Finding domestic type care when parents aren't bad enough for a carer or nursing home - how?!

[Randomuser9876]

My parents are early 80s, been OK until recently (although they'd deny that!) but have health issues which mean they are now struggling.

They still live in the family home and much as I try I can't see them downsizing. They need a cleaner as DM now has mobility issues on top of arthritis and house is becoming very cluttered and messy which she stresses about endlessly.

So they need a cleaner, someone to do the washing and ideally a bit of personal care (ie cutting toenails and changing bandages). Be great if they could help my Mum with cooking as she struggles to chop veg. Or drive to medical appointments when I'm working.

Does such a thing exist? Only just started looking but help seems to be either cleaning only or medical / personal care and nothing inbetween.

Basically they need another daughter but I'm getting maxed out with it all!

TIA

I think you'll struggle to find any care agency to provide that kind of service and you might be better breaking their needs down into different categories.

Cleaner - easy.
Personal care - how often are they requiring this? Enough for once a day visit? How often are bandages needing a change? Do they need help with washing/showering? This is the realm of the home care sector.
Cooking - this might need a re-think of their shopping. Pre-prepared vegetables for example, possibly ready-meals either from supermarkets of one of those home delivery businesses.
Taking to appointments - that sounds like they need taxis?

I'm a private self employed carer for people who self fund and I do all those things.

What area are they in? I'll see if I can tell you where to look.

A friend of mine does the kind of tasks you're describing, she is employed by a disabled lady, and her preferred job title is Personal Assistant.
The lady receives funding from the local authority for 25 or so hours a week, then she decides what those hours are spent doing. A second PA covers days off and holidays.
Everyday tasks are getting the lady up, washed and dressed, and help with meal prep. Weekly tasks are split between shopping, cleaning, taking to appointments, some social activities etc.

Sounds a bit like you are looking for a 'Home Help' plus light care

www.ageuk.org.uk/services/in-your-area/home-help/

Found this home help service from age.uk

I’m a home carer and I know support workers who do the sort of jobs you’re looking for.

My father has a foot care technician (not a podiatrist) who used to come to his home to do his toenails and now goes into the nursing home for him (he prefers the person he knows). District Nurse used to come to his house to change dressings.

I'll have a look at the Age UK stuff - they're in West Yorkshire Chowtime

It's just difficult as doing cleaning / washing / food / self care stuff separately leaves a lot to organise for me, it's also really variable from week to week ie DDad only needed bandages changing last week as he'd burnt his arm so wouldn't need a permanent nurse for that.

Thanks so much for taking time to respond everyone.

I think you need home help as well, or something that maybe you might term "housekeeping"? I.e. more than a cleaner.

I think personal care is likely to need to be dealt with separately.

Not super helpful in you finding it where you are but where I am there are adverts in the post office windows for people to help.

Could you do/get them set up with a weekly supermarket shop to come? If you could get someone in who would put that away, do cleaning and washing etc and cook a couple of things, and then you bought some ready chopped veg etc in it so your mum could make a couple of other bits, would that bridge the majority of the gap? Maybe with that person coming in for 2-3 hours on a Tuesday and Friday or something?

the local county council website adult social care may be able to signpost services available locally- or joint local fb/ next door sites to ask for recommendations. Doc surgery or local vicar may also have recommendations.
our local post office is a great source of reccomendations.

This site has a PA finder

The care company I work for does all that apart from nail cutting and changing bandages - we would find a chiropodist for the nails and a district nurse would visit weekly to do bandages
A private carer might do these things but there are infection risks