Everyone could use an occasional break from their caregiving duties to relax and take care of their personal affairs. Our elderly sitting service ensures your loved ones are well taken care of by an experienced elderly sitter whilst family members are afforded time away from their caregiving role.
Our sitting service for the elderly is provided as live-in respite care. An experienced Oxford Aunts’ carer will come to live with you in your home to provide the care and support you need, with as much independence, choice and dignity as possible.
For over 50 years, Oxford Aunts has provided elderly sitting services throughout Oxfordshire and its surrounding counties. Located in the heart of Oxford, our reputation is built on high standards of live-in care and local expertise trusted by families throughout our community and beyond.
We are proud to have cared for thousands of people since 1967, enabling them to stay safely and happily in the comfort of their own homes, whilst providing much-needed peace of mind for their families.
What is an elderly sitter?
An elderly sitter is someone specially trained to provide care and support to older adults and help them with their daily needs. Beyond just practical assistance, elderly sitters also offer companionship and emotional support. Elderly sitters often become trusted friends who are there to ensure the well-being and happiness of the older person and give family caregivers a bit of relief from their caregiving responsibilities.
Unlike conventional caregivers, an elderly sitter encourages independence. Their presence is designed to assist without taking over, empowering the elderly to maintain a sense of autonomy and control in their daily lives.
Caring for an elderly loved one involves many emotional and physical demands. Elderly sitters provide not only practical assistance but also a friendly presence, making the caregiving experience much more than just a service—it often becomes a source of meaningful companionship for the entire family.
What are the benefits of elderly sitters?
An elderly sitter provides older adults with the practical support and companionship they need to enjoy the best quality of life possible. Here are just some of the benefits of a sitting service for the elderly.
- Tailored round-the-clock care
When elderly sitting services are provided as live-in care, carers are always on hand to meet the evolving needs of individuals throughout the day. This level of one-to-one care and attention can be difficult to achieve even in the best residential care settings.
- Early intervention for dementia
In the early and mid stages of dementia, elderly sitting services play a crucial role in managing symptoms of memory loss and confusion. Carers assist with daily tasks like managing appointments, cooking safely, and facilitating outings, promoting independence while providing a safety net for people experiencing cognitive challenges.
- Recovery from hospital discharge
People recently discharged from the hospital often require non-medical care for a smooth recovery process. Our elderly sitters can contribute to a positive recovery by ensuring a safe home environment, assisting with mobility challenges, and addressing nutritional needs. This reduces the likelihood of unnecessary hospital readmissions and fewer slips and falls.
- Respite and peace of mind for family
Elderly sitting services provide peace of mind to the entire family. Knowing that a dedicated carer is present to offer companionship and assistance alleviates many concerns. Family members who actively participate in caregiving also benefit from regular respite to help prevent burnout and ensure quality family time.
- Combating social isolation
Regular visits from elderly sitters are vital in reducing feelings of isolation for older individuals living alone. Chronic isolation can have detrimental effects on mental health, contributing to negative thoughts and low self-esteem. Elderly sitting services provide companionship, reducing the risk of physical health problems associated with prolonged social isolation.
What are your elderly sitting options?
Our flexible, live-in elderly sitting service can support your care needs in many different situations, including:
- 24-hour live-in care for anyone with ageing or health limitations who needs around-the-clock care and support to enjoy a good quality of life.
- A respite service following hospital discharge or for those needing rehabilitation from an injury or illness. Our respite service can also give your regular carer a break whilst you see whether home care would work for you and your family.
- Specialist care of complex conditions like dementia, Parkinson’s or cancer can be supported with one-to-one live-in care, where there is more opportunity for high-quality care to be provided. You really do not need to move into a care home if you have a complex condition.
- Care for couples enables you to stay together as a loving couple with the personalised support you need.
Our elderly sitting service includes:
- A comprehensive assessment of your needs – our assessment will address not just your care needs but how you wish to live your life.
- Careful matching of an experienced and dedicated carer who will meet all your needs
- A highly tailored care plan created using a multidisciplinary approach in consultation with other healthcare professionals and community organisations involved in your care, as well as your family members or loved ones, where appropriate.
- Unrivalled support from a team of two care management experts local to you.
- Domestic and household tasks.
- Cooking, meal planning, shopping and preparation.
- 24-hour a day out-of-hours emergency support should you need it.
How can our live-in elderly sitting service help?
An Oxford Aunts’ experienced and dedicated carer will provide a range of live-in elderly sitting care services in the comfort of your home, including:
Why choose Oxford Aunts?
A fully managed service provides peace of mind
At Oxford Aunts, we know how worrying it can be when organising long term care – we just want our loved one to receive the best care and live a good life. When choosing a live-in care provider, you have a choice as to whether you use an introduction agency or a fully managed service provider like Oxford Aunts.
Our fully managed and regulated live-in care service means our carers are directly employed and managed by us while caring for you. They are supported by a care management team made up of care experts who ensure they are supervised and supported to provide the high standards of care our clients should expect. If you use an introduction agency, you will be left to manage the carer, pay them and organise holiday cover once you are introduced to them and they start to care for you.
For the many families that Oxford Aunts support, we know this provides lots of reassurance whilst removing the burden of carefully managing the care arrangement for their family member or loved one.
Rated ‘good’ by the Care Quality Commission (cqc)
We are proud to have been rated ‘Good’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in all five measures – safe, caring, effective, responsive and well-led. We know this provides families with peace and mind that their loved one is receiving the best possible care.
Unrivalled support near you
We operate throughout Oxfordshire and its surrounding counties. Each regional team is made up of a dedicated Care Assessor local to you who is on hand to provide support to you, your family and our carer. They are supported by a Care Manager at our central office who handles all other aspects of care delivery to ensure a quality service is delivered every time.
Arrange elderly sitting services
At Oxford Aunts, we make it as straightforward as possible to organise an elderly sitting service with us.
- Get in touch
You can begin by getting in touch with our friendly and approachable team. They will be able to discuss your care needs and arrange for a free, no-obligation home assessment for you.
- Meet your care assessor
During the home assessment, one of our expert care assessors will meet with you and your family to discuss your care needs. This will allow our care assessor to create a highly personalised plan of care that will ensure all your needs are met.
- Approve your care plan and meet your elderly sitter
Once you have approved the care plan, we will confirm in writing the level of care we will provide and the weekly cost. We will then work with you to find you the right carer who is experienced to meet your specific care needs and is aligned with your background, interests and values.