Keeping up the things they love is most of what makes a day good. 20 vetted live-in carers could come to live in Derry. This page shows what they enjoy, what Derry offers for each interest, and how to find someone who shares your mother's or father's.
14 carers near Derry 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: 20 are within about four hours of Derry. These are the interests on the profiles of the nearest of them. Tap one to see what Derry offers for it.
Listed by manyLess common, so a better matchFrom the profiles of the 20 nearest live-in carers within about four hours of Derry, November 2026; 14 of them list interests.
Common ground is easy
Most carers list cooking & baking, watching TV and music. 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
County Derry farming country produces its own oils, dairy and baking ingredients, and home baking still carries weight in kitchens across the county.
12 of 14live-in carers we looked at
list cooking & baking
Local food
Broighter Gold Rapeseed Oil, Limavady
A family farm near Limavady that grows and cold presses rapeseed oil, with visitor tours and tastings explaining how the oil is made and used in cooking. A carer could arrange a visit, then use the oil at home in a familiar recipe so the outing carries on into the kitchen.
Source: broightergold.co.uk. 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 Derry
Rolly T.£159 a day1 yrsAlso enjoys painting, decorating, fishing, DIY
Eve Roxane G.£151 a day11 yrsAlso enjoys walking, dancing, puzzles, decorating
Precious K.£165 a day23 yrsAlso enjoys walking, dancing, puzzles, reading
Josephine Rumbidzayi G.£150 a day15 yrsAlso enjoys painting, walking, dancing, card gamesInterest 2
County Derry offers river valleys, a long Atlantic and lough shoreline and old estate woodland, so there is usually a level, sheltered route within a short drive.
11 of 14live-in carers we looked at
list walking
Somewhere to go
Limavady
A country park of surfaced riverside paths along the River Roe, with a countryside centre, a café and benches at intervals. A carer can drive to the Dogleap Road car park, borrow the wheelchair or mobility vehicle if needed, and keep to one flat stretch with a tea break at the end.
Getting around: WalkNI lists disabled parking and toilets, a wheelchair accessible café, a wheelchair and mobility vehicle available, and lighting along the route.
Source: walkni.com. Check opening times and access before you go.
Somewhere to go
Ballykelly
An off-road trail along the sea wall on the eastern shore of Lough Foyle, with reed beds on one side and wading birds and wildfowl on the other. A carer can park at Ballykelly, walk out ten minutes and turn back, bringing binoculars for the birds.
Getting around: The walk is flat and off-road with several access points, so a short section can be walked and retraced.
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 Derry
Tegan W.£159 a day10 yrsAlso enjoys dancing, card games, cooking & baking, decorating
Inaune H.£130 a day2 yrsAlso enjoys dancing, cooking & baking, fishing, board games
Joseph M.£200 a day8 yrsAlso enjoys dancing, cooking & baking, puzzles, gardening
Sheridan W.£230 a day23 yrsAlso enjoys painting, dancing, card games, cooking & bakingInterest 3
Derry has a strong singing and playing tradition and a well used concert hall in the city, and live music is easy to find across the county through the year.
11 of 14live-in carers we looked at
list music
In the calendar
Derry
An annual festival over the early May period, with jazz and big band sets in venues and bars across the city, many of them free to walk into. A carer can pick an afternoon session in a quieter venue, sort parking and leave when the room gets busy.
Source: visitderry.com. Check opening times and access before you go.
Somewhere to go
Derry
The city's Victorian civic hall, used through the year for concerts and recitals as well as exhibitions. A carer could book seats near an aisle for an early evening concert and arrange a drop off close to the door.
Source: guildhallderry.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 Derry
Benitta M.£149 a day20 yrsAlso enjoys card games, watching TV
Tsitsi H.£132 a day6 yrsAlso enjoys card games, socialising, watching TV, writing
Paul Stephen F.£225 a day3 yrsAlso enjoys walking, cooking & baking, fishing, watching TV
Cindy K.£155 a day8 yrsAlso enjoys painting, walking, card games, cooking & bakingInterest 4
Derry has both a living Irish dance tradition and a long running contemporary dance scene in the city, so there are gentler routes back into moving to music.
