Pixie I absolutely agree about consistency but consistency of approach and routine rather than consistency of person because consistency of person is plain old not possible. People who will work 365 days a year two or three visits a day are not suprisingly as rare as unicorn poo.
Woof and maydup... yes, i agree with both of you... but that is not unusual in private care. Woof, we even didn't go on a paid-for holiday, but sent the children instead. But- that is from consistency.... an agency wouldn't have worried.
Maydup, for carers.... particularly when they have been allowed to look after the same person/ people daily for many years, it is more than worth it.
I've been retired over 20 years but worked for Social Services 33 years as a Home Help until the title got changed to Home Care.
It was impossible to guarantee the same carer every day nor every visit in a day.
From experience I know there are some carers are not in it because they enjoy the work but out of necessity to find hours to suit their home life.
I loved my job, made some good family friends too..
Sadly when my Mother needed care the system had changed beyond recognition. My husband is late 80s I'm struggling to keep us going. I wish it were like the old days..
It isn't easy, Oldbird and we plod on. I know that from caring for my mum for a good ten years. But some relief and good help just now and again would be bliss...you take care and look after yourself too...x
pixie when I worked, I had a lot to do with both private care organisations and Social Services care and carers over many years. I never found anybody who would work 365 days a year or cover more than two visits in a day or any companies who provided it or even tried to. Even live in care was covered by a group of people. The best and most expensive organisations would do their best to keep the pool of carers as small as possible.