Keeping up the things they love is most of what makes a day good. 25 vetted live-in carers could come to live in Ballymoney. This page shows what they enjoy, what Ballymoney offers for each interest, and how to find someone who shares your mother's or father's.
18 carers near Ballymoney have told us what they enjoy
What the carers enjoy
Live-in carers move in rather than travel each day, so the choice reaches well beyond the county: 25 are within about four hours of Ballymoney. These are the interests on the profiles of the nearest of them. Tap one to see what Ballymoney offers for it.
Listed by manyLess common, so a better matchFrom the profiles of the 25 nearest live-in carers within about four hours of Ballymoney, September 2026; 18 of them list interests.
Common ground is easy
Most carers list cooking & baking, music and watching TV. If that is what your mother or father enjoys, nearly anyone will share it, so choose on the things that matter more: experience, manner and whether they get on.
The less common interests
Fewer carers list these, which is exactly why they are worth searching on. Someone who shares a real passion makes a long week go quickly.
Carers choose the interests on their own profiles. A shared hobby is a good start, not a guarantee, so talk about it when you meet them.
Interest 1
North Antrim baking is still judged at country markets and agricultural shows, where home-made bread, tray bakes and preserves are part of the week rather than a hobby.
16 of 18live-in carers we looked at
list cooking & baking
In the calendar
Ballymoney
A community market focused on local produce, home baking and handmade goods, with free entry and regular dates including a Christmas market. A carer could go along to buy ingredients and talk to the bakers, then help turn the shopping into an afternoon of baking at home.
Source: visitcausewaycoastandglens.com. Check opening times and access before you go.
How a companion helps
A carer does the lifting, the hot trays and the washing up, so the recipes, the judging and the tasting stay with the person who knows them.
Live-in carers who enjoy cooking & bakingSome who could come in Ballymoney
Interest 2
Choral singing and traditional playing have both held on in this part of north Antrim, with church halls and the town hall used for concerts through the winter.
16 of 18live-in carers we looked at
list music
Somewhere to join
Ballymoney
An established local male voice choir that sings the traditional repertoire and takes part in concerts across Northern Ireland, often in aid of charity. A carer could arrange tickets and transport to a concert, or help a former singer get back to rehearsals.
Source: northernirelandworld.com. Check opening times and access before you go.
How a companion helps
Old records, a choir concert, singing along in the kitchen. Music often stays with people long after other things fade, and a companion who enjoys it makes it part of the day.
Live-in carers who enjoy musicSome who could come in Ballymoney
Benitta M.£149 a day20 yrsAlso enjoys card games, watching TV
Cláudia N.£175 a day6 yrsAlso enjoys walking, dancing, card games, cooking & baking
Tsitsi H.£132 a day6 yrsAlso enjoys card games, socialising, watching TV, writing
Tegan W.£159 a day10 yrsAlso enjoys walking, dancing, card games, cooking & bakingInterest 3
Ballymoney sits in gentle north Antrim farmland between the Lower Bann and the Antrim hills, so most local walking is on flat river and parkland paths rather than steep ground.
15 of 18live-in carers we looked at
list walking
Somewhere to go
Ballymoney
A linear park in the middle of Ballymoney following the Ballymoney river, with a network of surfaced paths, a duck pond and picnic areas, linked to the traffic-free Jubilee Way. A carer can drive to the Armour Avenue car park and pick a short loop, turning back at any point rather than committing to the full route.
Getting around: Surfaced shared-use paths allow walks of between half a mile and three miles, so the distance can be kept short.
Source: visitcausewaycoastandglens.com. Check opening times and access before you go.
Somewhere to go
Riverside Park car park, Ballymoney
A signposted health walk that begins in the wooded part of Riverside Park, follows the river path network and crosses at the footbridges before returning. A carer can walk the wooded park section only and use the footbridges to shorten the circuit on a tired day.
Getting around: The route starts at the main Riverside Park car park and follows the park path network before any road section.
Source: walkni.com. Check opening times and access before you go.
How a companion helps
A companion walks at their pace, knows when to turn back, and drives to the flat, well-surfaced routes so a short walk is still possible when a long one is not.
Live-in carers who enjoy walkingSome who could come in Ballymoney
Munther A.£160 a day4 yrsAlso enjoys painting, card games, cooking & baking, decorating
Inaune H.£130 a day2 yrsAlso enjoys dancing, cooking & baking, fishing, board games
Sheridan W.£230 a day23 yrsAlso enjoys painting, dancing, card games, cooking & baking
Rachael B.£150 a day6 yrsAlso enjoys card games, cooking & baking, puzzles, decoratingInterest 4
Ballymoney has a strong written and spoken word tradition, from local history collections to amateur drama, and the branch library is the hub for both.
