What payment for this?

ANGLICANPAT

Scenario - you have a very aged person , doesnt want to go into a care home whilst main carer (daughter) goes away for a few days . She has carers coming in 3 times a day, a couple of days a week already , daytime only. She doesnt need or want expensive live in care at night, but needs someone local at the end of the phone prepared to step in if something goes wrong. The agency only does all night presence or nothing, so if you were to ask one of the carers as a 'foreigner' so to speak , if they were interested in just being 'on call' for those few nights - giving them a basic amount for that, and then extra on top if they were by any chance to be called out --- what sort of money would you be thinking to offer? I have really no idea .

sock-knitter

what about a care link alarm for the elderly person, age uk advertise them, my local authority uses them also

bright_side

I second the care link alarm, they are fab.

carolan78

I would go for the care link alarm if you can not be close by they will get an ambulance or one of those mobile Dr's to the house.

ANGLICANPAT

The care alarm service is already in place with the LA, but the way it works, is that yes, for absolute emergencies they will call an ambulance, but for regular stuff like say the person needs assistance but isnt hurt, or they need a hand if they slip between the bed and commode , or they have a spill on a sheet and it needs changing ---- the emergency button call centre just have a list of phone numbers which you have to provide, of people who are suitable to go and sort the elderly person out. Hence , thats what Im looking for really, an experienced carer to be on standby on their mobile, free to go immediately and help if by any chance the button is pressed. This is Im sure the best option for the persons needs at present but I just have no idea what remuneration to offer. Any carers out there who have ideas what sort of money they would do this for? - or just people who have an idea what they would be prepared to offer? Really need some help on this .

annie_d

Would the carer be insured to care for your relative outside their usual working contract?

Penny-Pincher!!

Are you not able to help or any other family or friends?

rachbc

I'd be very concerned about the legal implications of asking the carer to work 'off the record'. That if the elderly person was injured whilst the carer was there but not supposed to be....

Also any trust worthy carer won't do it - and if they did do you really want an elderly person carer for by someone prepared to break the rules and go behind their employers back for a few quid? What else would they be prepared t break the rules about?

ANGLICANPAT

Thanks, hadnt thought of that - No, I guess an off duty carer doing extra work like that would probably not be covered - but then again, neither would a kindly neighbour, friend or relative? Any other alternatives you can think of as a solution?

mountainofdebt

can I ask why she doesn't want to go into a care home for that relatively short period of time?

ANGLICANPAT

She is profoundly deaf beyond hearing aids , bedridden (uncomfortable in a chair) ,and poor sighted . Her main interest is TV, all waking hours, and she relies on subtitles . TV's in care home bedrooms are tiny screen and not within a few feet of the bed , hence useless. Also, she is used to a Sky control and is too old to learn a Freesat one (homes dont use Sky) even if she could see the TV subtitles . At home, she has a large screen at the foot of the bed, so she can actually be entertained by the tele. Her usual two days carer and myself know her and her routine well enough to not need too much language and she is used to reading my lips to a degree and to my amateurish signing . Imagine several days in your late nineties, without communication , no books, strange room and staff, cant interact with other residents, and nothing to do. Thats why she would be so much happier at home if we can think of a way of achieving it. Four days doesnt sound long to us if you say it quickly, but it must seem to drag and feel like forever for someone in that position.