Why oh why is there a paucity of good pro carers to help out

[Dotty]

Thought I'd found a brilliant carer-came thrice-no more. Company didn't even have decency to inform us. Don't want months of what feels like imprisonment again. Do others find it hard too? Just had break. Don't want to undo it.
Hard to comprehend there is a job shortage!

[bowlingbun]

I couldn't agree more. My son has a lovely flat, clean and tidy. No antisocial habits, bikes for him and carer in his shed, fully equipped kitchen, including a Kenwood Chef, slow cooker etc. Top quality saucepans, pressure cooker etc. So why can't I find a carer who does not rely on frozen and ready food?!

[ladybird]

Care workers are paid such crap wages they tend to be a transient population, the ganecies charge big bucks and the care workers are paid peanuts.

BB, do you pay directly to an agency or have you considered employing somebody of your own choosing? In the final months of mum's life when she became so ill, the care agency just messed us around and the careworkers weren't that great. However, there was one little lady, a Somalian muslim, that was a sweetheart. I really liked the way she cared for mum and offered her some extra work privately. Mum taught her how to cook some of the food she was used to and the cw learnt some new skills.
Legislation prevents agency careworkers from cooking from scratch, there is never enough time anyway. Hiring somebody yourself if at all possible means you can dictate the terms.

I know there are payroll issues etc to be considered but it might be a small price to pay for continuity of care?

[bowlingbun]

M gets Direct Payments. Payroll isn't a problem, an agency does that. The real issue is that M. lives 14 miles away, however the school he went to for 10 years is there, and he's been in his flat since 2009, the neighbours are good, and we have friends who live nearby. In turn, some of their friends know M. too. Staff support him for 4 hours every evening, they are supposed to take him for some physical exercise every night, as he's put on loads of weight, but that seldom happens. He needs an additive free diet (documented) and it's been agreed that everything for him will be cooked from fresh raw ingredients. Staff ignore this completely, they can't cook. I've even bought a carefully selected selection of recipe books, as staff requested, but not one recipe has been used yet. The whole agency says one thing and does another. Employing someone privately just makes more work for me. I'm really groaning under the weight of everything at the moment, as mum is very ill and I'm selling her house too.

[ladybird]

Yes, I was under similar strain. Mum had 7 hospital admissions in the last seven months of her life. I was 10 miles away and as I don't drive, was doing the journey by bus and tube.
I find that regardless of what is laid out in a care plan, if the payments are going to an agency, it is very difficult to call the shots. I preferred to pay somebody directly myself but appreciate your situation is different.

[Scally]

Cooking from fresh takes less time than phoning a takeaway pizza, in my experience, and is often just as quick as preparing a ready meal. But the quality difference is extraordinary. Processed foods are packed with salt and preservatives, vegetables are ruined, sauces are soggy and unappetising. I think Jamie Oliver is excellent, he showed people how to knock up meals in minutes.
My favourite rapid (under ten minute) meals? Full English breakfast, ham and avocado salad, noodles with fresh vegetables and any left over meat or eggs, stir fry chicken, sausage sandwich with salad, pasta with bacon and tomatoes, beans on toast! But quite honestly, what's the rush anyway?
One good tip is always to cook twice as much rice, pasta or potatoes as you need as the leftovers will do for another day.

[Henrietta]

I'm kind of on both sides of the fence here. Principally I care for Dad and consequently gave up my job. To earn some extra pennies and fit in with my own workload allowing flexibility etc I also started doing some agency care work. I've employed carers for Dad, all lovely people and I work with lovely people so perhaps I have been lucky.
With my professional carer hat on, to give an example if you are willing, the day starts at 5.30 getting ready for first client at 7.00 AM. Unpaid travel time between clients and not often enough travel time between clients. An example of one of my clients some distance away takes a 50 minute drive in the rush hour and 30 minutes home again all unpaid for a half hour visit resulting in the princely sum of £4.37. This works out a little under £2.00 an hour rate of pay. Days can go on until 10.00 PM at night with half hour travel home time and then up again at 5.30 to start all over again. Add on to this clients who don't let you have a cuppa when you are dropping on your feet, won't let you use the loo - I could go on, it is little wonder that full time staff tend to move on to other things at the earliest opportunity.
I've decided to stick with it because what other job could I do and finish by mid morning, with an element of flexibility- after all zero hour contracts work both ways. I completely understand why it is not everyone's cup of tea ,but it still suits me for now.

[Scally]

Thats a non-starter. Why would anyone work for such a pittance? I worked for IPSOS MORI for over five years as a market researcher and they paid travel time and commission - to get the interviews all it took was a modicum of charm at the door, most addresses were pre-selected and had a letter before I came announcing my arrival. Sure there was some weekend and evening work, but that suited me as my wife was on a 9-5 so we backed each other up. I could rely on earning £12,000 a year, for 18 hours a week.

[Henrietta]

Hi Scally
Exactly, that's why carers don't stay put for long.
I'm glad to have a break from 30 years in the rat race. I mght look around for something else later but for now it suits me. I'm kind of viewing it as an early retirement. My Mum passed on at 56 and I don't intend rotting in an office and then finding I don't get to retirement so I am enjoying the change- for now!