Frequently Asked Questions
Getting Started
How do I know if it’s the right time to consider care?
The clearest sign is usually a collection of small changes rather than one moment: everyday tasks feeling harder, less confidence managing alone, or more worry between family visits. If you have started asking the question, it is worth talking through.
Our guide on when is the right time for home care walks through the signs, and we are happy to listen even if you are not ready to decide anything.
What is the best way to start the conversation with a parent or loved one?
Start gently, and frame it as support rather than a decision being made for them. An opening like ‘I have been thinking about ways we could make life feel a little easier’ keeps the conversation kind and open.
It often takes more than one conversation, and that is normal. Going at their pace usually matters more than finding perfect words.
What if I’m worried about raising the topic of care with my parent?
Feeling unsure about raising it is completely normal, and many families we support first contacted us on behalf of a parent. One gentle option is an informal visit that is simply a chat: nothing is assessed and nothing is decided.
If you expect resistance, the answer to ‘What if my parent refuses help?’ further down may help too.
Do I need a referral or can I contact you directly?
No referral is needed. Families contact Starling Homecare directly, whether support is needed now or you are simply gathering information. Call us or use our contact page to start the conversation.
Can I speak to someone before making any decisions?
Yes. You can talk everything through with us by phone, or we can visit you at home if that feels easier, before any decision is made. The conversation is free and its only purpose is to give you information that actually helps.
What happens in the first phone call or visit?
The first conversation is a relaxed chat about routines, needs and preferences, where we answer your questions and explain how support could work. Nothing is signed and nothing is decided; it is how both of us find out whether we feel like the right fit.
Can we try care for a short time and see how it feels?
Yes. Many families start with a short-term package, especially after a hospital stay or during a family break, and every Starling care package is covered by our 90-day risk-free guarantee, so you can cancel at any time.
Respite and short-term care explains the options.
Choosing the Right Care
What types of care do you offer at home?
We provide personal care, companionship, dementia care, medication support, help after a hospital stay, respite and live-in care across Hertfordshire. Visits start from 30 minutes, and support is shaped around what matters to you, whether you need a little help or a lot.
What is the difference between personal care and companionship care?
Personal care is hands-on support with washing, dressing, mobility and using the bathroom. Companionship care is about wellbeing and connection: conversation, a walk, a shopping trip or a visit to a favourite café. Many people blend the two in the same visit.
See personal care and companionship care for more detail.
Can we combine different types of support?
Yes. Many care plans blend services, such as personal care in the morning and companionship later the same day. Your plan can combine whatever works best for your routine, lifestyle and comfort.
What is the difference between visiting care and live-in care?
Visiting care means a carer comes to your home at set times, with visits from 30 minutes. Live-in care means a carer lives in your home and supports you around the clock. The right option depends on how much help is needed and what feels most comfortable.
Can I change the type of care we receive later on?
Yes, at any time. Care plans are designed to evolve: if your needs change or something is not working, we talk it through and adjust, whether that means more visits, fewer, or a different type of support.
Do you offer short-term support after hospital discharge?
Yes. We regularly support people coming home from hospital, helping with routines, medication, meals and daily tasks while strength returns. It can be a short-term arrangement or the start of longer support.
What if my needs change over time?
Your care plan changes as life does. We check in regularly, review what is working and adapt the plan with you, guiding each step whether you need more support, less, or something different.
How do I know what the right care is for me, or how many hours I need?
You do not need to know before speaking to us; guiding that decision is our job. We ask the right questions about routines and preferences, then set out a recommendation in writing for you to consider in your own time.
Cost & Funding
How much does care at home cost?
Home care with Starling Homecare starts from £34 for a 30-minute visit, and live-in care from £255 a day. The exact cost depends on the support you need, so once we understand your situation you receive a written quote before anything begins, with no hidden fees.
Our care funding guide sets out costs, what is included and the help available in Hertfordshire.
What is included in your pricing? Are there any hidden charges?
Everything agreed in your care plan is included, and there are no hidden charges: no extra for PPE, no charge for your carer’s travel to and from your home, and no premium for early morning or evening visits. The rate you are quoted is the rate you pay.
For live-in care, the day rate is accompanied by a weekly food allowance, set out clearly in your quote.
Do you charge for visits, phone calls or assessments?
No. Initial advice, care planning conversations and visits before care starts are free, and you are welcome to speak with us as many times as you need.
Can I get help with the cost of care from the council or NHS?
Yes, many families qualify for help. The two main routes are local authority funding, which is means-tested through your council, and NHS Continuing Healthcare for complex health needs. We can explain both and point you to the right starting place.
The care funding guide covers eligibility, thresholds and how to apply.
What is NHS Continuing Healthcare and could I qualify?
NHS Continuing Healthcare is a care package arranged and fully funded by the NHS for people with long-term or complex health needs. Eligibility depends on the level of care required, not the diagnosis. If you think it might apply, we can help you understand the basics and prepare for an assessment.
What are Direct Payments and how do they work?
Direct Payments are local authority care funding paid directly to you, giving you choice and control over who delivers your care, including an independent provider like Starling Homecare. If you are eligible, we can talk through how they work in practice.
Do you offer flexible packages for different budgets?
