Choosing home carers - any advice?

Greenfingers_girl

Registered User
May 22, 2022
94
0
We are moving to the stage of looking for waking night carers to give my mum respite so she can sleep. Dad is mid stage mixed vascular and Alzheimers. He is now waking several times during the night with hallucinations.

Referral back to the memory clinic hasn't been made yet as the GP said the waiting list is so long that the have issued a Question to Specialist to discuss possible meds instead. We've had phone calls with Admiral a couple of times for advice, GP's at the surgery have never heard of them and refusing to follow any advice re alternative meds, just increasing his Lorezapam.

We've looked to see if we can privately refer to specialists but Nuffield has a 2.5 month waiting list and BUPA a 3.5 month waiting list

Mum and dad won't be eligible for carers through social care due to savings so we are looking for private waking night carers. I've googled it and several companies have come up but how do you go about choosing?? Are there organisations they need to belong to? Are there reviews you can read or inspection reports?? Emailed Carers UK for advice and they came back with get an adult social care assessment and see what local carers groups offer.

Help!
 

Lynmax

Registered User
Nov 1, 2016
1,045
0
I asked around, friends my age had elderly parents so some used care agencies and I also went to a local dementia drop in centre to chat to the organisers and some carers there. I then narrowed it down to three agencies and did some research online about where they were based, number of clients or staff, how long they had been in business etc. Eventually I phoned them all for a long chat about fees, hours, continuity of carers, back up staff, contact arrangements etc. Finally I chose the only one who insisted on a pre visit to meet mum to assess her needs and who also came again in person to introduce the actual carers.
 

Grannie G

Volunteer Moderator
Apr 3, 2006
81,443
0
Kent
Finally I chose the only one who insisted on a pre visit to meet mum to assess her needs and who also came again in person to introduce the actual carers.

This is excellent advice.

When I needed agency carers for my husband, this is precisely what the agency manager did and I had the best service possible from the carers.