So, you’ve decided that the best thing for your loved one (or you) is to get some help with care at home. It could be help with meals, or with personal care, cleaning or companionship, or a mixture of all of these things. If you have more than £23,250 in savings you have to pay for the care yourself.*
We’ve noticed that lots of people seem to think that those providing care at home are expensive, intimating that the extra costs involved rather than privately paying a carer, aren’t worth the money. Here are some things we think are worth thinking about when considering the options:
Employing someone privately means you are responsible for sick pay, holiday pay and finding cover when they’re not there, as well as finding the right person in the first place through adverts and interviews, and then getting employment contracts set up. You might need to find cover at short notice when it isn’t practical to do so. The carer should also set up a care plan for your loved one (or you) but the practicalities of the time they have might mean this falls by the wayside. In short, you might be lucky, but the legal, financial and practical responsibilities can be onerous.
Using a care agency means that you have a management point of contact to sort all sorts of queries and concerns that you may have. They are responsible for training staff and ensuring all legal protocols are covered for compliance and best practice. They will make sure a care plan is in place and regularly reviewed. They also have insurance and will provide any cover for holidays and sickness and ensure their carers are paid. They can inform you of changes to legalities relevant to your situation. They also often put on seminars for family members, such as dementia awareness sessions and other relevant information.
If you are not sure if care at home is the right thing for you, then we can put you in touch with www.eldercaresconsultant.co.uk. We can also help you with agency recommendations in your area.
(Note reforms are due to come in in 2025 and you can read more about what this means financially here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/build-back-better-our-plan-for-health-and-social-care/adult-social-care-charging-reform-further-details)
One Stop Organisers: Helping your older loved ones live their best lives.