Home care for the overweight

[bemused1]

Has anyone else gone this route?
Currently looking for care for husband who is 20stone with severe mobility problems. This is looking costly because it seems agencies will insist on two carers. Anyone else experienced this.

Our initial quote is over £400 for two hours a day for two carers 7 days a week. How does this seem? Still looking but I guess they will probably all be around the same level.

 

[pippop1]

Seems fine.

Don't know if you are in London but this seems good value to me. MIL pays around £500 per month for one carer twice a day for half an hour plus 3 hours extras per week.

 

[Jessbow]

Going rate here is about £15 -17 per hour.

two carers = £34 an hour x 2 hours = £68 per day x 30 days = you have a bargain!

Do you have hoists etc in situ? if not I don't think many agencies would even accept the challenge

 

[MERENAME]

We pay £12.60 per hour per carer for personal care. £20 per hour per carer for extra /emergency care.

 

[bemused1]

Going rate here is about £15 -17 per hour.

two carers = £34 an hour x 2 hours = £68 per day x 30 days = you have a bargain!

Do you have hoists etc in situ? if not I don't think many agencies would even accept the challenge

hi jessbow. sadly that quote was per week otherwise i would have thought it was value indeede.

no dont have a hoist but somehow i think the occupational therapist and the agencies are going to bring it up. there may be trouble ahead, oh has always insisted I WILL NOT have a hoist.

 

[Jessbow]

How will you resolve the ''I WONT have a hoist'' Problem?

Sorry I miss read what you wrote
Just under £15 per hour per carer is about right

£400/2 = £200 per carer per 14 hours= £14.28 per hour

are you charged a premium for the weekend? Some do.

 

[bemused1]

the problem has solved itself jessbow- oh has returned to difficult mode and will get up when he wants and doesn,t need carers anyway. And at that price I can,t have them turning up day after day to someone who just won,t cooperate. So back to square one, after all what does it matter if I am at the end of my rope as long as he gets up when he wants. If that sounds a touch bitter, you have no idea.

by the way the rate was £16/ hour/ carer weekdays and £19 per weekend-a total of £476 per week. You see my problem?

 

[pippop1]

Daycentre

Hi

This sounds v difficult for you. Does OH have any daycare or respite time?

 

[Contrary Mary]

I would just add something about the two carers in case it helps with the cost. I don't suppose it is the same everywhere (there's bound to be a get-out clause) but for what it's worth I will give you our experience. In our borough, Mum was effectively self-funding but we paid the "old fashioned" way, to SS per hour. This did not increase when she needed two carers

The bottom line is, have you had an SS assessment in case there is anything like this, or perhaps a cap on weekly payments.

Just a thought.

 

[bemused1]

thanks mary but it seems in this county self funding means you get nothing, not even advice. I had a carer,s assessment although oh won,t have one and they told me quite catagorically if you have over the £23,000 limit you will have to make your own arrangements. Anyway its academic at the moment because he is not goint to cooperate anyway.

no pippop no respite no daycentre he doesn,t want it.

 

[Jessbow]

If that sounds a touch bitter, you have no idea.

Oh I do...we pretty much all do.
Moved the goal posts? My goal posted got erected on a different flippin pitch! I do understand your frustration. You must be exhausted.
What happens if he doesn't co-operate? no carers , No carers? NO YOU DONT! be strong, stand firm. Let him struggle a bit, the revisit the idea.

 

[FifiMo]

Hiya Bemused,

What kind of mobility problems are we talking about? Can your husband stand? Could he move from bed to wheelchair for example? What kind of help would 2 carers be giving?

I only ask because one thing that helped my sister when she was caring for her partner on her own was what I would describe as a commode on wheels. Had many uses:

General moving from A to B in the house.

With the plastic bucket removed from under the seat it could be wheeled right over the toilet.

It could be wheeled into walk in shower and used as a shower seat.

If no shower and unable to get into bath, can we wheeled over plastic sheeting so a strip wash can be done.

Quick transport to dining table.

It was a lifesaver really as they didn't have room for a hoist to be used. So, two of these, one upstairs and one downstairs with a stairlift (rented not bought) was how they lived and it worked really well. I think the beauty of this over a wheel chair was it was more compact as it had small wheels on the bottom so was much narrower than a wheelchair with large wheels.

This is the type my sister had... http://www.completecareshop.co.uk/d...eight_adjustable_drop_arm_mobile_commode.html


Fiona

 

[Witzend]

Dear bemused, no experience of this sort of thing, but just wanted to wish you all the very best and hope for some sort of help/relief soon. You do sound as if your tether is vey sorely over-strained.

 

[jeany123]

thanks mary but it seems in this county self funding means you get nothing, not even advice. I had a carer,s assessment although oh won,t have one and they told me quite catagorically if you have over the £23,000 limit you will have to make your own arrangements. Anyway its academic at the moment because he is not goint to cooperate anyway.

no pippop no respite no daycentre he doesn,t want it.

My husband didn't want these things either but you are important as well, you will have to be firm, If i can do it anyone can it just takes lots of determination ,

Best wishes Jeany xx

 

[bemused1]

for everyone who answered thank you. today is another day and if not recharged at least in a more determined frame of mind.

Jessbow you are right there will be carers,this morning I came in to pooh everywhere and poor husband so upset.

Fifimo ot provided one of these commodes but the problem of 20 stone and my neck shoulder problems meant I might last a week at the most.Also its too low and getting him upright is difficult. He can stand for short whiles.He has arthritis of the right hip and left knee as well as his spine so everything is challenging and of course combine that with memory going downhill you can imagine.

Jeannie I will take you as my role model!

So decisions made, calm restored all I have to do is chase the ot AGAIN. Avoiding me?- of course not!

Thank you all.