Can I have your feed back on this?

longhotbath

Hi - does she have epilepy or does she have diabetes? Both cause 'convulsions'. You need to feel confident in going out with her and she does need to explain what they are like, any triggers, and what to do when she has one.
My son has many seizures every day, and doesnt need any help - just watching to make sure that he is ok until it is over. We have written a 'what to do' sheet to make explaining to people easier.

BallandChain

I don't know what condition she has as she just mentioned she had convulsions and that mobile phones/radios can set it off. Yes the radio is a puzzler, as like you say we are bombarded with radio waves all the time. I wondered about the mobile phone too as a lot of people use them and it is something that is unavoidable when out in public.

munchings-n-crunchings

Hello BallandChain,

If you are keen to help this lady, why don't you have a look into some first aid training.

The St John Ambulance Brigade offer training schemes.
The will give you the confidence that you need to deal with emergency first aid.
The link below is designed for a family to learn together, but it covers the things you would need to know.
http://www.sja.org.uk/sja/training-courses/courses-for-the-general-public/family-first-aid.aspx

No cost is mentioned, but I would speak to the lady, and see if the cost can be shared, and the knowledge will last you for life.

Regards
Munchie

Errata

I think you need to be cautious if this woman wants to employ you in a caring role. You will have duty of care and you need to understand what that implies and its limits.

BallandChain

Yes that is my concern Errata. If I did go on a course it will be too late as she wants me to start work this week. Also I will have to pay out of my own pocket as she can't afford much. It's such a big responsibility and for the sake of 2 hours a week it doesn't seem worthwhile.

Errata

BallandChain wrote: »

Yes that is my concern Errata. If I did go on a course it will be too late as she wants me to start work this week. Also I will have to pay out of my own pocket as she can't afford much. It's such a big responsibility and for the sake of 2 hours a week it doesn't seem worthwhile.

It isn't worth it. IMO she's being far too casual an unrealistic about what being a good employer entails.

[Deleted User]

BallandChain wrote: »

Yes that is my concern Errata. If I did go on a course it will be too late as she wants me to start work this week. Also I will have to pay out of my own pocket as she can't afford much. It's such a big responsibility and for the sake of 2 hours a week it doesn't seem worthwhile.

It is a big responsibility even if you were doing it as en employee or as a friend and I'd think no less of someone who told me they couldnt handle it and it doesnt help her with you being stressed about this.

You can only do what you can do and when you can do it confidently, safely and enjoy it, we are not meant to be stressed constantly by 'what ifs' we are meant to enjoy our work.

If you feel you can not help her because of this direct her to the adult social services dept, you could even refer her yourself. They will asses her needs and possibly put someone in place who is fully trained to do this once a week for a few hours.

If it is something that interests you you can go get trained at college or St Johns as mentioned above and be one of those care workers that the social services use.

BallandChain

I telephoned the lady today to say I think she needs someone with more experience and mentioned that she contact Social Services. She said she wasn't after a carer but a helper and wasn't interested in contacting them by the sounds of it. I feel really bad letting her down but it was a huge responsibility and one I wouldn't take lightly.

Thank you to all who responded, it was much appreciated.

Errata

I think you made the right decision. She sounds very stubborn and not prepared to look at things from the point of view of someone she's paying to help her.

daska

It might be worth mentioning to her that the title 'carer' doesn't mean that they have to accompany you to the loo if you don't need it. The carer's I have will turn their hands to housework, personal care or just accompanying you on a bit of window shopping. She needs someone to accompany her therefore she needs a 'carer' even if she wants to call her carer by a different title. If it were me I'd ring the adult disability team at social services and ask them to contact her as she obviously does feel she needs help