Carers employed by me advice needed asap please

deepetshopboy

Registered User
Jul 7, 2008
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Hi after some advice ive advertised on gumtree for carers for father after loosing hope on terrible carers agency any advice i need was just going pay cash in hand
 

Jale

Registered User
Jul 9, 2018
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Sorry, but I would not be doing this - for your father's safety you need to make sure that the people who will be caring for him are experienced in dealing with dementia (assuming that is what he has). Have you thought what could happen if your Dad hit out at someone or worst still if they hit out at him, and that is just the tip of the iceberg. If you want to employ a carer privately then please do the job properly and go through a proper agency.
 

deepetshopboy

Registered User
Jul 7, 2008
653
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Sorry, but I would not be doing this - for your father's safety you need to make sure that the people who will be caring for him are experienced in dealing with dementia (assuming that is what he has). Have you thought what could happen if your Dad hit out at someone or worst still if they hit out at him, and that is just the tip of the iceberg. If you want to employ a carer privately then please do the job properly and go through a proper agency. I have done the job properly so to speak ive gone through numerous agency’s for 16 months
Sorry i dont like your advice or critisim i find it harsh I understand what your sayinh i have gone through 10!! At least
10 different agency's none have been good all bad all carers absolutely rubbish i dont think they check them for drb not train many of them .not to mention the violent ones the one they came in and critisaze me the ones who run out the door after i left leaving my dad alone turning up late the ones sat watching tv doing there nails the bullying one who bulllued me n my father for 2 months all carers all ‘ outstanding ‘ agencys
Ive had untold horror stories I'm too pyshically n emotional tired to argue the point with you right now
Im intelligent enough to interview them /check drb and they would only be for 5x 5 hours a week
But id appreciate for anyone has some postive feedback on this
 

deepetshopboy

Registered User
Jul 7, 2008
653
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Have you considered befrienders, people who sit and chat and take people out for walks but don't do any personal care?

Several charities organise these although they may have stopped because of coronavirus, you could try searching on befriender <post code>
Ive tried they dont its all age concern here ive tried all places only have befrienders for non dementia .ive tried age concern dementia in my area said because hes got me im not eligible all been tried again and again all avenues gone down but thanks anyway
 

Sarasa

Volunteer Host
Apr 13, 2018
7,251
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Nottinghamshire
Sorry those comments upset you @deepetshopboy , and even more sorry that you've had such rotten luck with agencies. However from what you've posted elsewhere your dad seems quite a challenge and I'm not sure how easy it is going to be to find someone, so I think @Jale had a point. Cash in hand seems a recipe for getting people that are perhaps more dodgy than those you've already had.
Is it worth speaking to the Dementia Connect support line: 0333 150 3456 and getting their view on the matter?
 

deepetshopboy

Registered User
Jul 7, 2008
653
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Sorry those comments upset you @deepetshopboy , and even more sorry that you've had such rotten luck with agencies. However from what you've posted elsewhere your dad seems quite a challenge and I'm not sure how easy it is going to be to find someone, so I think @Jale had a point. Cash in hand seems a recipe for getting people that are perhaps more dodgy than those you've already had.
Is it worth speaking to the Dementia Connect support line: 0333 150 3456 and getting their view on the matter?
Hi thank you no u dont have to apologise i just dont like people saying that my dad may not have dementia !! and saying do the job properly! i have been !! The job properly is not working with agencys !
Hes quite docile with carers all im asking is carers taking him out once /twice a week but seem like im getting the worst of the worst carers paying at £25 a hour for absolute rubbish agency London area u wouldn’t keep a goldfish them with yet when i try another way (out of sheer exhaustion and stress )
 

Rosettastone57

Registered User
Oct 27, 2016
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I had a similar experience with carers for my mother-in-law , for taking her out, if that's the main problem, in that she had challenging behaviour. The care agency my mother-in-law had wouldn't take her out even for a short time because she was difficult to manage. They had to assess their staff were safe as well as mother-in-law. I agree with @Jale in that I'm not sure that you'll get the right person through gumtree, with cash in hand. I'm sure that's not what you want to hear.
 
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deepetshopboy

Registered User
Jul 7, 2008
653
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I had a similar experience with carers for my mother-in-law , for taking her out, if that's the main problem, in that she had challenging behaviour. The care agency my mother-in-law had wouldn't take her out even for a short time because she was difficult to manage. They had to assess their staff were safe as well as mother-in-law. I agree with @Jale in that I'm not sure that you'll get the right person through gumtree, with cash in hand. I'm sure that's not what you want to hear.
Thanks my dads not difficult with carers hes not a challenging person with carers
 

Jale

Registered User
Jul 9, 2018
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Hi thank you no u dont have to apologise i just dont like people saying that my dad may not have dementia !! and saying do the job properly! i have been !! The job properly is not working with agencys !
Hes quite docile with carers all im asking is carers taking him out once /twice a week but seem like im getting the worst of the worst carers paying at £25 a hour for absolute rubbish agency London area u wouldn’t keep a goldfish them with yet when i try another way (out of sheer exhaustion and stress )
I did not say that your father may not have dementia - I meant he could have vascular dementia, alzheimers, lewys body and probably other conditions that I am unaware of and if that has upset you then I will apologise. You did not say what you wanted other than carers, but my advice still stands.
 

