Post-op care for elderly mother - how to find it?

[OldieMum]

My mother, 82, is due to have an operation on her back in two weeks' time - at short notice. She will spend a week recuperating in hospital and then needs 3-4 weeks at home, but with someone around to help. She lives alone, so she is going to spend this time with us. At the end of four weeks, we are due to go away for five days. I don't want her to go straight from staying with us to being alone at home, just in case recovery takes longer than anticipated. We may just cancel the holiday, but she is unhappy about our doing that. I need to know how to go about finding someone to spend daytimes with her. She won't need nursing care, but may need help with getting dressed, cooking and going to the loo. Can anyone advise me how to find someone? We live in Oxford.

[OldieMum]

bump

[assumedname]

One of her friends?
Contact Social Services for a home help?
Contact Age Concern - this can't be an uncommon problem.
Some kind of agency care that you pay for?

[OldieMum]

Thanks, assumedname. I was thinking of an agency, but was not sure what kind of agency to go for. Sorry to be thick! Any ideas?

[Smurfgirl]

You want inhome carers, although some residential care homes do short term stays.

Look in the phone directory for in home care and have a chat with them.

They will do shopping, personal hygiene toileting etc. You can chose how often they come in, often its to get people up and put them to bed, but they can come in as often as you want. It is worth considering exactly how much she will be able to do. Do you think you will be able to help her with her basic needs before you go on holiday? It is quite challening, and physically tiring. What has the hospital recommended?

[mears]

There should be a social worker at the hospital you could talk to who could give you advice. When my Dad was in the social worker organised carers to come in each day when he got home. In Scotland though there is free personal care for over 75s. Don't know the position in England.

[Smurfgirl]

Mears its only free in England if you can;t afford to pay which is shocking IMO. You can get money towards the care though.

[redsky]

If you are looking for a suitable agency I'd try looking for adverts in the back of magazines like 'The Lady'.