11 of 18live-in carers we looked at
list reading
Somewhere to go
Ballymoney
The town's branch library at Rodden Foot on Queen Street, offering book borrowing, newspapers, computers and wifi. A carer could make a weekly visit part of the routine, returning and choosing books and picking up large print or audio titles when eyesight makes print hard.
Source: librariesni.org.uk. Check opening times and access before you go.
In the calendar
Ballymoney Town Hall, Ballymoney
A long-established drama festival held over five nights each March in the Town Hall, with a mix of comedy, tragedy and new writing performed by visiting companies. A carer could book seats for one evening and read the play beforehand with the person so the night is easier to follow.
Source: northernirelandworld.com. Check opening times and access before you go.
How a companion helps
Library trips, reading aloud when eyes tire, audiobooks set up and ready, and somebody to talk about the book with.
Live-in carers who enjoy readingSome who could come in Ballymoney
Mable K.£160 a day1 yrsAlso enjoys walking, dancing, cooking & baking, watching TV
Peter M.£300 a day4 yrsAlso enjoys walking, dancing, card games, cooking & baking
Mebhena K.£172 a day20 yrsAlso enjoys walking, dancing, card games, cooking & baking
Ivy E.£160 a day4 yrsAlso enjoys painting, walking, dancing, card gamesInterest 5
This is road racing country, and motorcycle sport is part of the local identity alongside hurling and farming shows.
11 of 18live-in carers we looked at
list sports
In the calendar
Armoy
A motorcycle road race run on closed roads around Armoy, named for the Armoy Armada riders who trained on the same roads. A carer could plan an early arrival for parking, bring a folding chair and stay for one or two races rather than the whole day.
Source: discovernorthernireland.com. Check opening times and access before you go.
Somewhere to go
Ballymoney
A town centre memorial garden with statues of Joey and Robert Dunlop, opened by the council in 2001 and free to visit. A carer could combine a short visit with a coffee in town, which suits someone who wants the racing heritage without a day at the circuit.
Source: discovernorthernireland.com. Check opening times and access before you go.
How a companion helps
Watching the match together, a trip to the bowls green or the cricket, or gentle exercise done safely with someone alongside.
Live-in carers who enjoy sportsSome who could come in Ballymoney
Rolly T.£159 a day1 yrsAlso enjoys painting, cooking & baking, decorating, fishing
Norman D.£145 a day25 yrsAlso enjoys painting, walking, dancing, card gamesCláudia N.£175 a day6 yrsAlso enjoys walking, dancing, card games, cooking & bakingTegan W.£159 a day10 yrsAlso enjoys walking, dancing, card games, cooking & bakingInterest 6
The Lower Bann forms the western edge of the Ballymoney district and is one of the best known salmon and coarse fishing rivers in Ireland.
7 of 18live-in carers we looked at
list fishing
Somewhere to go
Drumaheglis Marina and Caravan Park, Ballymoney
A council-run marina and park on the banks of the Lower Bann, used as one of the main access points to the river for fishing and boating. A carer can park close to the water, carry the tackle and sit out a couple of hours by the river without a long walk.
Source: discovernorthernireland.com. Check opening times and access before you go.
How a companion helps
A carer can sort the permit and the tackle, drive to a bank spot close to the car park, and bring the chair, the flask and the patience.
Live-in carers who enjoy fishingSome who could come in Ballymoney
Paul Stephen F.£225 a day3 yrsAlso enjoys walking, cooking & baking, watching TV, musicRolly T.£159 a day1 yrsAlso enjoys painting, cooking & baking, decorating, DIYNorman D.£145 a day25 yrsAlso enjoys painting, walking, dancing, card gamesMunther A.£160 a day4 yrsAlso enjoys painting, walking, card games, cooking & bakingInterest 7
This is a farming district of smallholdings, show gardens and long-standing horticultural competition, so growing things is a normal part of local life rather than a novelty.
6 of 18live-in carers we looked at
list gardening
Somewhere to join
Ballymoney
A long-running club, also known as the North Antrim Horticultural Association, that meets through the year with talks, events and competitions in flowers, fruit and vegetables. A carer could provide the lift to meetings and help carry entries for the competition nights.
Source: ballymoneygardening.wordpress.com. Check opening times and access before you go.
Somewhere to go
Cloughmills
A four and a half acre former mill site run cooperatively by volunteers, with a community garden and wider biopark that is open for community access. A carer could take someone along for an hour of light planting or weeding, or simply to sit and see what is growing.
