What can carers help with?

RavingMad

So FIL is living on his own as MIL is in a care home now. He pays for 2 visits a day for carers to come dress him in the morning and undress in the evening.

Each visit is supposed to be 30 mins but oftentimes, they're there for less than 10 mins as he has all his clothes laid out ready

We're going to speak to the company that sends the carers and ask what services they can be asked to do IE put clothes in to the wash? Sit and chat?

Asking here what services do they see carers doing when you're paying for the service

Thanks

Albermarle

The carers are often in a rush, but only being there for 10 mins instead of 30 mins ( which is being paid for) is unacceptable.

Normally carers would be happy to do a bit of washing up, put the washing machine on, make a cup of tea and maybe some toast/cereal .

Some would even do a bit of shopping, vacuum round, but I think you would struggle to ask for that in 30 mins.

maman

I'd explain to the Care company that, understandably, your dad wants to be as independent as possible so by laying out his clothes in advance it doesn't take 30 minutes for the dressing and undressing tasks. Then, as you plan to do, ask what else they are able to do to make up the full 30 minutes he's paying for.

itsthelittlethings

They can be asked to do anything reasonable. They should be there for the full 30 minutes. Has the care package been set up by the council? Report it to them or the CQC if they're only staying for 10 minutes on a regular basis. If it's a one off they may have fallen behind on a previous call but if it's more than very occasional it's not on.

If they're there for 30 minutes to help him dress in the morning, do they do breakfast and medication on top of this? I suspect putting washing on (and more to the point, hanging it out) may be a bit of an ask at an hour a day including dressing and undressing.

If he's getting support with dressing is there not support with washing as well?

elsien

Who arranged the care?

If it was via a local authority, then the Support plan that he has and which the care company will have seen should show which tasks they are meant to be carrying out.
However I I did raise this issue with the social worker a while back and was informed that if there was nothing for them to do it was acceptable for them to leave after 15 minutes even if the care was meant to be for half an hour. That was when the local authority was paying.

I agree they should sit and offer people company for the rest of their time but the reality is they are straight out of the door and onto the next person. My grandmother paid for her own care, and sometimes it did vary between an individual careers, but I don’t think she got what she paid for for the majority of the time. However, as another relative was involved in arranging the care package there was nothing I could do about it.

So the starting point is to check exactly what has been agreed and by whom. I am also wondering why your dad needs help dressing but not with personal care, et cetera. What else would he like them to do while they are there, as he is the employer?

KxMx

As he's paying for an hour of care a day, getting less than 20 minutes isn't acceptable.

I had a private care agency for a few months this year, 30 minutes once a week for domestic support.

The main task was changing the bed, with the time left I'd ask for other things in order of priority- mop floors occasionally, run the vacuum round, washing up & wiping down of kitchen and bathroom surfaces, unpacking a box etc (I live in a one bed flat and am clean/tidy so nothing takes long).

Often if there was a bit of time left they'd sit down for 5 minutes and we'd have a chat.

If they left a little early I didn't mind.

FlorayG

My mother had a variable condition that meant some days she would be prostrate in bed and other days would be up and dressed when her carers arrived. On her good days they would dust and vacuum or put the washing machine on or just drink tea and chat for their 30 minutes. I made sure that she got what she paid for.

It's difficult for the carers because so often they are delayed at one call making them late for everyone else so they would be very glad to get away in ten minutes and catch up. You yourself need to develop a good relationship with them to ensure they are happy to stay the full time with him

Boohoo

Does you FIL have a door cam or CCTV cams that you could remotely monitor to make sure of how long they are actually there.

Not saying your FIL is lying about the time they are in the home but if you have proof then you can give that as definate proof of the time the carers are giving your FIL.

NeverTooLate

My relative's carers have a check list of things that they need to do, if they get through that some of them sit and chat or do some extra tidying, cleaning etc. They would only leave before the time is up if the relative has asked them to go (maybe that's what your FIL is doing?)

As relatives we have a portal that we can log into, which shows what time they arrived and when they left and what they did, it includes a hand written paragraph from the carer with info on how the relative was (tired, in pain etc) and anything else relevant.

It's such a good system and helps us feel connected even though we live hundreds of miles away.

We agreed with agency at the beginning what tasks they would be expected to do - washing, dressing, putting the washing machine on, making breakfast, making bed.

Savvy_Sue

One friend has carers who do a range of things: I know they will sometimes make sandwiches to be left for a later meal, and sometimes they come and 'find' their client at our coffee morning, give them a lift home (they'll have walked down or got a lift from someone else). They were talking today about the need to get the washing out of the machine.

I've met several of this person's carers, and they definitely come across as very friendly, always ready to chat etc. But then, this is a very gregarious person (telling jokes to the porters on a recent hospital admission for emergency hip surgery …)

Another friend worked as a carer, and there were different 'levels' of work available. Companionship might be helping prepare a meal, going out for a walk, doing a jigsaw puzzle etc. Personal care was helping with washing and dressing etc.

Cyclamen

I have had carers and PAs for over 15 years now.

There is no one size fits all answer to this.. some agencies will say if its not on the list they wont do it, others will look for additional tasks etc. Equally not all carers are equal from the same agency. As he is self funding he is in control, he can choose the agency and negotiate the tasks.
Most agencies will state tasks on their website and offer help with light housework, shopping, personal care, trips out etc

I have found it useful to have a table drawn up for each shift with columns for every shift, set days of week, and anytime tasks. I will give some examples but I have longer shifts and different needs but it might help.

every morning
Say hello
set up wetroom, wash stuff
assist to wash and dress
offer a cup of tea and cereal/toast

day specific tasks for me are things like tesco delivery, help do food order, change bed etc so a bit more than 30 mins allows.. but maybe empty kitchen bin, a load of laundry could be put on at pm shift, pegged out next am shift, brought in at pm and put away following am etc..

Spare time tasks
washing up or putting away ( a table top dishwasher is really good for energy / time saving)
food prep - eg boiled eggs, chopping melon
filling slow cooker for tea and batch cook (not in summer heat)

It's very much down to what help he needs.
I am not a fan of the 'nice chat' where carers do task then sit and small talk until time is up.. i do chat with my team but not the forced way.. for some people its great for others a task is better. I sit and join in tasks when i can and we talk .. so again ask your Dad what he would like

There may be tasks that are very individual to him and his enjoyment.. I've had agency carers happy to fill up my bird feeder for me (stopped feeding due to rspb advice ut in previous years) as i cant but brings me joy. They've helped me arrange flowers or get out / put away a jigsaw.

I hope you can find a system that works for you. There are some excellent agency carers out there and agencies, but it is also OK to decline politely someone being sent or swap agencies