Live in carer costs

Kirkmain

How about double up care visits? Like 2 people to come for a few minutes to a quarter an hour at a time to change, bath, warm up a meal, maybe feed the client? How much will that cost per year?

Albermarle

Kirkmain said:

How about double up care visits? Like 2 people to come for a few minutes to a quarter an hour at a time to change, bath, warm up a meal, maybe feed the client? How much will that cost per year?

They are not going to get much done in 15 mins or less. Often they are rushing from one client to another and running late in any case. By the time they arrive, take off their coat, go to the loo etc, it will be time to leave again !
Carers from an agency cost around £18 an hour ( in the South East) . Short visits, antisocial hours, distant location, will push the cost up a bit.

Suggest you might be better looking at what's actually needed, rather than just trying to minimise cost. 
The advantage of having plenty of money is that you do not have rely on rushed carer visits, as you can afford to pay for them to stay longer.

Savvy_Sue

I'd absolutely HATE to have short visits like that, and the better agencies won't offer them. I have a friend who works as a carer, and you can't just barge into someone's home with a 'right, let's get you dressed' attitude and be in and out in 15 minutes, especially if you're starting with someone in bed. 

I think the maximum a local authority will organise is 4 visits per day, and they may be as short as 15 minutes. I'd budget for 4 hour long double handed visits.

A question: I know we can't foretell the future, but do either of you have any disabilities or health conditions which make it likely this will be needed?

And another question: what steps are you taking to remain mobile, healthy, and able to manage in your own home? 

elsien

Kirkmain said:

How about double up care visits? Like 2 people to come for a few minutes to a quarter an hour at a time to change, bath, warm up a meal, maybe feed the client? How much will that cost per year?

It would take you 15 minutes to run my bath, let alone get me in it and dried and dressed again afterwards.
And 15 minutes to warm up a meal, shovel the food down the client’s throat as quickly as possible, make a drink, wash up, do the necessary recording and get out again? Hardly person centred, is it?
Good care done well involves engaging the person and supporting them to do as much as they can for themselves, which takes longer.

Have a think about what it would feel like to have someone rushing in, and trying to get out again in the shortest possible amount of time. Is that really what would you would want either for  yourself or someone you care for?

BooJewels

I'm also against the idea of quick visits - my Mum had them for a short while - they just do not work.  Mum was supposed to have help with getting up in a morning and being put to bed at night. 

For the morning visits, they'd come anywhere in a 4 hour window - Mum soiled herself several times when they didn't come in a morning until after 11:00am and she was busting for the loo.  Likewise at night, they were supposed to come around 10pm, but they arrived one Sunday at 6:30pm when we were all sat at the dining table having Sunday dinner - it was someone's birthday or something. 

The last straw was when one carer refused to remove her bra to go to bed as she'd had an expensive manicure done for a wedding the following day and she had to spend the night trying to sleep with her bra fastenings digging in.  It only came to light when she was sore next day.

We found her a place in a really good care home and she was much, much happier and better looked after there.  My Dad had been getting himself so distressed at trying to look after her himself with so called support, that he really benefitted from the arrangement too - and the peace of mind was important to all of us.  He went to see her every day and had his lunch with her in her room and could go home knowing she was well looked after and he could relax and concentrate on himself.

Kirkmain

Savvy_Sue said:

I'd absolutely HATE to have short visits like that, and the better agencies won't offer them. I have a friend who works as a carer, and you can't just barge into someone's home with a 'right, let's get you dressed' attitude and be in and out in 15 minutes, especially if you're starting with someone in bed. 

I think the maximum a local authority will organise is 4 visits per day, and they may be as short as 15 minutes. I'd budget for 4 hour long double handed visits.

A question: I know we can't foretell the future, but do either of you have any disabilities or health conditions which make it likely this will be needed?

And another question: what steps are you taking to remain mobile, healthy, and able to manage in your own home? 

how much will 3 hour long double care visits cost per year?

elsien

There will be huge variations geographically, so no one can give you an answer on that unless you phone up some local care agencies and see what their charges are at the moment.

As an example, I live in the Midlands, which will obviously be cheaper than the South. One care agency says the following:

Prices start from £22.49 40 an hour, but that’s the starting price for one person, because it varies depending on where you are, and also what your specific care needs 
if you are looking at live in care, then having one carer prices start from £1,500 per week, again, depending on where you live, and how complicated your needs are. 

If you google care agencies in your area, you might find something similar, but bear in mind that is the starting rate for non-complicated people and costs could well be more than that. And rural areas where the travel is longer between clients will also be more expensive because it’s just harder to get carers on minimum wage willing to travel in their own time when distances are further. 

Albermarle

As an example, I live in the Midlands, which will obviously be cheaper than the South. One care agency says the following:Prices start from £22.49 40 an hour, but that’s the starting price for one person, because it varies depending on where you are, and also what your specific care needs 

I am not sure it is more expensive in the South as councils are just as cash strapped, and they tend to set the rates. As mentioned in a previous post we pay £18 an hour ( with the previous agency it was £20) .

how much will 3 hour long double care visits cost per year?

Daily - 6 X £20 = £120 X 365 = Approx £45K 

Floss

Kirkmain said:

how much will 3 hour long double care visits cost per year?

Why don't you find some care providers local to you and ask the professionals?

Savvy_Sue

Kirkmain said:

Savvy_Sue said:

I'd absolutely HATE to have short visits like that, and the better agencies won't offer them. I have a friend who works as a carer, and you can't just barge into someone's home with a 'right, let's get you dressed' attitude and be in and out in 15 minutes, especially if you're starting with someone in bed. 

I think the maximum a local authority will organise is 4 visits per day, and they may be as short as 15 minutes. I'd budget for 4 hour long double handed visits.

A question: I know we can't foretell the future, but do either of you have any disabilities or health conditions which make it likely this will be needed?

And another question: what steps are you taking to remain mobile, healthy, and able to manage in your own home? 

how much will 3 hour long double care visits cost per year?

I already did the very basic maths for hourly rates on page 1. You've also been given the advice to look at current agency prices. Whether you then double or triple it to future proof it is up to you.