When looking for care within the UK, it helps to understand how your needs or the needs of a loved one may affect the choices of care that may be suitable. The reasons for needing care may vary, and the length of care or where care is received can depend on the individual. When using Pairly.com to search for care, we focus on specialisms to help you pinpoint the care you need and match you with the perfect care provider near you. This article covers some of the overarching care categories you may encounter on your search.
What are the main types of adult care?
Home care
Live-in care
Residential Care
Nursing Care
Home Care
Home care is ideal for people who may need a helping hand with day-to-day activities. A carer will visit at the required times to assist in any way needed and the amount of support an individual receives can be anywhere from 30 minutes to the whole day or overnight and help with tasks such as but not limited to:
Taking medication
Personal care
Housekeeping
Companionship
Enabling (going out and doing activities)
Home care allows people to receive support while still living independently and staying close to friends, family or pets. If you are unsure of how much support you may need, our Care Calculator is available and only requires you to answer a few simple questions to match your needs to the amount of care time that may be required.
Live-in Care
When needing more support and extra companionship, live-in care can be a great option. Carers will live with the individual, to help support with various tasks, like home care, live-in care is a great option for individuals who want to preserve their independence and remain in their own homes. When choosing your care provider, check which specialisms they can offer as everyone's needs and care requirements are different.
Residential Care
Staying long-term in a residential care home can be a better option for those who don't want or are unsafe to be left alone in their own home, which may be the best option for people with needs beyond standard care or specialist requirements. With a team of care assistants on hand night and day, they can ensure a loved one is completely cared for. Residential Care offers an individual the option of being supported 24 hours a day by qualified Care Assistants. Residential Care is often seen as a “last resort” for families, but residential care can often give loved ones more opportunities to socialise and connect with others. Care homes offer a wide range of facilities and activities such as tea parties, playing games and community events.
If you aren't sure how to start your search for a care home, you can check out our guide on finding the right care home for you or a loved one.
Nursing Care
Nursing care helps people who may have more complex needs and health issues by having a trained healthcare professional on hand. Nursing care can be offered as care at home, live-in care or residential care. Specially trained carers will be overseen by a fully qualified nurse to ensure all requirements are met.
Palliative care
Palliative care is a broad term for services provided to people with life-threatening illnesses. Many people associate palliative care with end-of-life care, which it does include but is not limited to. You can receive palliative care at home, in a care home or a hospice depending on the circumstances and family preferences. When in need of palliative care, a healthcare provider may refer you to a specialist however, you can also request a referral.
When looking for care
Looking for care can be a daunting and sometimes stressful task as many people aren’t sure where to start looking for help or what requirements they need. Here are some useful tools to help in your search.
Pairly Care Calculator
Our care calculator is an extremely useful tool which can help estimate the amount of care you may need per day. By answering 11 simple questions, we can instantly give you a time estimate based on your needs.
Compare Care Providers
Usine Pairly, you can see CQC and user ratings to help you make an informed decision. Care providers in your local area may also offer different specialisms such as help with dementia, personal care and physical disabilities or have different prices depending on the care they provide.
Pairly makes it easy to see all provider information from price estimates, ratings and live availability. Once you have found something that suits your needs, you can instantly book a care request which goes directly to your chosen care provider.