Source: farmgarden.org.uk. Check opening times and access before you go.
How a companion helps
Potting on at a table rather than kneeling, deadheading from a stool, visiting gardens with level paths and a tearoom: a carer keeps the garden in their week.
Live-in carers who enjoy gardeningSome who could come in Ballymoney
Norman D.£145 a day25 yrsAlso enjoys painting, walking, dancing, card gamesCláudia N.£175 a day6 yrsAlso enjoys walking, dancing, card games, cooking & bakingSheridan W.£230 a day23 yrsAlso enjoys painting, walking, dancing, card gamesMebhena K.£172 a day20 yrsAlso enjoys walking, dancing, card games, cooking & bakingInterest 8
Craft groups in this area mostly meet in libraries and community halls, where the talk matters as much as the knitting.
2 of 18live-in carers we looked at
list knitting
Somewhere to join
Ballymoney
Libraries NI runs free Knit and Natter groups for adults who knit, crochet or do cross stitch, with dates listed on the service's events page. A carer could check the current times for the Ballymoney branch, bring the wool bag and stay nearby for the first session.
Source: librariesni.org.uk. Check opening times and access before you go.
How a companion helps
Winding wool, reading the pattern aloud, picking up dropped stitches, and a trip to the wool shop or a knitting group.
Live-in carers who enjoy knittingCloser to home
Not every good day involves going out. These are the everyday interests the carers who could come list most, and each is easier, and more fun, with somebody to share it.
From interest to introduction
Use the link under any interest on this page. It opens a search of live-in carers in Ballymoney with the carers who list that interest first; nobody else is hidden, so you still see everyone who could come.
Each profile shows the carer's interests next to their experience, the conditions they have cared for, their day rate and their reviews. Shortlist two or three.
Message and meet them for free. Ask about the hobby: someone who really gardens will tell you what they grow. Nothing is booked until you decide.
We set up the contract, handle invoicing and payment, and insure the care while the carer works. The rest of the week is theirs to fill.
Lee-Ann
Care manager for families in Ballymoney
Someone to talk to first
Most families start with a call: what your relative needs, what it would cost, which carers share your parent's interests, and whether live-in care or companionship visits suit them better, and what to ask a carer when you speak to them. Lee-Ann has those conversations every day and can tell you which of the carers in Ballymoney might suit, though the choice is always yours.
Questions
Yes. Getting out is a normal part of a live-in carer's week: a walk (Riverside Park is a good one), a garden visit, a choir concert, the bowls club or a lunch with friends. Many carers drive, and the search shows who does. Mileage is only charged if you agree it in advance and in writing, and 55p a mile is the usual figure when a carer uses their own car. Entry tickets and cafe stops for the carer are worth agreeing up front too.
Use the link under the interest on this page: it opens a search of live-in carers in Ballymoney with the ones who list that interest shown first, and the rest still there below them. Every profile shows the carer's interests alongside their experience, rates and reviews. Message the ones you like, and talk about the hobby when you meet them: it is the quickest way to tell whether the interest is real.
For live-in care it matters more than people expect. A live-in carer shares the house for weeks at a time, and the hours between the care tasks are most of the day. Somebody who likes the same programmes, games or garden fills those hours naturally. It is still second to experience and temperament, so treat it as a tie-breaker between good carers rather than the first thing you filter on.
Live-in care through PrimeCarers is typically about £1,120 a week, with our fee included, and each carer sets their own rate, shown on their profile. That covers somebody living in and helping through the day. If your parent needs company rather than round-the-clock help, hourly companionship visits start from about £15 an hour. Companionship care in Ballymoney compares the two.
Then the interest comes to him. A carer can bring the garden to a table on the patio, put the old records on, set up the jigsaw, read the paper aloud or play cards most afternoons. The interests further down this page are mostly the ones done at home, and plenty of carers share them.
Each local suggestion was researched from published sources, and every one on the page has passed a check before appearing: either it was found on a map inside Ballymoney, or its source page, which we link to, is live and names the area. Anything that failed was left out. Opening times, prices and access change, so check with the venue before you go, especially for gardens such as The Old Mill, where it is worth asking ahead about wheelchairs or mobility scooters.
Yes. Before a carer appears on PrimeCarers they have passed an enhanced DBS check, an identity check and a right-to-work check, and had an online interview with our team, and their DBS stays under continuous monitoring. Carers write their own profiles, including their interests and skills, so ask about anything that matters to you when you meet them. How we vet carers sets out each step.
See live-in carers with their photos, interests, rates and reviews, and talk to your favourites for free. Nothing is booked until you say so.
