15 questions you should always ask when considering live-in care

Dovida’s Live-in Care service delivers a fully managed, flexible Care Plan which provides clients with up to seven hours of one-to-one care every day. Clients and family members value the continuity of care, security, and peace of mind that comes with Dovida’s Live-in Care services. 

The concept of live-in care – where a caregiver moves in with a client – is becoming established in the Irish home care market, as more people seek alternatives to nursing home care. But standards and practices of delivery vary considerably from provider to provider.

Dovida was among the first home care companies to offer this attractive model of continuous and longer-term support in Ireland, when we introduced the service in 2019. We have the experience to manage this service at the highest standards, matching clients with great Live-in Caregivers, and ensuring the best possible outcomes for both. 

Over the years, we’ve continually invested in developing and improving the service – our national Live-in Care team works hand-in-hand with local offices to ensure Dovida’s Live-in service is unmatched in terms of quality, continuity and client satisfaction.

When considering live-in care, clients and their families have asked us great questions about how the model works. We’d advise anyone who is exploring this service to put the same questions to any provider in the market, so we’ve replicated 15 of these questions for you below. 

We’ve also provided our own responses to the questions – but don’t let that stop you from picking up the phone and learning even more about Dovida’s Live-in Care service in a free, no-obligation care consultation with your local Dovida office!

1. How many weeks does it take to set up your Live-in Care service? 

With Dovida, clients are carefully matched and begin receiving care within 2-3 weeks, depending on complexity and availability. 

2. What is the consistency of Live-in Caregivers over time? 

Dovida prioritises continuity. We operate two-month rotations working with two Caregivers. 

3. Is the company authorised to provide HSE Home Support Services? 

Dovida has been an approved provider of HSE Home Support Services for more than 20 years. If you receive such support services, you can use your allocated hours to offset the cost of Live-in Care. If you already have HSE hours in place with another provider, it’s important to know that you can choose to change your HSE hours to Dovida so that you have full continuity of care. We can discuss all of this with you during your free, no-obligation care consultation.

4. How does the company respond to a Live-in Caregiver becoming sick or taking annual leave? 

Dovida’s local offices provide cover and replacements to ensure uninterrupted care during carer absences. 

5. Does the company ensure all carers have the necessary authorisation to reside and work in Ireland (i.e., visas?) 

Dovida has robust recruitment practices guarantees all our Live-in Caregivers have the necessary authorisation to reside and work in Ireland. 

6. Does the company Garda-vet and run international police clearances in all relevant countries. 

Dovida’s dedicated recruitment team follows all Garda-vetting and IPC best practice. Client safety and well-being is paramount to us, no Caregiver is placed with a client without successfully meeting of these legal requirements, and our own Client-Caregiver matching policies add an additional layer of comfort to the client and their families in terms of safe and successful service delivery. 

7. Does the company employ their carers and therefore pay the carer directly and handle all payroll taxes? 

Dovida’s Live-in Caregivers are employees of the company. All employment and payroll responsibilities are handled directly by Dovida. 

8. What carer training does the company provide for new and existing carers? 

Dovida offers comprehensive onboarding and ongoing training through its in-house Home Care Professionals Academy, including modules on dementia, seizures, manual handling, medication support, and person-centred care. All Live-in Caregivers have a minimum of 6 months’ professional experience before starting with a client as well of full training and onboarding. 

9. Does the company’s live-in care provide a 5-day, 6-day or a 7-day service? 

This is a very important question. Some clients find a 5-day service will best suit their requirements, for instance, if they have family members who can provide care at weekends. Other clients prefer the full 7-day service. Some companies are unable to provide this level of flexibility – Dovida can. 

10. How many hours a week can the live-in carer work? 

Dovida’s Live-in Caregivers are on active duty for 7 hours per day, 6 days per week, totalling 42 hours per week. This can be across multiple interventions throughout the day, based on the client’s needs. For clients who require the full 7-day service, care is provided by a local Dovida Caregiver on the Live-in Caregiver’s day off. 

11. Does the company insure the caregivers? 

All Dovida Caregivers are fully insured, whether they provide Live-in Care or any other type of care. 

12. What is the scope of service provided by the carer? 

Services include personal care, companionship, mobility support, medication assistance, household help, and more tailored to each client’s needs. You can see our full range of services at this link. 

13. How does the company ensure the carer delivers a quality service? 

Quality is ensured through ongoing reviews, supervision, training, and feedback mechanisms managed by Care Managers in the local office. 

14. How does the company understand what matters to me and capture that in a support plan? 

Dovida conducts in-home consultations and builds a personalised care plan based on your preferences, routines, and goals. 

15. What assessments are done by the company to ensure provision of high-quality care? 

Dovida performs initial and ongoing assessments, including health, safety, and wellbeing checks, to maintain high standards of care. 

Choosing live-in care, and a live-in care provider, is a very important decision for clients and families to make. The service offers a real alternative to long-term care in a residential setting, and comes with significant benefits to the client and the family. But it’s very important that decision-makers have a clear understanding of how their service will be delivered, and that all the necessary safeguards are in place to ensure the service is successful. 

We hope that you find these questions and answers useful when you are exploring your live-in care options. It’s quite likely you will have many more questions, depending on your own circumstances and requirements. We can work with you to understand your unique needs and match you with the right support.

Find out more about Dovida’s Live-in Care Service – book a free, no-obligation care consultation today.