Hi
I was hoping to garner the opinion of the people on this forum about employing someone to handle non-caring duties for my mother-in-law. She lives in accommodation that provides 24-hour care service, so that end is well taken care of. Where we have difficulties is with things like getting a shopping list, handling the mail, and just with ensuring everything is running smoothly (case in point, just today when my wife visited, she realised the shower was completely blocked and perhaps could have been for days!).
Does anyone have experience of hiring someone for a few hours a week as our first point of contact with everything that is going on, from ensuring relevant mail is passed on to us, to keeping on top of any appointments that might come up, even with helping us stay in better contact with my mother-in-law. It would be quite a varied role.
I would be interested to know if people went through the council, or local care agencies or simply put out an ad and hired privately. Thanks in advance for your help.
Hi,
Yes I understand completely what you’re saying. My Mum lived on her own and although her care needs were taken care of (by a care agency), I felt there were “gaps” where I wanted someone to just drop in and keep an eye on things. I could only visit at weekends so I felt we needed someone during the week.
I did some research on the internet and found a lady who had set up a local business hiring out “paid friends.” All the people who were employed were CRB checked and were prepared to do a variety of jobs. We hired a lady who cared for my Mum for several years. She would let us know if anything needed fixing in the house, or she would paint Mum’s nails or take her out shopping, or do any household tasks which needed doing. It took a little while for the relationship to develop - eg for Mum to learn to ask if she needed anything in particular, and also for the lady to understand the tasks which we struggled with that she could help with. But in time the relationship developed and we all benefitted.
I guess it’s always risky to let a stranger into the home of someone vulnerable. In this particular example it worked out really well for us all, so good luck in your search!
Hi, I seem to think I replied to a post identical to this a few weeks ago.
How is the situation now?
pollx
There is a system called direct payments, but I think cause she already gets 24 hour care then i’m not sure about the hours she’d get via social services, if she’d get anything. There is a clause in it which is called accessing the community which is supposed to give disabled persons the funds to pay for trips out ect… my mother in law got 8 hours per week for “accessing the community” so they paid me £7.20 per hour.
This may be completely useless but worth a look whats the worst they can say “no?”
Jo xxx
Oh forgot to say paying bills and organising is part of the “accessing the community”. Any care setting is required by CQC to enable clients to have equal opportunities and reach “their potential” they are supposed to encourage where appropriate and assist where needed, if she needs help with those sorts of things they should be helping. Might be worth hurrassing the care setting she’s in first to see what you can get from them as you are happy with the level of care she gets there, and it saves trying to find someone else.
Jo (again) xxx