Thethirdmrsc

Registered User
Apr 4, 2018
744
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Sorry but I agree with the others. I wouldn’t buy a dog from Gumtree, so certainly not carers. Have you tried Social Services for some sort of care package? That’s what I have just started with my OH. Or what about the Lady Magazine for the personal ads?
 

deepetshopboy

Registered User
Jul 7, 2008
653
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Sorry but I agree with the others. I wouldn’t buy a dog from Gumtree, so certainly not carers. Have you tried Social Services for some sort of care package? That’s what I have just started with my OH. Or what about the Lady Magazine for the personal ads?
Yes tried social services!!! obviously last resort
Putting a job advert in gumtree so what basically everyone is saying is dont get self employed carer go through agency rely on them checking refs checking drb etc
 

Lynmax

Registered User
Nov 1, 2016
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You have been through a terrible time with different care agencies, I'm appalled at the behaviour you described. We used a local care agency for my mum and I think we struck lucky as we were very happy. We did have cameras installed in the lounge and kitchen so we able to see what care was being provided - the agency were aware of the cameras and had no problems.

We are not allowed to recommend agencies on here but the one we used was a national on with local franchises, which might help with getting high quality care as they have to meet certain standards to keep the franchise.

We did consider private carers but were put off by the regulations involved when employing people ( tax, NI, sick pay etc etc) . I think the biggest problem using casual cash in hand carers is that they might not be very reliable and if you are relying on them to turn up, you could have problems if they were off sick or just left without notice.

Sorry not to be of more help
 

jennifer1967

Registered User
Mar 15, 2020
23,479
0
Southampton
sorry if you thought i was being harsh but the horror stories of cash in the hand payments dont bear thinking about.could social services recommend one or long standing voluntary charities eg help the ages or age concern, they may use them themselves.im only trying to be helpful and am sorry.if its in his own home maybe cctv could be the way forward for his safety. what else can i say.look after yourself and stay alert to the pitfalls of employing staff yourself
 

Jessbow

Registered User
Mar 1, 2013
5,713
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Midlands
You really cannot employ someone 'cash in hand'.
If you employ someone, you have to do all that goes with it, Tax NI etc, as well as paid holidays and all that.
Basically you become an employer.

How many people are you looking for? Just the one? A straight 5 hour shift, or split shifts?
 

deepetshopboy

Registered User
Jul 7, 2008
653
0
You have been through a terrible time with different care agencies, I'm appalled at the behaviour you described. We used a local care agency for my mum and I think we struck lucky as we were very happy. We did have cameras installed in the lounge and kitchen so we able to see what care was being provided - the agency were aware of the cameras and had no problems.

We are not allowed to recommend agencies on here but the one we used was a national on with local franchises, which might help with getting high quality care as they have to meet certain standards to keep the franchise.

We did consider private carers but were put off by the regulations involved when employing people ( tax, NI, sick pay etc etc) . I think the biggest problem using casual cash in hand carers is that they might not be very reliable and if you are relying on them to turn up, you could have problems if they were off sick or just left without notice.

Sorry not to be of more help
Ive tried all
Outstanding local carer agencys none seem to be any good just to add i was recommended to leave a ad on gumtree by approved social services payroll company who advised me to leave a advert in carers section of job department i didnt say cash i hand I advertise it as self employed i do have cctv also .
The behaviour of the carers is ongoing only yesterday had to complain about a carer coming for a interview she was half hour late and never met her before she used the key fob to let herself in my dads flat without permission
Most of the agencies ive complain to get the hump after complaining then take me off there books or they apologise then make excuses 1 year and a half of using 10 different agencys
 

deepetshopboy

Registered User
Jul 7, 2008
653
0
You really cannot employ someone 'cash in hand'.
If you employ someone, you have to do all that goes with it, Tax NI etc, as well as paid holidays and all that.
Basically you become an employer.

How many people are you looking for? Just the one? A straight 5 hour shift, or split shifts?
I advertised it as self employed i was advised by payroll company to do so in private job section so emphasis on carer pays her own tax ive adverised it as 1 x 5 hours intally
 

deepetshopboy

Registered User
Jul 7, 2008
653
0
sorry if you thought i was being harsh but the horror stories of cash in the hand payments dont bear thinking about.could social services recommend one or long standing voluntary charities eg help the ages or age concern, they may use them themselves.im only trying to be helpful and am sorry.if its in his own home maybe cctv could be the way forward for his safety. what else can i say.look after yourself and stay alert to the pitfalls of employing staff yourself
Age concern have told me numerous times that im
Not eligible for befrienders they also dont do carers anymore in my area theres also no Alzheimer’s cafe drop in etc here ive drawn the short straw in terms of help as well as useless care agency in the area
 

deepetshopboy

Registered User
Jul 7, 2008
653
0
Ive no idea ive never been self employed or employed someone
I am looking at 5x hours then maybe depending on carer /my dad a extra 5 hours a separate day
 

jennifer1967

Registered User
Mar 15, 2020
23,479
0
Southampton
ive looked on hmrc for tax of the person and have not a lot of patience as im full of pain again my sciatica so have a look, better to be safe than sorry