Does anybody have any experience with 24-hour care? I've seen it advertised by companies, but am not sure what it entails. Do the carer need any particular facilities, for example? How do you make sure the care is good and the people trustworthy? Is it usually one carer, who lives in? Presumably, they have to have time off - how does that work?
24 hour care?
- Thread starter Grable
- Start date
I have no direct experience Grable but a relative who did not have a dementia diagnosis but was very old, very independent-minded and prone to falls did have a live-in carer - several in fact. The arrangement was that the person (they were all young foreign visitors) had free accommodation and food etc plus a salary. They had some time off. This worked for her.
I can understand why you are considering this and I've often thought some such arrangement would probably suit some people better than a CH and it's unlikely to be more expensive. I would have thought it would be worth contacting a company that do it to get a clearer idea about what's on offer. But when all becomes clearer you might be better off employing someone directly.
I can understand why you are considering this and I've often thought some such arrangement would probably suit some people better than a CH and it's unlikely to be more expensive. I would have thought it would be worth contacting a company that do it to get a clearer idea about what's on offer. But when all becomes clearer you might be better off employing someone directly.
I would have thought the requirements are similar to those we would look for if it was someone looking after a very young child
Excellent - and verifiable - references and/or personal recommendation.
Knowing how challenging it can be for someone to look after a loved one single-handedly 24/7, I would expect a live-in carer to have similar frustrations. I think it's unrealistic to expect otherwise. Just something to bear in mind.
Excellent - and verifiable - references and/or personal recommendation.
Knowing how challenging it can be for someone to look after a loved one single-handedly 24/7, I would expect a live-in carer to have similar frustrations. I think it's unrealistic to expect otherwise. Just something to bear in mind.
Legally, as an employer, you will be responsible for salary, holiday pay, sickness pay and cover, insurance, NI, Tax Police Checks etc. You cannot have someone working 24/7 without them having time off so you will need someone to job share. You will have to itemise the job duties, will the carer be responsible for laundry for example?
These are just some of the duties of an employer. It might be easier to go through an agency, although probably dearer. That way they can provide cover for sickness and unforseen absences.
One other thing is that your Mum has to be prepared to share her home with a stranger. My late Mum would have preferred to have someone at home with her,( preferably me most days) except for the fact that she did not want to have a stranger giving her orders in her own home.
Good Luck.
These are just some of the duties of an employer. It might be easier to go through an agency, although probably dearer. That way they can provide cover for sickness and unforseen absences.
One other thing is that your Mum has to be prepared to share her home with a stranger. My late Mum would have preferred to have someone at home with her,( preferably me most days) except for the fact that she did not want to have a stranger giving her orders in her own home.
Good Luck.
Some years ago there was a lady who came to our monthly dementia meetings and she had live in carers from an agency. There were two of them working two weeks on and two weeks off. When either of them were off they were covered by another carer supplied by the agency. It seemed to work very well, the lady seemed very happy and content and the carers had been with her for several years.
I agree with craigmor and Jaymor go through an agency for all the benefits they take care of. Have had our live in carers for 3 and a half years now works fantastic for us. With an agency you can change carers if they don't suit. It gave me my freedom and know mum is happy at home in her own world. But does depend on the individuals and stage and experience of the carer. You certainly have more control being at home. Most councils won't fund live in carers unless v v specific medical reasons.
We looked at this option for my Aunt last year. Basically it would have been a team of four on a rota basis (from an agency we were already using for day visits). It would have been £12 x 24 x 365 minimum - there would have been some hours in the day when two carers were needed. We went down the care home route.
