Night and overnight care at home
When someone you love is not safe or settled at night, the whole family stops sleeping. Overnight care brings a kind, trained carer into your home for the night, so your mum or dad is safe and you can finally rest.
It is not just your mum or dad who has stopped sleeping. It is you too.
If you are reading this at two in the morning, you are probably exhausted. Maybe your dad has got up again and you are worried he will fall on the stairs. Maybe your mum is up and dressed at four and you cannot settle her. Maybe you have not slept properly in a year and you are running on nothing.
Overnight care is unusual because it is not only the person receiving care who has stopped sleeping. It is the family too. A wife, a husband, a daughter or a son, lying awake listening for the next time they are needed. We want you to know that this is exactly the situation overnight support is for.
A carer comes into your home for the night. They are there so your mum or dad is safe, helped and not alone. And they are there so that you can close your eyes and sleep, knowing someone else is watching over things. Overnight carers are trained to work through the small hours, so your loved one gets the help they need and you get the rest you have been missing.
Waking nights and sleeping nights, explained properly
Most people have no idea what the difference is, and it is the one thing that decides what suits your family and what it costs. Here it is in plain English.
A sleeping night
The overnight carer stays and sleeps, but they are there if your mum needs them. This suits someone who might need the toilet once in the night, or who is simply frightened on their own. The carer has somewhere to sleep and comes if they are called.
It costs less than a waking night because the carer is not working all night. It is a good choice when your parent needs reassurance and safety more than hands on help through the small hours.
A waking night
The overnight carer is awake and on duty all night. This suits someone who needs help often, who gets up and walks about, who needs help turning over so they stay comfortable, or who is nearing the end of their life and should not be left.
It costs more because the carer is working through the night. It is the right choice when your parent simply is not safe left, even for an hour.
What happens if a sleeping night keeps getting disturbed?
This is the honest bit. If a sleeping night carer is being woken several times a night, at some point it stops being fair on them. They cannot do a good job the next night, or the next family, if they have not slept. At that point it becomes a waking night instead.
We will have that conversation with you openly, face to face, rather than quietly changing the bill. We would rather be honest about it than leave you guessing. In our experience, families respect that and it is one of the things they tell us they value most.
9.7 out of 10
From 125 reviews on homecare.co.uk, the independent care review site families trust.
Registered and rated Good
Registered with the Care Quality Commission and inspected by the care regulator, held to national standards.
Caring since 2016
Looking after Berkshire families for nearly a decade, with night support from trained local carers.
Can start quickly
Overnight care can often start at short notice, including after a hospital discharge when someone needs watching.
On call out of hours
There is someone on call outside office hours, so if something happens in the evening or at the weekend you are not left waiting until Monday.
Local to Berkshire
Covering Reading, Wokingham, Bracknell, Newbury and the surrounding villages.
"Due to the speed of change we needed day check-ins and overnight observation and support. Everyone was friendly and caring, and the app allowed me to see what was happening and ask questions. A very positive professional experience and I'd wholeheartedly recommend."
A M (Daughter of Client), homecare.co.uk review
The kinds of overnight support we offer
Waking nights
A carer who stays awake all night, on duty whenever your mum or dad needs help. This suits someone who needs help often, gets up and walks about, needs turning, or is nearing the end of their life.
Sleeping nights
A carer who stays overnight and sleeps, but is there if your parent needs them. This suits someone who might need the toilet once or who is simply frightened on their own at night.
Night sit in service
A carer sits with your loved one through the evening or night for company and safety, so they are not on their own and you can rest.
Giving you a night off
A proper night's sleep for you, knowing your loved one is safe. One night a week, a few nights, or a run of nights when you need it most. Asking does not mean giving up on them.
What actually happens through the night
Your overnight carer arrives in the evening, usually around the time you would naturally be thinking about winding down. They introduce themselves to your mum or dad, help with a cup of tea or a biscuit, and settle into the evening together. If your parent needs help getting ready for bed, they are there for that too.
Through the night, what happens depends on the kind of overnight support it is. On a sleeping night, the carer rests nearby and comes if your dad calls out or needs the toilet. On a waking night, the overnight carer stays awake and quietly checks on things, helping your dad turn over so he stays comfortable, or walking with him if he gets up and is not steady on his feet.
If your dad wakes at three and is confused, the night time carer is there to reassure him, perhaps with a familiar voice and a glass of water, and to help him settle again. You do not have to be the one getting up. You do not have to be the one lying awake wondering whether the next call is coming.
