Live-in Care in Waltham Forest

First question: where would the carer sleep?

A live-in carer needs a bedroom of their own, somewhere to keep their things, and use of the kitchen and bathroom. In Waltham Forest, whether that exists depends a great deal on which end of the borough you are in.

In Chingford, Highams Park and Chingford Mount (E4), most homes are interwar semis and terraces with gardens, and they are more likely than flats further south to have a spare bedroom. Where there is one, live-in care can usually be set up without any building work.

In Walthamstow and Leyton, many people live in Warner flats or converted Victorian terraces. An upper Warner flat can have two or three bedrooms, but there is a steep staircase just inside the front door. If the person being cared for can no longer manage stairs, a live-in carer can help them safely through the day, but it is worth asking for an occupational therapy assessment for a stairlift or rails at the same time. In a one-bedroom flat, whether in a 1960s block like Slade Tower in Leyton or a new-build on the High Road, live-in care is not possible. Visiting care or extra care housing are the options there.

How much does live-in care cost in Waltham Forest?

We cannot give you a fair figure until we have seen the situation, so we quote in writing after the assessment. The price depends on how much help is needed, whether it is for one person or two, and whether someone needs help at night as well as in the day.

The bigger question for most families is who pays. If you ask Waltham Forest Council for a needs assessment (Adult Social Care Team, 020 8496 3130) and eligible needs are found, the council carries out a financial assessment. If the council contributes, the money can be taken as a direct payment, managed by the person or by someone nominated for them. The council also allows a mixed package, part direct payment and part council-arranged. If someone's needs are mainly health needs, for example after a major stroke or with advanced neurological illness, ask about NHS Continuing Healthcare, which the NHS funds in full. Our paying for care guide explains each route.

Live-in care, extra care housing or a care home

When a social worker in Waltham Forest says that someone can no longer manage at home with visits, the conversation usually turns to two options. One is a care home. The other is the council's extra care housing, which offers self-contained flats with lifts and care staff on site 24 hours a day. Both mean moving.

Live-in care is the option that does not. The person keeps their own bed, their own kitchen, and the walk to the Wood Street market or along Chingford Plain that they have done for years. It suits people whose needs are steady and who would be unsettled by a move, including many people living with dementia. A care home may be the better choice when someone needs two people to move them at all hours, or needs nursing care around the clock. We will say so at the assessment if we think that applies.

One carer for a husband and wife

Chingford and Highams Park have an older population than the south of the borough, and many owners have lived in the same house for decades. When one of them needs a lot of care, the usual options often mean one partner moves into residential care and the other stays at home alone. A live-in carer can support both of them in their own home. That might mean full personal care for one and a lighter hand for the other: cooking for two, help getting to the GP, and someone else in the house if there is a fall. Tell us about both people at the assessment so the care plan covers each of them.

The carer's breaks, and who covers them

A live-in carer is entitled to a proper break every day, a night's sleep, and holidays. During the daily break, a family member can step in, or the person can go to an activity: the council's Dementia Hub on Sidmouth Road in Leyton runs sessions on weekdays, and Age UK Waltham Forest runs activities from Hall Lane in Chingford. For holidays and longer absences, we arrange a replacement carer in advance and introduce them before the handover. If someone needs help several times a night, one carer cannot work all day and all night too, and we will plan that properly with you.

Why it doesn't matter that we're based in Lewisham

For visiting care, the 70 to 80 minutes between our office and Chingford is a real problem. For live-in care, it hardly matters, because the carer lives in the home and travels there at the start of their placement, not every morning. They do not need a car, which is useful in streets with controlled parking and the low-traffic Mini-Holland roads. The Weaver line, Victoria line and Central line bring a replacement carer into the borough from anywhere in London. What matters is how well we match the carer to the household and how closely Jackie stays in touch from the office.

What we can help with in Waltham Forest

• 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