live in carers at house

[lookingglass]

Hi
I wonder if any one has had experience good or bad of 24 hr live in carers at home.
My mother has Alzheimers and is 94 - she was living alone with 4 times a day care which was ok until she had a chest infection and fall 3 weeks ago injuring her arm which has made her much less mobile as she can not stand up without help. She was in hospital for 2 weeks and then we moved her to a nursing home for respite care for her arm to improve. She has a lot of help there and is getting more mobile but we don't feel it is right to leave her there if she improves without trying to get her back home with increased care. I wonder if 24 hour live in care would work for her as she is still independent in many ways. I am worried though that she will not like somone being there all the time as she is always critical of the carers saying they are 'useless' etc. Also, I visit 2 or 3 times a week so it is odd to think someone would be there all the time.
We are in south London if anyone has experience of it in this area.
Thanks

 

[stanleypj]

A relative had a number of live-in carers and could not have managed otherwise. I think there is an organisation that puts you in touch with potential carers and I understand she also got at least one from an advert in 'The Lady'.

Such a person would probably be very different from your average agency carer but it is a big ask of your mum even if the only alternative eventually is probably residential care. AS you say, they would be there pretty much full-time.

 

[jasmineflower]

My friend put 24hr care in place for her mother and it worked very well. However it was very complicated as they needed 3 people to work a rota so that they had enough time off, and often the family had to provide weekend cover. If you hire someone directly you also need to sort out PAYE etc J x

 

[cragmaid]

Hi, you are looking at something well over £1200 per week to fund this as you will need to employ more than one person to cover 24hours 7 days a week and that's only if you pay minimum rate. As an employer you will also need to fund holiday pay ( and cover) sick pay, insurance, NI and public liability insurance...

I hope you can resolve this to the best of your ability, but it may be that Mum is better cared for in a Residential Care Home.

Good Luck...

 

[stanleypj]

We may be talking about two different types of live-in care here. Certainly 24/7 care would be very expensive, and would clearly have to involve more than one employee which might well be unacceptable to someone who is reluctant to have anyone in her home to help.

I was thinking of the arrangement where you provide someone with board and lodging and, in return for that and some financial recompense, they carry out an agreed amount of regular personal and care are 'on call' for long periods. That probably would still not be enough in a situation such as the one described, even if your mother got to know the person and eventually came to regard them as a friend.

 

[SisterAct]

PM sent xx

 

[Stereochild]

I am a live-in carer and it can be very hard for some people to have someone living in their home but it also keeps people living in their own home with more control on what they do and when etc.
It is expensive and so out range for many of those who need the help. You do need to give the carer time off and if family are not willing or able to do this a second carer would be needed and this increases the costs.
I am self employed and work through an introduction agency called Trinity Homecare who I think are a good agency but all agencies are only as good as their staff.
I have never heard of a job that pays £1200 per week - that sounds like a nursing home price. Live-in carers are not paid hourly but by a daily rate.
I hope you are able to get the best help for your Mum!!

 

[doodle1]

Can I just say that I employ a carer through Trinity Homecare and have been very impressed.eighteen months of really good care and Stereochild is right on the money front
Had sent you a pm earlier in today

 

[love.dad.but..]

Before we conceded that Dad was too vulnerable with 1-1 live in carer, my experience of the second carer we tried was shocking, although agency said she was experienced in dementia care, she clearly wasn't and didn't understand Dad's moderate stage at all. Exploded in temper at me when I arrived one day to cover her 2 hours rest over my question of what she cooked for dinner the night before, everything provided, Dad couldn't ask or get anything for himself and she offered him a sandwich. I am sure there are some lovely live in carers out there but our experience wasn't great. His days and nights flipped early on in his illness after mum died suddenly and although the weekly cost was £750 in Kent, we were facing having to have a second carer at night so that the live in carer wouldn't be disturbed not by Dad asking or needing anything but if she woke when he was shuffling around. This would have doubled the cost so maybe the previous post was referring to this scenario ie £1200. Live in care with good dementia expertise and understanding should work but for us sadly it didn't. I think maybe it works best when it is to support a husband or wife carer. Good luck though

 

[lookingglass]

Re Live in Care Replies

Before we conceded that Dad was too vulnerable with 1-1 live in carer, my experience of the second carer we tried was shocking, although agency said she was experienced in dementia care, she clearly wasn't and didn't understand Dad's moderate stage at all. Exploded in temper at me when I arrived one day to cover her 2 hours rest over my question of what she cooked for dinner the night before, everything provided, Dad couldn't ask or get anything for himself and she offered him a sandwich. I am sure there are some lovely live in carers out there but our experience wasn't great. His days and nights flipped early on in his illness after mum died suddenly and although the weekly cost was £750 in Kent, we were facing having to have a second carer at night so that the live in carer wouldn't be disturbed not by Dad asking or needing anything but if she woke when he was shuffling around. This would have doubled the cost so maybe the previous post was referring to this scenario ie £1200. Live in care with good dementia expertise and understanding should work but for us sadly it didn't. I think maybe it works best when it is to support a husband or wife carer. Good luck though

Thank you all so much for your really useful replies. I am sorry I have not responded to you all but have been running ragged with mum and trying to sort things out. You know how it is.
It is very helpful hearing all your points of view and I am still not quite sure if it will be right for her but it may be the best option at the moment. I think I would have to go through an agency not the self-employed route - too much hassle and paperwork on top of all else! Very interesting to hear from a live in carer Stereochild, so thanks for the insight. And thanks to the pms too. I will let you know how I get on - it seems a difficult road ahead whatever we do. Just hoping we can make something work. Best wishes to you all.