Daycare

Tina W

Registered User
Jul 18, 2014
4
0
Hi, I am new to this site and would like to introduce myself. I am a carer working for a company in clients homes many of which have dementia. I support the families as best I can in the limited time I have with each of them and am appalled at the closure of many of the daycare centres that provide much needed support to these families. I really feel for these people, many of whom are at near breaking point in trying to look after their loved ones. I have come up with an idea and wonder if the members might be able to give me their input on my idea, as I really would love to help these people.

I have been researching and think I have found a way to operate a daycare with a difference at a greatly reduced cost and would really value what you all think. My idea is to hold a sort of small daycare from my home, as I have a large open plan space that would easily accomodate 6 people plus a couple of carers. I have a downstairs toilet that could easily be adapted for the need. But the difference is I would like to offer a home from home setting and support system. I am really interested in helping this client group and have been doing lots of research and from my experience of working with this client group I find they respond best to having company and engaging in activities. I would like to be able to have a couple of people come for the day and to have support to do ordinary things, such as prepare and cook a meal in a group together, do a little gardening again in a group and interact. Possibly go out for a little walk, all things we all take for granted. To be able to read together and share photos and memories of the past (I see the way their face lights up when they tell the stories of their life experiences). In my experience they enjoy having company and are usually much brighter when they are encouraged to be independent and take part/help out, instead of just sitting about vegetating.

The current daycare system is outdated and does not encourage intertaction, it is also expensive. I am still looking into things but I do not intend to make a profit from this, but to be able to pay carers a decent wage,, whilst keeping the costs as low as possible to the clients. I think I have found a way to keep costs down to around £60 per day which would be considerably less than the current daycare costs. This would be on a ratio of 3 clients to a carer, with only 6 spaces for clients, so small scale and very homely.

Please give me your thoughts, as at this stage it is only my dream!!
 

Beate

Registered User
May 21, 2014
12,179
0
London
£60 per day! I know someone who pays £45 and I already thought that's over the top. Whereabouts in the country is this? The one my OH goes to is council-run and costs £3 per day for the lunch. We're very happy with it. But good luck with your venture!
 
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CynthsDaugh

Registered User
May 5, 2015
139
0
Salford, Lancashire
When I was arranging for my Mum to come and live with me from 80 miles away, I looked into daycare for during my working hours as she wouldn't have been safe on her own while she was settling in and getting herself oriented/remembering in my flat. The only care home I initially found that did day care I wasn't happy with. Anything else I found didn't work out with full time working hours - what hours would you be offering?

Luckily the care home Mum went in to for respite (between her needing to leave the resource centre & my flat being ready for some one with mobility problems) agreed to take her on a day care basis - she's the only one there! The cost works out at £36/day though (8am - 6pm), as it is a larger establishement they could cope within existing staffing levels.
 

nitram

Registered User
Apr 6, 2011
30,072
0
Bury
In my area attendance at a day centre is free, everybody pays for hot two course lunch £4.00, if transport is required it is £2.20 each way and means tested.
 

LYN T

Registered User
Aug 30, 2012
6,958
0
Brixham Devon
I can only speak for the costs in my area (Bournemouth). Two tears ago it was £26.00 for 3 hours.Plus the cost of a very good lunch and snacks/drinks etc. I know it has shot up since then but not too sure how much. From the way you have described the activities that you plan to do (cooking a meal together etc.) I guess you are not considering having people who are too far advanced in their Dementia?

My late Husband needed 1 to 1 at daycare as he was so disruptive

I wish you well
 

tre

Registered User
Sep 23, 2008
1,352
0
Herts
We pay around £50 per day for daycare plus another £3.50 for lunch and drinks. My husband is picked up around 9.15 am and comes home around 4.00pm and gets excellent care. On non daycare days I pay an agency for two hours at home and this costs £33 which is on their lowest rate for companionship. So I think the daycare is a bargain.
I think your idea is good but it would depend on the group working well together. My husband does not respond well to shouting and high levels of noise in general and he is in a quieter group at daycare to meet this need.
I am frankly amazed that others pay nothing or so little for daycare but maybe they fall below the £23k limit so are not self funding like us. I live in fear of the daycare being cut.
Tre
 

Beate

Registered User
May 21, 2014
12,179
0
London
We weren't financially assessed (though he would not be self-funding). Our borough simply doesn't charge for day centres or sitting service. We're lucky, I know and unwittingly picked well when moving here. OH goes every weekday and is out between 9.45am and 5pm usually.
 
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Margaret79

Registered User
May 11, 2010
2,077
0
Wisbech, Cambridgeshire
My MIL attended a Crossroads Home Share group for a couple of years, this was much as you describe. There were 3 and sometimes 4 with 1 carer in his home, if he took them out then another carer attended.

This worked really well for a while and they all enjoyed cooking meals, cakes etc and being in a home environment. It's downfall was the progression of their dementia and the group closed as it could no longer meet their needs.

To be honest £60 sounds steep, I baulk at £50 for the care home that she attends now from 9am to 5pm.
 

LYN T

Registered User
Aug 30, 2012
6,958
0
Brixham Devon
I am frankly amazed that others pay nothing or so little for daycare but maybe they fall below the £23k limit so are not self funding like us. I live in fear of the daycare being cut.
Tre

Hi Tre

Some LA's DO offer free/low cost care if the sufferer/carer is assessed as needing it, irrespective of income/savings. They all set their own fees:confused::eek: No national framework as LA's are in charge of their own budgets. Where I live lots of day care facilities have shut down (or about to). The Council say that's because they are under used. I say it's because they are too expensive. However, what can you expect from a Council that hasn't upped the council tax for a good few years? The healthy are happy-not so the people who need the services:eek:

Take care

Lyn T XX
 

Tina W

Registered User
Jul 18, 2014
4
0
The clients I work with tell me they are being charged £90 for a day at their daycare centre, I think all of the council ones have now closed down. A lot have closed down as people can't afford to pay this. I've said I think I could run it for £60 and they seem to think this is a bargain. Most day centres have a ratio of 6 adults to one carer. I am looking at having just 3 adults to one carer. I could reduce costs and have a higher ratio to each carer but I do not think they get the support they need and want to offer something a little different and very personalised. I was thinking of offering the service from 9am to 5pm MOnday to Friday, with the option of being able to start earlier or finish later at an enhanced rate, as I would have to pay the carers more.
 

sistermillicent

Registered User
Jan 30, 2009
2,949
0
Good idea.
Not easy though. One of my ex work colleagues, a registered nurse with many years experience of running a care home tried to do this from her home, she had things adapted, bathroom, doorways, front path, steps into the house, chairs, goodness knows what else, and invested money and thought all would go well but she never managed to get it passed by the powers that be. Or maybe it was insurance, forget which, but she had to abandon it.
 
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TDA

Registered User
Mar 3, 2015
25
0
Blimey, I wish our was free and not means tested. My mum goes two days a week, weekly cost £110.80 !

They don't have a bus that passes near, So I have to drop her off/collect. Some days we don't get there til 10.30/11, and I have to try and pick mum up 3.30/4, as once most of the others get on the buses she gets unsettled

She never wants to go in, but once in she tends to enjoy it.
The staff are very good, not sure ratio staff/clients but there seem to be plenty of them
 

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