In the morning, the carer helps your dad get up, washed and dressed if that is what he needs, and makes sure he has had a drink and his tablets. They leave a short note about how the night went, so the daytime carer or the family knows what happened. Then the morning takes over and the night carer goes home to rest.
When families usually ring us
These are the situations we hear about again and again. If any of them sounds like yours, you are in exactly the right place.
Your mum or dad gets up in the night and is not safe on the stairs. You are worried every time you hear them stir.
A parent with dementia is up and dressed at four in the morning, bright and restless, and you cannot settle them back to sleep.
Someone has come home from hospital and is not steady yet. They need watching overnight and you cannot do it alone any more.
A husband or wife has not slept properly in a year. You are running on empty and it is starting to tell on your own health.
Your loved one is in the last weeks of life. You want to be there, but you also need to rest, so you can be present and be family rather than just a carer.
Giving you a night off
You can have a carer in for a single night, a few nights while you go away, or a regular run of nights when you are at the end of your tether. One night a week can be enough to catch up and face the week again. A few nights can let you visit a friend or go to a wedding without the worry. A longer run can pull you back from the edge when you have been running on empty for too long.
We want to say this clearly, because it is exactly what stops people ringing. Asking for overnight care does not mean you are giving up on your mum or dad. It does not mean you have failed. It means you are looking after yourself so you can keep looking after them. The families we work with tell us that sleeping properly, even just one night a week, made them better carers, not worse ones.
If you have been holding it all together on your own, you have done something remarkable. Letting someone else take a night does not undo that. It helps you keep going.
Waking night or sleeping night?
Answer a few quick questions and we will tell you which kind of overnight care probably suits your family. No details needed to see it.
How often does your mum or dad wake in the night?
A rough guess is fine.
If you would rather just talk to someone, there is a real person available out of hours on 0118 391 3542.
Do you mean 24 hour care?
People use that phrase to mean two different things. Here is how to tell which one you actually need.
Sometimes people say 24 hour care when they mean a carer awake all night on top of daytime visits. Your mum or dad has a carer who pops in through the day, and then a waking night carer who stays awake overnight. That is two services working together and it suits someone whose needs are high but who still wants to stay in their own home. It is true 24 hour care at home, with overnight carers on duty when the day team goes home.
Other times people mean 24/7 care in the form of live in care, where one carer lives in the home and is there around the clock, sleeping when things are calm and waking when needed. This often makes more sense when someone needs help at unpredictable times day and night, because the same person is always there and there is no shift change at bedtime. For some families, 24/7 care as live in care is gentler and more continuous than separate day and night teams.
If you are not sure which one fits, have a read of our live in care page and our home care page, then give us a ring. We will help you work out whether you need 24 hour care as day and night teams, or 24/7 care as live in support, so it makes sense for your family and your budget.
Overnight care across Reading, Wokingham, Bracknell and Newbury
Wherever your loved one lives, there is a dedicated town page with the details that matter.
We provide overnight care and night time support across Reading, Wokingham, Bracknell and Newbury, and out to the villages in between. Overnight care in Wokingham is just as common as in Reading, because families everywhere need to sleep. If your loved one lives in any of these places, we can usually help.
Night and overnight care in Reading
Including Woodley, Caversham, Tilehurst, Earley, Lower Earley, Theale, Pangbourne, Shinfield, Burghfield, Purley on Thames, Sonning, Calcot andEmmer Green.
Night and overnight care in Wokingham
Including Winnersh, Twyford, Wargrave, Finchampstead, Woosehill, Arborfield andBarkham.
Night and overnight care in Bracknell
Including Crowthorne, Sandhurst, Binfield, Warfield andOwlsmoor.
Night and overnight care in Newbury
Including Thatcham, Hungerford, Kintbury, Burghclere andWoolton Hill.
You can also see the full list of towns and villages on our areas we cover page.
What the overnight carer will need in your home
A few honest practicalities, so there are no surprises.
Somewhere to sleep, for a sleeping night
For a sleeping night, the overnight carer needs somewhere to sleep, like a spare bed, a sofa bed or a camp bed in a quiet room. They are there to rest and to come if called.
A place to sit, for a waking night
For a waking night, the overnight carer needs a comfortable place to sit and a lamp or light, so they can see without turning on every light and waking the house.
Keys and getting in
We will talk through keys and getting in so it works for everyone. Some families leave a key in a lockbox, others prefer to let the carer in. We will find a way that does not disturb your loved one or worry you.
