a carer arriving with a suitcase can usually be dropped at the door.

Where the carer spends their break

A live-in carer is entitled to time off every day. In Purley a carer with two hours to themselves has a few good options within walking distance of the centre:

• Purley Library on Banstead Road, with free Wi-Fi and study spaces. It has two disabled parking bays on Foxley Lane, which also makes it an easy outing with your relative.
• The Tesco superstore near the library, for the weekly shop.
• Riddlesdown Common, open downland on the east side of Purley looked after by the City of London Corporation, or Woodcote Village Green to the west, for a walk.

If your relative cannot safely be alone, the care plan says who sits with them while the carer is off.

Coming home from Croydon University Hospital

Purley residents are admitted to and discharged from Croydon University Hospital in Thornton Heath, which is on the A23 London Road. The A23 runs straight back to Purley Cross, so the drive home is simple. Some follow-up clinics may be at Purley War Memorial Hospital, close to home.

Live-in care suits a discharge to Purley because the first days at home, with stairs, an upstairs bathroom and perhaps new medicines, are when a carer in the house helps most. Tell the ward early that the family wants care at home, then call us so we can assess before the discharge date. See hospital discharge support.

How much does live-in care cost in Purley?

It depends on the care needed, whether it is for one person or a couple, and what happens at night. We quote in writing after the free assessment, not over the phone. Purley is in the London Borough of Croydon, so Croydon Council handles needs assessments (online, or on 020 8726 6500) and then a financial assessment. Where needs are mainly health needs, ask about NHS Continuing Healthcare. Direct payments and the rest of the funding picture are on our live-in care in Croydon page, and the London-wide service is described under live-in care.

What we can help with in Purley

• 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