Live in carers

[Kazzi]

My father in law lives on his own. He goes to a Day Centre 5 days a week and the carers bring him home and sort him out for an hour after. He also has carers for 2 hours every other Saturday. He has been quite steady for a while but recently has been walking around with no clothes on. Every time the carers or my husband goes to see him he has no clothes on. Not sure if its the weather although it is cooler now and he is still doing it. He is also continuously tired though this is probably because he wanders about a lot indoors and probably doesn't sleep much at night.

We are getting really worried about him and are looking for further options to keep him at home for as long as possible. Has anyone heard about live in carers for people with Alzheimers or part time live in? I have a feeling it will be very expensive and probably cheaper for him to move to a home but again we are reluctant to expose him to more severely affected people yet.

 

[jeany123]

Hello Kazzy I have no knowledge of live in carers but there is a thread here that might interest you

http://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/showthread.php?59697-Forward-thinking-Live-in-Carers-any-experiences

Best Wishes, Jeany x

 

[saffie_1982]

Hi
You certainly can get live in carers. Agencies are able to supply carers on a as and when basis or on a regular basis. It will be expensive. You can employ someone yourself which will be cheaper than using an agency, however you will have to become an employer I believe and will have to ensure that the carer has done all the essential training and that this is up to date.
I dont know a great deal about it but I hope this helps.

 

[lotusflower]

Kazzi
I have just completed my first overnight (respite) using live in carers and would recommend this for consideration for your FIL. I spent time researching lots of local agencies ( not all provide overnight care - with some subcontracting out to another agency -which is far from ideal).

I chose a local agency which provide hourly, overnight/24 hour live in - the carers are so kind and its nice for my partner not to have to deal with a care home environment ( which would be very alien to him) and lots of people who are generally much older and more advanced as well as different staff..... I felt if he went to a home for respite it would be more difficult for him to pick up where he left off with his home routine which is what is stabilising him.

Costs for 24 hours is £130 .... Waking overnight £100 ... Hourly rates are £17 although there is a broad price range with hourly charges varying between companies of £14-£20+!

Hope this helps...

 

[Kazzi]

Thank you very much for your comments. We have found a recommended agency that does overnight, etc and are having an assessment with them next week. My husband has the same fear that if his dad goes into respite care it will mess him up for when he comes home. Such a huge decision. We have found a lovely home but expensive. However looking at a rough cost for carers even without overnight care and just more hours at weekends and evenings (as well as going to Day Centre as he does at the moment) will be almost the same as care home fees plus of course household bills. With overnight care it would be even more. It is so difficult to know which way to go.

The big problem at the moment is him keep taking his clothes off and forgetting where rooms are. We have put big notices on the bathroom and toilet doors but he keeps shutting them and obviously becomes confused so is not using the toilet! Not nice for the carers when they go in or my hubbie. He has also cut a hole in his trousers for some reason! As he is usually naked I don't like to go up on my own and we certainly can't let our son and daughter visit without us. Its also causing problems for delivering his food as the only time anyone is there to take it in is a Monday morning when he is there on his own at the time they deliver. My husband and I both work so it is very stressful at the moment. Even with extra care there will always be time when he is on his own and that is the major worry at the moment.