A cup of tea and the basics
The carer will need access to the kitchen for a drink and the basics through the night. We are guests in your home and we treat it that way.
[Placeholder: Keith, please add any specific detail about key handling, lockbox arrangements, or house rules you want families to know.]
Three simple steps to a restful night
Ring us
Speak to a real person, not a call centre. Tell us what is happening at night and we will listen.
We come for a chat at home
A free, no obligation visit. We talk through what your mum or dad needs and what would help you rest.
Care begins and we adjust
The first night tells us a lot. We check in afterwards and change things as needs change, because they will.
Night and overnight care is available across Reading, Wokingham, Bracknell, Newbury and the surrounding villages. If you are a health or social care professional arranging a discharge, see our page for professionals and discharge teams for same working day response. To see the full list of areas we cover, visit our areas page.
Questions about night and overnight care
The things families ask us most when they are thinking about overnight support.
What is the difference between a waking night and a sleeping night?
A sleeping night means the carer stays overnight and sleeps, but is there if your mum or dad needs them, maybe for the toilet once or because they feel frightened on their own. A waking night means the carer stays awake and on duty all night, which suits someone who needs help often, gets up and walks about, or needs turning. The difference matters because it changes what suits your family and what it costs.
What is a waking night carer and what do they do?
A waking night carer stays awake all night so your loved one is never left. They help with the toilet, help your parent turn over so they stay comfortable, walk with them if they get up, and keep a quiet eye on things. It is the right choice when someone simply is not safe left, even for an hour.
How much does overnight care cost?
It depends on whether you need a waking or a sleeping night, and how many nights. Sleeping nights start from £21.00 per hour. A waking night costs more because the carer is awake and working all night, while a sleeping night costs less because the carer rests and comes when called. The only way to know properly is a free chat at home, because the right price depends on what your loved one actually needs.
Do you provide 24 hour care at home?
Yes, in two ways. Some families combine daytime visits with a waking night carer, so there is cover round the clock. Others choose live in care, where one carer lives in the home and is there day and night. We will help you work out which kind of 24 hour care suits your family and your budget.
Can a carer stay just for a few nights so I can have a break?
Yes. You can have a carer in for a single night, a few nights while you go away, or a regular run of nights when you need to catch up on sleep. Asking for this does not mean you are giving up on your loved one. It means you are looking after yourself so you can keep looking after them.
What does the carer actually do while we are asleep?
On a sleeping night, the carer rests nearby and comes if your parent calls out or needs the toilet. On a waking night, the carer stays awake, checks on your loved one quietly, helps them turn or get up safely, and reassures them if they wake confused. In the morning they help your parent get up and leave a short note about how the night went.
Will the carer need a bed and their own room?
For a sleeping night, the carer needs somewhere to sleep, like a spare bed, a sofa bed or a camp bed in a quiet room. For a waking night, they need a comfortable place to sit and a lamp or light so they can see without waking the house. We will talk through keys and getting in so it works for everyone.
My mum gets up and wanders at night, can you help with that?
Yes, this is one of the most common reasons families ring us. A waking night carer can walk with your mum, keep her safe on the stairs, and gently settle her back to bed. It means you do not have to be the one getting up every time, and you can sleep knowing she is not on her own.
What happens if she wakes up more than usual, does the price change?
If a sleeping night carer is being woken several times a night, at some point it stops being fair on them and it becomes a waking night instead. We will have that conversation with you openly rather than quietly changing the bill. We would rather be honest about it than leave you guessing.
Can night care start quickly, for example when someone comes home from hospital?
Yes. We can often arrange overnight support at short notice, including after a hospital discharge when someone is not steady on their feet yet. If you are a health or social care professional arranging a discharge, we offer same working day response.
Is night care better than moving into a care home?
For many families, staying at home with overnight care is the kinder choice, because your loved one keeps their own bed, their own things and their own routine. But a care home is sometimes the right answer, especially when someone needs several people at once or their home is no longer safe. We will give you honest advice either way, because what matters is the right care for your family, not a sale.
Do you cover my village?
We cover Reading, Wokingham, Bracknell and Newbury and the villages around them, including Caversham, Tilehurst, Winnersh, Twyford, Crowthorne, Thatcham and many more. If you are not sure, give us a ring and we will tell you straight away whether we can help.
Need a night of proper rest?
Talk to our team about waking or sleeping overnight care. We will help you choose what is right for your loved one and for you. There is someone on call outside office hours for emergencies.
