Home care assessments - what’s reasonable? What should we ask?

[ARiverInEgypt]

I’m helping arrange daily home care for a relative. Care is sparse in their area so I can only find one small agency which was personally recommended but has no CQC yet, and one that’s a branch of a well-regarded national chain but the branch has some bad reviews online and an imperfect CQC (not terrible but not great).

Would it be reasonable to get both of them round for an assessment and pick one on instinct? And what questions do we need to ask?

I'd get both round, see if they have any council reviews. Make a list of what your relative wants help with, separate housework and personal care. Ask if they can come at preferred times, can they stay for the preferred length of time, hourly rate for days, nights, weekends and bank holidays. Do They prepare meals, snacks, hot drinks, use the oven or do you need a microwave. Do They do washing up, laundry, change beds, light housework, light shopping. Ask what training the staff have received, are they fully insured, do they come and assess first and agree a care plan, how do they get paid, how long is the contract, what happens if care needs to be cancelled for hospital, holidays and also if care isn't enough and needs to be increased. Ask about their complaints procedure and who managers the care, are they trained qualified professionals like a ex social worker or nurse. What about emergency situations if relatice is taken ill, if carer doesn't turn up or goes off sick do they send a replacement and ask to see the registration documents.

Thanks, that’s a good list. I’ve covered some of them already but some I hadn’t thought of.

You might also want to think about a key safe if your relative might not be able to answer the door and a care alarm if they are at risk, sometimes the care agency will be responders.

Also whether they’ll be able to commit to a consistent carer or two.

A large part of how well it works will be down to the individual carers.
I would be interested in how much they’re paying their carers but you might not be able to find that out (unless they’re advertising for new staff)

Just to let you know that regardless of income, your relative would be entitled to an free assessment of their care and support needs.

With that, your social worker can give advice and signpost you to agencies you may be interested in going with.

I think they have had that - there’s certainly an adviser who comes to visit. She’s given a couple of names of recommended firms but one doesn’t serve their area and one’s a chain where their local branch seems a bit substandard.