Providing the choice to be cared for in your own home

Home Care Glossary

Live-in Care

• An increasingly popular form of home care, and Cooksbridge Care's speciality.
• An excellent alternative to residential care for anyone who prefers to live in their own home.
• Our Care Workers stay with you in your home for the period of their booking.
• They are close at hand to assist with care and domestic tasks.

Personal Care

Describes assistance with a variety of things such as washing, getting dressed, care of hair and teeth and helping with going to the toilet.

Home Help / Domestic Help

Normally describe housework, shopping and odd jobs rather than Personal Care.

Housekeeper

Normally refers to a full time domestic helper or domestic manager, often a live-in role.

Domiciliary Care / Home Care

Both mean care provided for you in your own home, of which Live-in Care - as provided by Cooksbridge Care - is one type.

24-hour Care

Often used to describe live-in care; but please be aware that though a Cooksbridge Care Worker will be close at hand the greater part of the day, and also at night if needed, they will require sleep and break times as well, so cannot provide true 24-hour care. If full 24-hour care is required then a rota of care normally needs to be arranged.

Living-in Care / Live-in Caring

Other names for Live-in Care, but easily confused with "living in care", which can mean foster care, a care home or supported housing, among other things.

Support Work in the Home

A general term describing any aspect of help at home which could include Personal Care, or could be other forms of support such as social or financial support.

Sleep-ins / Waking Nights / Night Sitters

Describes what is expected of the Care Worker during the night. A Live-in Care Worker generally offers Sleep-in services where they are available 'on-call' if required, but expect to sleep at night. In contrast a Night Sitter or Waking Night Care Worker will expect to work through the night, and is more suitable for someone who needs frequent attendance during the night.

Carers

Now more often used to describe family members who care for their relatives. Those who actually do care work as a job are called Care Workers for clarity.

Care Assistants

A previous term for Care Workers, now regarded as less correct.

Care Givers

An alternative term for Care Workers, often used in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

Permanent Carer / Permanent Care Job

Can mean different things to different people, so not a helpful description. Not applicable to Cooksbridge Care Workers, who work on a rota basis rather than with just one Client.

Residential Care

Can describe Live-in Care, because the Care Worker and Care Services provided are resident with the Client. However, more commonly used to refer to a Care Home or Nursing Home.

Respite Care

Temporary care to give a regular Carer (a family member, for instance) time off. Cooksbridge Care Services are increasingly asked to arrange Respite Care at home. Alternatively it could involve a short stay in a Care Home.

• If you would like more information about Live-in Care please go to the Clients section of this site.
• If you would like information on being a Cooksbridge Care Worker please go to the Care Workers section.