Hello everyone, I have just joined this community.
I live in Richmond upon Thames, SW London, and need to find a carer for my partner, who is 86 and has dementia. I have used care companies, but was not satisfied with them. I would like to find an independent carer for about 6-8 hours a day, two to three days a week - I am self-funding. Alternatively, I would be grateful if someone would have information about a message board or network for independent professional carers (do these even exist?).
If you are, or know, someone local (or local enough), please get in touch.
Best wishes to all,
Daniel
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Hi @noigandres Welcome.
I donāt have personal experience of this organisation but Iāve heard good things about them: https://lottie.org/ they orchestrate finding care. Have a look around the website.
Sometimes Dementia UK can point you in the right direction, What is an Admiral Nurse and how can they help? - Dementia UK
I donāt know the details of how Lottie works. In my experience, independent carers can be difficult/more energy investment vs care agencies/companies - they may/may not
- be trained to understand dementia,
- have insurance to work,
- may only be ācompanion careā they may not be trained/able to do any hands-on care,
- be easy to vet them/check their references.
I found someone who used to work in hospice care and was vetted and trained through their previous work. Itās a good approach to find someone trustworthy and experienced.
I hope that helps!
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Victoria, thanks. I will check the links. Best wishes, Daniel
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@noigandres Youāre very welcome! Itās always worth checking with the local hospice because they have ideas on local care support, I literally asked a hospice in a london borough, āwho are the good agencies and the ones youād avoid if it was your elderly cousin.ā I was supporting from afar and they really helped with info
Hi Daniel, welcome to the forum. Unfortunately the care provided by many companies seems to be going down because demand outstrips supply. In the New Forest, where I live, people move into the area when they retire. There are lots of new flats for the elderly who are putting huge pressure on the system, but most local people canāt afford to live here, because of all the elderly flats! As a result care companies employ anyone they can find, placing ads saying āno experience needed, training will be givenā but their ātrainingā is very basic, doesnāt voter the complexities of someone like my son, brain damaged at birth, canāt read, write or do any maths. On the other hand heās fit as a flea, has a photographic memory and understands the complexities of firing and driving a 10 ton steam traction engine. Dementia care is even more complicated!
Whenever someone mentions dementia, I always like to check that Attendance Allowance has been claimed and also the EXEMPTION due to Severe Mental Impairment. Neither are means tested.
Hello Bowlingbun. What you write is very much in tune to my experience. At first I used a care company and they were all very charming, but the sent people who did not seem to have experience, or who would come for only a very short time. What I also thought was very concerned was that these carers could not even give me their phone number - I had to contact them through the agency every time. Now, I understand that the agency has to protect the carers from potentially abusive clients, etc. BUT I do not want to leave my partner with someone I cannot contact immediately. I doāt want to have to go through an intermediary - what if there is an emergency? Anyway. AND the agencies were really expensive. Professional carers I have met since have told me that the agencies pay them very little - a lot of the money is kept for the agencies. Anyway. I know that there are people who are competent and trustworthy, and who I can contact directly.
Best wishes to you and your son.
Daniel