Private carers

[yesterday]

Could anyone tell me how much should a private carer be paid for doing a bit of shopping, bathing etc for a OAP in their own home. I am very concerned that someone I know is being ripped off. What exactly should be expected of them.

[emmie]

firstly is the carer from a legitimate company, or someone found through an ad. Is there anything written down, as a legit cater would, or should have a contract, and a daily work sheet, to record duties carried out. I can only go on experience with a relative.

[pink-kittens]

It will also depend on whether or not they work as employed or self employed as to how much they get per hour

How much is the person you know paying? It could be anything from minimum wage upwards - jobs of this type advertised locally where I live give a self employed hourly rate of £12 (that's the highest I've seen)

As to what is expected of them, it really depends on what they have been employed to do. Personal care would carry a higher rate of pay, where as shopping, cooking and cleaning would possibly be lower - again depends on if it's SE or employed

[emmie]

sorry that should of course say carer, i think we would need a bit more info.

[brenda]

My elderly uncle had carers from an agency in Lancashire.The agency was approved by Social services.He paid £10 per hour. the carers came to make his breakfast and his tea every day , one came once a week to dust clean and change his bed,and a little ironing, another came once a week to do his shopping. pay bills on his behalf and collect his pension for him.
He was able to do his own laundry in the washing machine and put it in the drier.
In total he paid around £65 per week , invoiced monthly from the agency.
He got his lunch from another company delivered daily and paid for these by cheque monthly in advance.
All worked very well for him, the carers were excellent and would often do extra bits and bobs for him because he was a lovely old gentleman.Had the service for three years until he passed away at the age of 93.

[bednobs]

you can bet if the agency charged £10 the carer didn't get that. Care work is notoriously poorly paid and TBH i wouldn't expect someone doing shopping cleaning etc to get more than minimum wage, someone doing hands on personal care to get a bit more. However, i (for example) have a cleaner i pay £12 an hour because i am happy she is worth that, so if the person paying is happy with the rate, and the person being paid is also happy with the rate, i don't see a problem :)

[JonnyBoy12]

£12 per hour for cleaning? Wow, can I come and do some cleaning work for you. I would do anything at that rate. Does she supply her own cleaning materials though. I think we have been here before.

[bednobs]

yes she does. are you any good at cleaning? why don't you set yourself up as a c;eaning business? If you lived nearer me and were any good, i'd consider you

[yesterday]

Many thanks for all your replies, I will write again when I have more details. She is a lovely old lady and no bother but does like to chat a lot and i Thin this is costing her dearly.

[yesterday]

Could I also ask how can I find out anonymously (purely to secure my identity) if someone is on a list of some sort to say they are qualified to do this sort of work, to be honest physically I dont think the carer concerned is up to it.

[bednobs]

you don't have to qualified at all to do caRE work. I could ask my next door neighbour to do my shopping and cleaning for me and negotiate whatever rate we wanted between us. I could ask my next door but one neighbour to bath me (if i really wanted). He dosen't have to have any qualifications for that!
It sounds like it's a purely private arrangement so nothing at all required, If it's coming through an agency then i would expect the agency to have done a crb check, but you can't check on that

[RATTER15]

Bednobs is correct, I would imagine if the carer was from an agency, he or she would normally be wearing a uniform.

[pink-kittens]

Not necessarily Ratter if you are employed on a self employed basis
In fact, of the carers I know only one wears a uniform and even that wouldn't been seen as a 'carer' uniform - actually what does a carer uniform look like?

[RATTER15]

All the carers in our area wear company tunics with logos, same as in the care homes and Hospitals.

I accept not all carers will be wearing one.

[pink-kittens]

But are they carers or nurses, or meals on wheels? Are they personal carers or just home help type carers?
You wont know unless you ask them and you certainly cannot tell by looking at the the uniform they are wearing

OP, can you not be there when the carer is and ask him/her these questions?

[RATTER15]

Pink-Kittens, I would have done with it and call in private investigators ;)

[bednobs]

i don't think you need to be there when the carer comes, checking what they do etc!
If your friend is happy with the arrangement and price, that's all that matters really, As long as the person isn't passing themselves off as a nurse when they aren't one. If the friend thinks they want to pay less/more then get some quotes from agencies for them - all you have to do is look in the yellow pages under nursing agencies and ring them up and ask.
It's nice that your friend has someone to worry about them but unless they are unhappy, it's nothing to do with anyone else really. Even if someone were superfit, if your friend was stuck in the bath for example, one person wouldn't be able to get them out anyway - sometimes it's just the comfort of having someone there to call for help if needed

[pink-kittens]

LOL Ratter

As I started reading I thought it was going to say 'I would have done it nekked' ;-)

Bednobs, I agree

[RATTER15]

I can do Nekked for £12.00 an hour, not a pretty sight though!! :-)

[yesterday]

To all that have replied,

I am concerned about this lady. The "Carer" as from what i've seen is not particularly fit in fact she drives with a blue badge uses a wheelchair at times and a stick (in her own home). She is charging this lady £15 per hour, in the hand (off the record). I was my mothers official carer for £53 pw when I gave up my job because I couldn't bear the thought of my mother being on her own for over 8 hours a day, after my father passed away, I would not have had it any other way, she's passed now. When I think of this little old lady I think of my mum. I know this lady is not happy with the charge yet I know she has a buzzer to press if she is in difficulty (nothing to do with the person I know). How do I get the best possible help for her annonymously, I really want her to get good care at a reasonable cost to herself.

[bednobs]

you can't do anything anonymously regarding the care. The person is not doing anything wrong. If you know her name and some details about her you could report her to the tax office or the benefits agency i suppose. Ireally think you have to discuss with your friend if she is happy or not. Did you ring any agencies to find the going rate?