Home Care Agencies ? Spare A Thought For Their Problems ???

[Stephen_16071]

Mum is self funding, so pays the agency around £2,500 a month. That is how they make there money.

Poor Mum still gets a 12 minute morning call, a 10 minute lunch call and an 8 minute tea call, followed by a bedtime call where the carers are desperate to get Mum into bed ASAP. Mum is paying £19.50 an hour for double up calls.

Mum is paying for 4 hours of care at £19.50 an hour. She is actually getting 90 minutes of care maximum at the cost of £52 pound an hour!!! This is how they make money....

[bowlingbun]

Stephen, that's fraud. I'd suggest getting a CCTV, maybe a Ring, as advertised on TV? Then you have clear evidence.

[Rosemary_1706]

Stephen, from what you say, your mum is being ripped off. My mum's carers often left early, especially at the tea time call but I'd say they were in the house for around 70% of the paid time, perhaps more. Certainly the morning call was a full visit. I took the stance that if they ever went over the allotted time then overall it would balance out- a point I raised at a heated safeguarding meeting and with good effect.

The care agency, or any other business, would find it hard to defend charging for 100% and delivering 30%. Can you discuss with the manager (again)?

[Rosemary_1706]

A Ring doorbell would record the carers entering and exiting the front door automatically, without you having to monitor a day's worth of video, and store the video, date and time in on the internet for a small fee. I used one to monitor mum's visits and then compared the recorded times with those written in the care book. It worked quite well once positioned properly.

I think they've come down in price a bit since igot mine a couple of years ago and I 've seen them on sale too.

P. S.: Good to see you back on here!

[thara_1910]

A Ring doorbell would record the carers entering and exiting the front door automatically, without you having to monitor a day's worth of video, and store the video, date and time in on the internet for a small fee. I used one to monitor mum's visits and then compared the recorded times with those written in the care book. It worked quite well once positioned properly.

I think they've come down in price a bit since igot mine a couple of years ago and I 've seen them on sale too.

P. S.: Good to see you back on here!

How much are they?

[Stephen_16071]

I have a ring camera, today Mum got 56 minutes of care while paying for 120, Do I contact the Manager and ask for 20 minute calls instead of 30?
I think because I live with Mum the carers are sloppy and just think I'll sort out the mess they leave..

[Rosemary_1706]

£89 and £169 at Argos. Different models. Plus monthly data storage fee. Check for offers elsewhere. Other brands available?

[Anna_1910123]

I agree. I once reported a carer to the office several times for putting my life in danger and on her phone or shirking when she was not supposed to. Can you report or not?

This was just one of a list of things...

The result:

The care company withdrawing themselves from my dad’s contract!

Reported them to care inspectorate.

[Julia_1911]

Hi, I’m new here just wanted to see what other people’s experiences of private care were like.

We are paying about 2000 a month for twice daily visits for my dad. The carers are mostly good , but we have issues with some leaving soiled towels around the house, bringing mud into the house (not wanting to clean it up) and giving my mum (who is also disabled) attitude.

We do raise issues with the management but don’t like complaining too much as we rely on their service. We do wonder if other clients have these same issues.

There seems to be problems to deal with on a weekly basis which causes more stress in an already stressful situation. And we are paying highly for the privilege.

Sorry perhaps not the right thread but just getting my thoughts out of my head !

[Chris From The Gulag]

We are paying about 2000 a month for twice daily visits for my dad.

I'm somewhat staggered ... how many hours , assuming 2 carers ?

( Even at £ 20 per hour , that's 100 hours ... 50 hours each paid care worker ??? )

And you are paying ... not your father ???

CHC / NHS Continuing Healthcare not a factor here ?

Needs Assessment ... I assume the carer arrangement was after said assessment ???