Yes. Support ranges from a single 30-minute visit through to full-time live-in care, so a plan can be shaped around most budgets, and we are always upfront about costs: visits from £34, live-in care from £255 a day.
Planning & Flexibility
How quickly can care start?
In urgent situations care can usually start within a day or two. Otherwise we plan around the date that suits you. We understand families work to different timescales, so we go at your pace and keep you informed at every step.
Can we have care for a few weeks or a short-term period?
Yes. Short-term care over a few weeks is common after a hospital stay, during recovery, or while a family carer takes a break, and there is no need to commit beyond the period you have in mind.
Do we have to sign a long-term contract?
No. There are no long-term or fixed-term contracts at Starling Homecare, and every package carries our 90-day risk-free guarantee: you can cancel at any time. You choose the level and frequency of care, and change it as needs evolve.
What happens if I want to pause or stop care?
You can pause or stop care whenever you choose; the decision is always yours. If you are moving to a care home or taking a different path, we will support that transition properly, because how care ends matters as much as how it begins.
Can I change the care plan once it’s started?
Yes, whenever you need to. We review your plan regularly, and if anything feels off we talk it through and adjust it as your needs change.
Can care be provided while a family member is away or on holiday?
Yes, this is one of the most common reasons families call us. Care can be in place before you go away, run for a few days or several weeks, and pause or change once you are back.
Can you support care planning alongside NHS or hospital discharge teams?
Yes. We work alongside local hospitals, GPs and community health teams, help make the move home after a hospital stay smooth, and keep family and healthcare professionals on the same page.
People & Continuity
Will we have the same carer every time?
Wherever possible, yes. You will see a small, consistent core team, because familiarity is most of what makes care feel right. Occasional changes happen with illness or holiday, but we keep your team as stable as possible.
Can we meet the carer before care starts?
Yes. We can introduce your carer before care begins, and many families find that first meeting settles everyone.
What happens if we don’t feel comfortable with a carer?
Tell us, and we will put it right. If a carer does not feel like the right fit we listen and find someone better suited, and you will never be made to feel uncomfortable for raising it.
Do carers arrive on time and stay for the full visit?
Yes. Visits are scheduled with care, and carers arrive on time and stay for the full visit; we do not cut visits short. If a delay ever happens, we keep you informed rather than leave you wondering.
How do you choose the right carer for each person?
We match on character as well as capability. Alongside practical skills, we look at personality and the ability to build a genuine connection, so the person walking through the door feels like a natural fit.
Will I have input into who visits my home?
Yes. Your preferences and feedback shape who visits your home, and we do our best to accommodate them. Feeling safe, respected and comfortable with your carer is the point of everything else.
Are you registered with the CQC?
Yes. Starling Homecare is registered with the Care Quality Commission, the independent regulator of health and social care in England, and we work to its fundamental standards. You can verify any provider’s registration at cqc.org.uk.
Our guide to questions to ask a home care provider explains how to check a provider’s registration and why it matters.
How are your carers selected to join the Starling Homecare team?
Through values-based recruitment: every Starling carer is reference checked, DBS checked and assessed at interview for compassion, professionalism and genuine respect for others, because character matters as much as skill.
Reassurance & Trust
What if my parent refuses help or says they don’t need care?
This is more common than many families realise, and it usually comes from fear of change or pride in staying independent. We start with understanding and respect: an informal visit that is simply a conversation, with nothing assessed and nothing decided, often opens the door gently.
How do you handle sensitive personal care?
With respect, privacy and patience at every step. We take time to understand what someone is comfortable with: who provides the care, how it is delivered and the pace it is introduced. Our carers are trained to preserve dignity and build trust, not just to help physically.
What if I feel guilty about bringing in help?
Guilt is one of the most common feelings families bring to us, and it usually means you care. Support at home does not replace what you do; it adds structure, reassurance and consistency around it. Asking for help is not letting someone down.
How do you protect privacy and dignity during care?
By asking permission, listening carefully, and never rushing or assuming. From how someone likes things done to who is present during care, we shape every visit around what feels right, and we treat being welcomed into someone’s home as a privilege.
What if I am still not sure what we need?
You do not need anything figured out before you speak to us. We listen first, ask a few helpful questions and give you a clearer view of the options; deciding nothing today is a perfectly good outcome of a first conversation.
Can someone come and talk things through with us in person?
Yes. We can visit you and your loved one at home for a quiet, unhurried conversation: space to ask questions, think things through and get to know us, with nothing to commit to on the day.
How do I know I’m not overreacting by considering care at home?
Noticing changes, asking questions and looking ahead is not overreacting; it is being thoughtful and proactive. You do not need to wait for a crisis to put gentle support in place, and acting early usually means better choices, made calmly.
Arranging Care Is Simple
Starting care can feel like a big step. We keep it calm and straightforward, and we are here from your very first call to help you explore what might feel right, whether that is with us or simply pointing you in the right direction.
1. Talk to us
Get in touch by phone or request a callback. We will listen, answer your questions and help you understand the options, so you can decide in your own time.
2. A home visit and initial consultation
We arrange a visit to understand your routines, your home and what matters most to you. Together we agree an initial consultation and shape the support that feels right.
3. Your care begins
A small, familiar team starts your care, arriving at the agreed times and staying involved as your needs change. We remain your trusted adviser throughout.
Whenever you are ready, we are here to help.