Please help if you have arranged home care privately

bemused1

Registered User
Mar 4, 2012
3,402
0
Am so fed up with waiting for a carers assessment and trying to find ways around husbands rapidly worsening physical problems. I know we will be self funding so the time has come when I need to start looking into private carers. Getting him up and to bed is becoming a nightmare of stress, not caused by him but the fact that he just CAN'T. Ot is being helpful but its just all taking so long.

So please anyone who has organised care themselves, how did you start the process. Did you get advice and if so who from? Especially anyone who has a partner or relative with severe mobility problems. Please please if anyone has any advice, share it.
 

Jaycee23

Registered User
Jan 6, 2011
383
0
uk
When my mum was living at home and it was really becoming apparent that she needed help in her home I did not have a clue which was the best care and Social Services are unable to give advice as they would be seen as promoting a care provider. Your local authority would have a care provider booklet (also SS would have this and your local Alzhiemers or Age UK )and you can go on the website to look at what score they got through the inspectors. This is what I did and also asked those whose parents were receiving care. It is definetely a minefield and everyone has different opinions plus the carers sometimes have many changeovers in some provider orgs. I wanted mum to have basically regular carers who she could build some kind of trust rather than an agency that had a large turnover and mum having every tom dick or harry coming in. So the best thing is to look at what scoring they got and phone them and ask what their staff turnover is. Information is power. Hope this helps
 

jeany123

Registered User
Mar 24, 2012
19,034
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74
Durham
I asked the SW for a list of verified agencies for someone to help with the house work but also able to sit with husband who has dementia as well , he sent a list out and most of them do domestic duties and caring helping with bedtime, changing, showering and medication , they do not advise who is best but you can then do your own detective work about which one would be most suitable,
 

Grannie G

Volunteer Moderator
Apr 3, 2006
81,443
0
Kent
I used a private agency which in my area was excellent. All carers were dementia trained and the Branch manager called to the house to do a full assessment.

This agency is a Franchise operation so each branch might be different but I had no complaints at all.

I don`t know if there is a Branch near you bemused but here is the link.

http://www.bluebirdcare.co.uk
 

oneloopylady

Registered User
Oct 16, 2011
263
0
Am so fed up with waiting for a carers assessment and trying to find ways around husbands rapidly worsening physical problems. I know we will be self funding so the time has come when I need to start looking into private carers. Getting him up and to bed is becoming a nightmare of stress, not caused by him but the fact that he just CAN'T. Ot is being helpful but its just all taking so long.

So please anyone who has organised care themselves, how did you start the process. Did you get advice and if so who from? Especially anyone who has a partner or relative with severe mobility problems. Please please if anyone has any advice, share it.


If he is self funding then it is as simple as picking up the phone and calling a home care agency and they will visit you, take many notes and discuss the times that you think you need care visits etc.

The harder part is finding the right agency.... many of them are nationwide so those of us who have been down this road can advise as to whether we thought the agency were good etc by PM. (I will send you a PM now about the agency we used and we found the local one excellent and head off ice very much on the ball).

This particular agency also dealt with DN's and OT's for me to get all the equipment that they, the care agency, thought my dad needed at home as he was completely immobile, incontinent and had several other needs.

Hope that helps!

Big hugs!
 

Anniewragby

Registered User
Mar 20, 2013
46
0
I can echo Grannie G's comment - as I have used the same company and all is going well. Good Luck and trust your instincts.
 

sistermillicent

Registered User
Jan 30, 2009
2,949
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I don't know where you live but if it is in worcester/hereford area i can suggest a good agency, I didn't think we were allowed to name names on here but could do it by private message. Otherwise try specifying the area in a post and ask people to message you if they can give a personal recommendation.
 

bemused1

Registered User
Mar 4, 2012
3,402
0
Thanks everyone, I have stopped hyperventilating now and can approach things much more calmly. I just suddenly knew this morning that the time for getting help was very close and just didn't know where to start.