Hiring a live-in carer - want to make it a success - any advice?

What plans to you have in place for carer breaks/sickness/holidays/a carer who decides it's not for them the day after they start work?

Don't use country cousins as they tend to send a different one each time and charge a fee for each new person they introduce. Also they're not CQC registered. Friends Mum said they sent the most unsuitable people.
Re car insurance if the Carer shows you a copy of car insurance and it covers 'for work purposes' you should be ok. To add it on has sometimes cost nothing or maybe up to £20 in the past.
Carer to have DBS check in place ( criminal records) and should be able to show you a ceritifcate. Also training certs - mental capacity, first aid, food hygiene, infection control, moving and handling of people, safeguarding adults, etc etc. Qualifications such as care NVQs. Contactable references.
It's not a job to be taken lightly so someone with longevity in this kind of job would be good as many people enter it because it's easy to get into without realising what's involved - you can feel very trapped and isolated or there may be a personality clash which makes for difficulty.
Generally carers are available 24/7 - an allocated 2 hour break in the day and down time inbetween tasks, meaning they aren't expected to be working flat out continuously during that time.
Work out what the plan is if the Carer is called out at night. They may expect extra money if they are called out a certain amount of times or for a certain amount of time. Also if they are disturbed a lot at night then it's not going to be fair for them to work through the rest of the next day so additional night time carer might be needed.
Usually carers eat with the client so the client has company and has someone on hand to help with eating if required. Sadly I hear a lot about ready meals being plonked in front of the client and the Carer going off to their room to eat separately. Sometimes though the client might want to eat alone. Also can the Carer cook the type of food the elderly person likes - if they are used to a particular type of food and wish to have that then it's their choice.
I used to do the laundry, shopping, cooking, top up cleaning, feeding and walking dogs, bathing and dressing the client, taking to medical appointments, keeping tabs on the medication and collecting prescriptions. It all depends on how demanding the client is as to how much else you can manage to do.
If it was my parent I would feel I'd want a camera as I've seen too many clips of footage on television programmes of what could go on. Even with all of the above in place there's no guarantee - it might also give the family an insight into the hard work the Carer has to do as often it's thought you're sitting watching tv when really there's a lot more to it.

Also helpful to get a Carer that speaks the same language as your mother fluently and clearly - difficult enough as it is for a person with say dementia or hard of hearing to understand what anyone is saying - unfamiliar accents might make this even more difficult for them.
Someone who can cook proper healthy meals that your mother likes - of her choice. She has the right to choose the food she wishes to eat.
Visitors of the Carer are generally not allowed - I've heard of people sneaking in partners when the client is asleep! However it sounds like you've just taken someone only one person on. They will want time off or to see friends at some point.
Hope it works out and you have a good Carer

Where I work you'd put in the mileage and then the client is billed per mile (I think it's 35p a mile where I work) so ask the agency if they do that or if it's something else.

On paper I'm a live in Carer as I do 24 hour shifts often (get to sleep obviously), but we have to take all our food with us. If we eat out we have to pay. Service users pays bus fare, activities while out (if they like the cinema look into a cea card).

Petty cash needs a balance sheet. If one of you are dropping the money off I'd get a carbon copy book - Wilkos are most reasonable but whsmiths do sell them so then you both can sign yo say money is received then one stays in the book and one in the file. Same for if petty cash is needed for parking for example, can then be signed on the carbon book but most things should be receipt end and then stapled to the back of the sheet after it's been numbered.

Your mum might enjoy a ride out shopping. I've took folk out shopping loads. If she's in a wheelchair there's wheelchair friendly trolleys and in some places I'm sure I've seen mobility scooters to rent.

I'd inform the content insurer, just to cover your back. I don't know if it will change owt but it's worth being careful.

You should be able to ask for Mars sheets for signing meds from the pharmacy and possibly Mds packs (boots certainly do them), but it's easier to keep track of meds, for reordering as it tells you. Plus it's easy to see if there being popped.

If they can't/ don't want to add business insurance and they have a bus pass could possibly use public transport. Breaks the day up too.