7 of 14live-in carers we looked at
list dancing
Somewhere to join
Echo Echo Dance Theatre Company, Derry
A dance company based in Derry that runs terms of classes and courses for adults, including beginners work focused on gentle, mindful movement rather than performance. A carer could check the current timetable, come along for the first session and help with the journey there and back.
Source: echoechodance.com. Check opening times and access before you go.
How a companion helps
From tea dances to seated movement to music, a companion can find the right session, drive there, and make sure it is enjoyable rather than tiring.
Live-in carers who enjoy dancingSome who could come in Derry
Eve Roxane G.£151 a day11 yrsAlso enjoys walking, cooking & baking, puzzles, decoratingPrecious K.£165 a day23 yrsAlso enjoys walking, cooking & baking, puzzles, readingJosephine Rumbidzayi G.£150 a day15 yrsAlso enjoys painting, walking, card games, cooking & bakingTegan W.£159 a day10 yrsAlso enjoys walking, card games, cooking & baking, decoratingInterest 5
County Derry is closely tied to Seamus Heaney's poetry and has a full network of public libraries, so reading here is a social as well as a private pleasure.
6 of 14live-in carers we looked at
list reading
Somewhere to go
Bellaghy
A purpose built centre in Heaney's home village telling the story of his life and poems, with an exhibition, readings and events. A carer could drive over for a quiet weekday visit and read a poem or two aloud afterwards over tea.
Source: seamusheaneyhome.com. Check opening times and access before you go.
Somewhere to join
Public libraries across the county host reading groups that meet regularly to discuss a shared title, with sets of books supplied. A carer can find the nearest group, collect the book in large print or audio if that helps, and provide the lift to meetings.
Source: librariesni.org.uk. 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 Derry
Precious K.£165 a day23 yrsAlso enjoys walking, dancing, cooking & baking, puzzlesJosephine Rumbidzayi G.£150 a day15 yrsAlso enjoys painting, walking, dancing, card gamesTegan W.£159 a day10 yrsAlso enjoys walking, dancing, card games, cooking & bakingInaune H.£130 a day2 yrsAlso enjoys walking, dancing, cooking & baking, fishingInterest 6
The county's mild, damp river valleys suit big shrubs and trees, and several old demesne gardens near the Foyle and the Roe still open their grounds to visitors.
5 of 14live-in carers we looked at
list gardening
Somewhere to go
Brook Hall Estate & Gardens, Derry
A mature Georgian demesne garden and arboretum on the Culmore Road, known for conifers, rhododendrons, magnolias and camellias. A carer could book a guided tour or an open day visit and plan a slow loop with rests, which works well for someone who likes naming plants.
Getting around: Hard surfaced paths suitable for wheelchairs run through the arboretum and gardens, though the National Garden Scheme notes some paths are steep.
Source: ngs.org.uk. Check opening times and access before you go.
Somewhere to go
Drenagh Estate & Gardens, Limavady
A long established private estate outside Limavady whose formal terraces, walled areas and woodland planting are open to garden visitors, with a café on site. A carer can handle the driving and the ticket, then let the visit set its own pace with coffee as a halfway point.
Source: drenagh.com. 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 Derry
Josephine Rumbidzayi G.£150 a day15 yrsAlso enjoys painting, walking, dancing, card gamesJoseph M.£200 a day8 yrsAlso enjoys walking, dancing, cooking & baking, puzzlesSheridan W.£230 a day23 yrsAlso enjoys painting, walking, dancing, card gamesCindy K.£155 a day8 yrsAlso enjoys painting, walking, card games, cooking & bakingInterest 7
County Derry has salmon and trout rivers running down to the Foyle as well as a share of the Lough Neagh shore, so both river and lough fishing are within reach.
