Live-in care vs assisted living
As a loved one’s care needs change, one of the most important decisions to make is choosing the right type of support that best fits their lifestyle, preferences, and support needs. Options can include live-in care, visiting care, residential care, or assisted living. In this article, we’ll be comparing live-in care and assisted living. While both provide essential care in a safe and familiar environment, they differ significantly in their settling, level of personalisation, and overall experience. Understanding the differences between these two types of care can ensure you make a confident, informed decision.
At Consultus Care and Nursing, we’ve been providing compassionate, highly-skilled live-in care and live-in nursing for over 60 years, helping people across the country to live safely, independently and happily in their own homes. We believe life is better at home, offering more people the freedom to make their own choices and live life their way.
What is live-in care?
Live-in care involves a dedicated professional carer moving into your home to provide around-the-clock assistance. This one-to-one level of continuous support ensures someone is always at hand to help with daily tasks, personal care, medication management, mobility, and companionship. The care offered is highly personalised, shaped entirely around the individual’s unique preferences, needs, and routines.
Live-in care is especially suited to those with specialist health conditions such as dementia, Parkinson’s, or those with limited mobility. It offers a reassuring alternative for those who would have otherwise needed to move into a care home.
When live-in care might be the better option
Live-in care could be the right for you when:
24/7 support is needed throughout the day and night.
The consistency and familiarity of care is important, such as when caring for someone living with dementia.
Specialist support is required for the management of a complex or progressive condition.
Companionship and emotional support are valued as highly as the practical care itself.
Families, especially those who live far away, can feel reassured knowing their loved one is never left alone at home and is receiving personalised care.
What is assisted living?
Assisted living refers to a residential setting where individuals live in private apartments or rooms within a shared community, receiving support with personal care, meals, and medication when needed. Assisted living housing can often include communal dining, planned social activities, and onsite staff for emergencies, though medical care is generally limited.
Assisted living may be an ideal choice for those who wish to downsize from a family home and prefer a social environment, where assistance is available when required. Moving into assisted living does mean having to leave your home, adapting to new surroundings, and shared communal spaces which may be difficult for some.
When assisted living might be the right choice
Assisted living may work for individuals or couples when:
Care needs are moderate, not requiring continuous one-to-one support around-the-clock
The individual is socially active and would benefit from communal living.
Family members want the reassurance that emergency assistance is available if needed.
What are the core differences between live-in care and assisted living?
Live-in care enables someone to remain in their own home with personalised, one-to-one care, while assisted living involves moving into a communal setting with scheduled support and shared amenities.
Live-in care
Assisted living
Availability
Personalisation
Independence
Emergency support
Companionship
Cost
Whilst live-in care is generally more expensive than assisted living, it's cost reflects the one-to-one personalisation of care, which cannot be matched by an assisted living facility. Assisted living fees should be reviewed closely too, as additional fees will often be charged for care, as well as other services, which can quickly add up.
What are the benefits of live-in care over assisted living?
While assisted living can provide a supportive community for those seeking social interaction, live-in care offers distinct benefits that many families value:
One-to-one care and support: A dedicated carer focused solely on your loved one’s needs
Familiar surroundings: No upheaval or stress of moving away from home
Continuity and consistency: Especially beneficial for those living with neurological conditions such as dementia
Emotional reassurance: Reduces feelings of loneliness and isolation, and promotes family reassurance
Couples stay together: Remaining at home can allow couples to stay together, at a more cost-effective price. In an assisted living environment, couples may be split up into separate rooms and face higher fees when compared to the cost of shared live-in care.
Talk to us today
Give us a call to discuss your needs with one of our friendly, expert Care Advisors. They will guide you through your options to ensure you make the right choice for you and your family.
Comparing the costs: live-in care vs assisted living
Cost is a key consideration for most families. Assisted living typically involves monthly fees that cover accommodation, meals, and some care, but additional charges will apply for higher support needs.
Live-in care, while a larger weekly investment, offers complete, one-to-one support without the need to move out of your home. For those with specialist needs, it can often be more cost-effective than paying for higher-tier assisted living packages or residential care.
Typical costs:
Assisted living: £800 - £1500 per week (plus additional charges for care services)
Live-in care: Live-in care with Consultus Care starts from £1,100 per week for our introductory services, or £1,575 for our managed live-in care and nursing service.
Live-in care with Consultus Care
At Consultus Care, we understand that every family's circumstances are unique. Our flexible, person-centred approach ensures care fits seamlessly around your loved one’s life, not the other way around.
If you’re considering live-in care or want to explore whether it’s the right option for your loved one, our friendly Care Advisors are here to help. Contact us on 01732 496715 or enquire online.
How to arrange live-in care
Speak to a Care Advisor
Our friendly, expert Care Advisors are here to guide you through your options, answer your important questions, whilst providing support along the way.
Care assessment
If you would like our managed live-in care service, a Care Consultant local to you, will complete a free assessment of your needs in your home.
Care starts
A fully trained carer will be carefully matched to meet your needs, and will start to provide our high-quality service in your home.
Why choose Consultus Care and Nursing?
One of the longest-established and most trusted providers
Founded in 1962, we have always been innovators in live-in care and live-in nursing. With over 60 years’ experience, we are one of the country’s longest-established, most highly recommended and experienced providers.
Unrivalled choice and control over your care
We understand that every person’s needs are different and every family’s situation is unique. With our choice of fully managed live-in care and nursing, and our introductory service, we offer more flexibility and personalisation than any other provider.
Highly trained nurses and carers
We are nationally recognised for the quality of our nurses and carers. With market-leading training, delivered at our own, multi-award-winning training centre, they provide exemplary, compassionate care tailored to individual needs, offering total peace of mind for clients and their families.
Expert care and support, dedicated to you
Our Care Consultants oversee our nursing and managed care services supporting only a small number of families. This means our service is truly personal, with unrivalled support and continuity of care. Reassurance that we are there when you need us most.
Family-founded, family-owned
We continue to be a family-owned and family-managed business. The largest wholly family-owned live-in care provider in the UK, we focus on what our clients and their families need from a high-quality care service, not on meeting investors’ expectations.
Looking for care?
Please fill out the enquiry form below and we will aim to contact you within 24 hours. Looking to work for Consultus Care and Nursing? Please apply here.