Hi
My mum now needs in home carers as her dementia has got rapidly worse, she will be a self funder, I have asked for a care assessment for her from our local council,
but there is a 6 month back log for a social worker to asses her, they advised as she is a self funder to find a private company myself, I have rung over 20 companies within a 7 mile radius from where she lives and she is out of there areas (she lives in a very small village) help what do I do, has anyone had this problem.
Thanks
Deb
Perhaps try moving
So sorry to hear about your mum’s decline.
This is a downside of being in villages, being in a no-man’s-land territory.
I don’t know where you would go from here in regards of dementia care, but please keep checking back because others will know or have some leads for you. I hope you can get sorted.
Is a residential placement out of the question? or to soon? could she be placed in one? understandable if this not wanted but there will come the time that she will need to be in expert care.
We are in no-mans-land but managed to find a care company, but we don’t use one since covid.
I can’t help but wonder if they might have taken the care on if your mother didn’t have dementia, maybe it is that which they didn’t want to take on, you never know.
But as said, others may have some more helpful suggestions.
I moved back home to my mother because moving her to me would have been too isolating for her and wrenching her away from friends, her long standing gp, consultants etc who she had build trust and rapport with and all that she holds familiar and dear to her, it was better for her to remain in situ, albeit there’s no dementia issues, she is frail and didn’t need the upheaval and starting anew.
Hi Deb,
I think there is such a shortage of paid carers that they can pick and chose the jobs they take on. It works out more cost effective if they have people living close together who need care.
What sort of care does your Mum need e.g. does she need prompting to take meds, help with meals or does she require personal care too?
Is it worth trying the old-fashioned approach and putting up an ad in the village shop/ hall/ asking at the community centre / church etc There might be someone who currently does care who might be willing to be paid directly by your Mum (I realise it will be you facilitating this.)
Another option, depending on the type of care she needs is to recruit a cleaner, gardener etc - they can keep an eye on her and the cleaner may be prepared to do a bit more than cleaning once she knows you and your Mum.
You could also ring the council, explain you are struggling to find an agency and ask them who they recommend/use.
Melly1
I have family members who live in a village and have be told (Social Services) if they need help in the future. One or both will be offered a respite placement only. There are no carers who will travel to their village.
Age UK can provide some domestic services.
Hi Deb
Have had the same problem trying to
get carer for my wife as we live in a village.
Have just managed to get a care agency
last week. Go online find out the nearest
care agencys to youre village.
If as you say you are self funding like my
Wife does be careful some of these care
companys charge far to much.
Social care workers have a legal duty to help you arrange care, self-funding or not. Your mum may have other needs they could identify such as aids and adaptations to help with certain tasks, door alarms in case she wanders, etc. And they will know which agencies cover your village.
They may well have a long backlog, but there’s a potential for safeguarding issues here if your mum is at danger of wandering, and they’re putting all the responsibility on you: whereas in law, they have the final responsibility. If your mum shows any sign of being likely to wander, especially at night, then inform them of that and that it is a safeguarding matter if anything happens because they have delayed dealing with their responsibilities. That may help a bit.
Not helpful thara_22071
Thank you everyone, she needs help with most things, so I we try social services again
Good luck Deb, I hope you can get some carers.
Charles has a valid point about wandering.
A neighbours wife regularly went walkabout and when it got to late evenings in October-December, she was placed in a residential home for dementia.