Live in care

[OnthePiste]

Hi does anyone have any positive/negative experience of having live in carers? I've just had a long chat with a local live in care agency and it sounds perfect. DM who has Alzheimer's is looking more and more likely that she will need 24 hour care soon and I am very reluctant to have her in a CH especially at the moment.

Before this lockdown started, she was still seeing friends, going out for meals etc so I would hate to basically imprison her in a CH. She would also hate not seeing me and other family members. The cost seems to be a lot less than a CH as well although I am aware that food and household bills will increase with someone else living with her.

Any experiences, good or bad appreciated.

How much care will she need, you will need to have carers coming in too when the live in carer is off duty.

My friend had live in carers for the last 3 years of her life, they did 2 weeks on 2 weeks off but had their own rooms and were welcome to stay all the time (the two carers got on well and traded a bit of time) but she could be left for short periods so the carer could fetch groceries. The package financially speaking was accommodation (even when not working), all food and non alcoholic drinks when working, use of a car shared between the carers but could be used on days off if not needed, mobile phone & contract plus I was told £1800 per carer per month. It is not a cheap option but similar to higher end care homes

We had good experiences with www.country-cousins.co.uk for DM

Ours sounds every similar to mootymoo 's description. We had three different carers who each stayed for a fortnight, with one day's hand over between fortnights. They were each different, lovely in their own way. Having three in rotation meant that the carers holidays etc were covered without disruption.

It worked really well until DM started to need help at night and two people to wash her.

I'm probably being a bit naive here but if she needs 24 hour care, would she need 2 carers a day? One fir the day and one fir night? I wouldn't like to think I was doing all of the care and cooking fir someone then being up multiple times in the night. Before my DMIL went into a home she could be up as often as every hour in the night.

That’s cheap for 24 hour care! Surely the carers would receive £8:50 24 hours a day. Minimum wage

Op is she awake and needing attention at night?

@Porridgeoat

That’s cheap for 24 hour care! Surely the carers would receive £8:50 24 hours a day. Minimum wage

The carers get £100 a day plus board and lodging and the agency get about £20 a day admin. They are not on duty at night unless the person they care for is awake in which case you would need an additional carer.

DM is asleep at night (at the moment). if she does call the carer during night time there is a £12 fee for each call. The carer gets a 2 hour break during the day, DM would be fine sat watching TV in this time or I could possibly sit with her otherwise.

If the staff member is required to sleep at the house this would count as working and would receive an hourly minimum wage in the place I work. Is it legal not to pay a proper night wage? I thought things had moved on from this a few years ago? £12 is a token gesture but not a wage for someone required to be present and unable to leave the house at night. £100 for working 7am to 9pm even with a two hour break is 12 hours work for £100. That poor staff member will be tied to the premises for 22 of every 24 hours for as low as £100 per day. Seems wrong

Ongoing debate

www.personneltoday.com/hr/supreme-court-tomlinson-blake-v-mencap-2020/