Is there a company who will do this?

[logicandfacts]

My elderly parents could do with a cleaner but it would be great if that person could also keep an eye on them, maybe stay for a coffee, do a bit of shopping as well as simple cleaning. We would be willing to pay properly for this of course. So there is befriending involved, as well as practical help. Does anyone know a company like this?

I don't know of a company that would do this, but if your parents are members of a church you could approach the Priest/minister to see if there are any members of the congregation who would do it. I know 2 elderly people who have found help via their church.

A few of our local care agencies also offer domestic services. In your situation or when the individual(s) are reluctant to accept care but have insight into needing a bit of help with cleaning etc we often suggest employing one of those care agencies so that they meet their current needs while building rapport for any ongoing needs.

Age UK offer a befriending service also. The other option would be to phone your local social services office and ask for local help schemes. Even if you are privately funding they can help with signposting you to the appropriate people.

I think that is what "Home Instead" (nationwide) offer.

In our diocese you have to have a DBS check to visit the home of vulnerable people.

Yes both "carers" already had one via their day jobs/roles in the church.

The arrangement was very loosely linked to the Church in that the "carers" were already known to the elderly people. When they started mentioning they were on the look out for helpers, it sort of organically happened IYSWIM.

I used Caremark. It's very expensive. Fundamentally I wanted consistent and continuous support for my folks. It's all about the relationship.

Thank you all for the excellent suggestions! Really helpful. I will investigate all ideas. I hadn't heard of Caremark and this might be the answer.

My grandad has a local agency to do this. Mainly just to make sure he gets his lunch, but they'll also run the Hoover round, pop a wash in the machine or out to dry etc, play chess with him, drink tea, take him for a stroll to get his paper or drive him to any appointments etc. Basically apart from making sure he gets his lunch they have have an hour or so do whatever he asks.
So we know everyday he gets some company, and then family members come in and out as and when they can.

oh and it's a rota of 3 ladies so he has gotten to know them all well, and the continuity is good.

My DMum got this via a local independent care agency.

Essential she paid for someone to come for an hour each day (initially, it grew as her needs did) and during that time they would always clear and clean the kitchen, and most days the loo and bathroom, but after that do whatever she wanted - more cleaning, have coffee/chat/jigsaw time, put on or take out and peg out a load of laundry, agreed errands outside the house, etc etc and one of her two regulars would basic hair trimming plus dampen and set. They were brilliant!

And its a good way to get to know someone before more intimate personal care needed.

Yes DMum's is rota too - two main ladies who divvy up the week, plus another who covers absences. So three in total, and you do get to know them. I think that really matters

Absolutely they exist. PM me to see if we live near each other or for advice. It is very common, particularly for those living overseas.

www.bluebirdcare.co.uk/services/466/companionship-care

I would also echo @Ethelswith that it is good to prempt. So that a trusting relationship is built, before the persons needs increase. Building that relationship early is very important, imo, before becoming reliant for things like personal care. Of course life happens and can not be predicted. I would however advise you to be proactive.

You need to check that they are doing hat they areeant to.mum has a carer once a day basically to check she's OK, make sure there is nothing gone off in the fridge and that her pivotell is where it's meant to be so she can hear it. None of us live near but when we go up we usually have to remove considerable amounts of rancid food and put the pivotell in the correct room.

There is a company near me that does this.

In Surrey age uk Surrey will do exactly this. Other local age uk or age concern branches may do too.

Brilliant suggestions and reassuring to know other people do this for their elderly people.

Yes , there are companion companies which charge less than carers .

Age UK should be able to help. A friend of mine used to do this - cleaning, taking people shopping or to the doctor, picking up prescriptions, making a cuppa and a sandwich, making sure they're drinking enough, and having a chat and talking through any worries they had.

Yes, but it's finding the right one. Dgp's had a brilliant cleaner, found through a regular agency originally but we then hired directly for a more home help role, twice a week, laundry, changed bedding, fetched groceries and cooked on those days

In my area we have 'micro providers' - people who set themselves up as independent carers/domestic helpers/whatever you need-ers! I like them as opposed to agencies for rapport building. Your area will likely have the same. Details may be on the council website, or on the website of community/village agents if they exist in your area too.

We used Home Instead for my mum, they are franchised across the country so tend to use local people and managed to have the same carers visit mum.

We asked for a two hour visit mid day so after doing some cleaning they had time to heat up a meal we prepared, sit with mum while she ate it and go out for a walk in the garden if the weather was good or sit and chat/watch tv/ do a jig saw if inclement. As mums dementia progressed we changed their duties to helping mum have a shower and get dressed. We then employed a cleaner from a local group just to clean the house a couple of times a week.

HI do not do visits of less than an hour long and two years ago we charging £26 an hour - not sure if the price varies by area.

A friend of my mother’s employed a live in nanny for herself. The lady was very independent and totally on the ball but needed more help to maintain her house and herself but not unwell enough for a home. The nanny followed her lead if she needed help with a bath, cooked the evening meal, checked in on her.