Elderly people who cannot manage alone at home might benefit more from live-in care, says a Gloucestershire care expert.
Clare Janik, the Managing Director of Corinium Care in Nailsworth has joined national calls for greater awareness of live-in care.
"Live-in care is not only a good and affordable option for thousands of people in the UK, it also forms an essential part of the care landscape," said Mrs Janik.
"It benefits the individual because it means they can maintain their independence and stay in their own home as long as possible.
"It reduces pressure on the NHS because it helps keep thousands of older people out of hospitals, and enables them to go home sooner rather than taking up much-needed beds.
"And finally it boosts the economy because it's a rapidly growing part of the private sector."
Award-winning Corinium Care, based in George St, Nailsworth, is one of the leading live-in care agencies in Britain and provides 24-hour care for older and vulnerable people in their own homes.
The company has expanded rapidly since its formation in 1995 and now has 17 staff in Gloucestershire and more than 800 registered carers.
"The problem we face as an industry is that live-in care is hardly mentioned when the issue of the ageing population comes up at Westminster and within the NHS.
"There is a lot of discussion about care homes and the spiralling costs of social care, but the existence of live-in care as an alternative is not significantly recognised.
"It's up to those of us in the industry who believe passionately about it to stand up and promote it as an affordable option which provides quality care."
"When we discuss how to face the challenges of an ageing population, we cannot ignore the question of where the money for social care and health care is going to come from," said Mrs Janik.
"In that context, it makes sense for the live-in care sector to lift its head above the parapet and to play a more visible role in the provision jigsaw so that the best care choices can be made.
"We know that, generally, older people want to stay in their own home for as long as possible, surrounded by a lifetime of memories and things they hold dear. Live-in care helps to make that happen."
