I have been re-reading Anna Arstein-Kerslake’s book, Restoring Voice to People with Cognitive Disabilities. And it has made me reflect on the adults I care for as a live-in carer. Many of them live with cognitive disabilities such as dementia or the after-effects of stroke. Although their situations may not precisely align with the examples in the book, the central principle still applies. We must see each person as a whole individual, not as a diagnosis or condition.
I’ve entered a strange stage of life where I find myself constantly reflecting on ageing—and realising that time moves unforgivingly fast. I notice how easily we rush through our days without paying attention to the little things, which often mean more than anything else. I see how strong, capable people eventually reach a point where they become dependent on us—the carers.
Continue reading “What Ageing Taught Me About Living”Sharing is caring
You know what really gets me? When people talk about getting older, they always throw around numbers – like turning 70 or 80 is some deadline where everything falls apart. But working in live-in care has completely changed how I see all this.
Continue reading “Ageing Isn’t Just About Age—It’s About Ability, Dignity, and Voice”Sharing is caringYou know what’s weird? I’ve probably talked more about incontinence problems, memory hiccups, feeling lonely, and what people want when they’re dying than most of my friends ever will. That’s just part of the job when you’re living in someone’s home, helping them through their later years.
Continue reading “Why We Need to Talk About Ageing Before It Happens to Us”Sharing is caring
As a live-in carer, I often encounter situations where our well-meaning actions can unintentionally take away independence rather than support it. To counter this, I recently created a Benable list of independent living aids that, in my experience, encourage independence and give individuals back a sense of control over their lives.
Continue reading “Everyday Independent Living Aids That Make Life Easier”Sharing is caring
When the rest of the country is switching off, lighting barbecues, or heading to the coast for a long weekend, live-in carers are often still very much on. Bank holidays, while a welcome break for many, can look very different when you’re working in someone’s home — especially when that home is also your workplace. That’s the reality of bank holidays and live-in care: while others celebrate, our work continues.
Continue reading “Why Live-In Carers Don’t Have Bank Holidays”Sharing is caring
When you live and work in someone’s home, the ability to “switch off” can be very challenging. Taking breaks in live-in care is not always straightforward — the person you’re looking after may find endless reasons why they need you right this minute. Sometimes it’s not even them, but an unusual sound in the house that makes you double-check all is well.
Continue reading “How to Spend Your Breaks as a Live-In Carer”Sharing is caringThe last two weeks have felt like an endless game of pass-the-problem, only no one seems to want to catch it. That’s the reality of navigating NHS challenges as a live-in carer—you’re the one trying to connect all the missing pieces while keeping your client safe and comfortable.
Continue reading “When the NHS Feels Like a Maze”Sharing is caring
No matter how many times I do this job, I never quite get used to the goodbyes.
There’s a quiet sort of ache that comes with leaving a care placement. Sometimes it’s expected — a planned discharge, a return home, a family stepping in. Other times, it comes with loss. But no matter the reason, walking out of a home where you’ve lived, worked, and cared always feels heavier than you think it will.
Continue reading “Leaving a Placement: The Bittersweet Goodbye”Sharing is caring
I didn’t realise how easy professional boundaries blur, especially when you live in someone’s home and their routine becomes yours. Live-in care is a job, but sometimes it becomes something much more human. Something more complicated. Something more tender.
Continue reading “The Bonds We Build: When Carers Become Family”Sharing is caring