4 of 14live-in carers we looked at
list fishing
Somewhere to go
Magherafelt
A council run marina and lakeside amenity site on the western shore of Lough Neagh, with jetties, parking and picnic space beside the water. A carer could make it a short outing with a flask, close enough to the car that a folding chair by the water is all that is needed.
Source: midulstercouncil.org. 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 fishingInterest 8
The county's coast, rivers and city skyline have long given local painters their subjects, and council arts centres run classes for adults.
4 of 14live-in carers we looked at
list painting
Somewhere to join
Portstewart
A council arts centre in Portstewart with a programme of adult workshops and classes, including visual art alongside exhibitions and events. A carer could book a short course, bring the materials and stay for the first session until the room feels familiar.
Source: flowerfield.org. Check opening times and access before you go.
How a companion helps
Setting up the table, washing the brushes, finding a gallery with a lift: a carer handles the practical side so the time goes on the painting.
Live-in carers who enjoy paintingSome who could come in Derry
Rolly T.£159 a day1 yrsAlso enjoys cooking & baking, decorating, fishing, DIYJosephine Rumbidzayi G.£150 a day15 yrsAlso enjoys walking, dancing, card games, cooking & bakingSheridan W.£230 a day23 yrsAlso enjoys walking, dancing, card games, cooking & bakingCindy K.£155 a day8 yrsAlso enjoys walking, card games, cooking & baking, puzzlesInterest 9
County Derry has a long habit of community and charity work, with hospices, shops and heritage sites all relying on local volunteers.
3 of 14live-in carers we looked at
list volunteering
Somewhere to join
Derry
The hospice serving the north west takes volunteers for a range of roles, including its charity shops, fundraising and support work, with flexible hours. A carer can help with the application and induction and provide the lift to a regular shift.
Source: foylehospice.com. Check opening times and access before you go.
How a companion helps
A carer can help find a role that suits sitting down or short sessions, and handle the lifts there and back.
Live-in carers who enjoy volunteeringInterest 10
Between the Sperrin foothills, the Foyle and the north coast, the county gives photographers water, woodland and big skies without much travelling.
2 of 14live-in carers we looked at
list photography
Somewhere to go
Killaloo
A woodland country park on the Burntollet River east of the city, with walking trails and the highest waterfall in Northern Ireland. A carer could take the shorter trail near the car park, carry the gear and pick a still morning when the light in the trees is good.
Source: visitderry.com. Check opening times and access before you go.
How a companion helps
A companion can plan an outing around the light and the tide, carry the kit, and help sort the pictures afterwards.
Live-in carers who enjoy photographyInterest 11
Derry's shirt factories once employed thousands of women at the sewing machine, so needlework and textile skills run deep in families across the county.
2 of 14live-in carers we looked at
list knitting
Somewhere to join
Libraries run free Knit and Natter sessions where people bring their own work and sit and talk while they knit. A carer could check which nearby library runs one, bring the needles and wool and stay for the first meeting.
Source: librariesni.org.uk. Check opening times and access before you go.
Local tradition
Derry
Shirt making was the city's main industry for generations, and the skills and stories of the factory workers are still recorded and remembered locally. A carer could look up the history together and use it as a starting point for someone's own memories of sewing and knitting.
Source: irishtimes.com. 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 Derry 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 arrange insurance for platform visits, within the policy’s terms (no clinical procedures). The rest of the week is theirs to fill.
Lee-Ann
Account manager for families in Derry
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 Derry 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 (Roe Valley Country 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 Derry 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 Derry 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 Derry, 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 Brook Hall Estate & Gardens, 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 recorded an online interview, with renewal or rechecks depending on the accepted route. Carers write their own profiles, including their interests and skills, so ask about anything that matters to you when you meet them. How we check 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.
