Problems with carers

My Mum (93) who lives with dementia has carers 4 times a day. We're in Scotland, so this is provided by the Local Authority SW Department. After a fall and a hospital stay, she lost the care package she had with lovely carers, and a different company was then given the contract. Their management try very, very hard to get things right, but the carers who actually do the visiting are extremely variable. They are a multi-ethnic company and my hard of hearing Mum cannot understand what many of them are saying. (This is not meant to be racist. It's a statement of fact.) There is an app with which we can read the brief reports that the carers complete and some don't show a great deal of respect for someone who is 93 and managing (just) to live fairly independently. For example, they report that she 'refused' to do what they wanted (eg have a shower) Surely she simply declined, as she is not a child.

After the new company had been in place for a few weeks, I discovered, because Mum's doorbell camera alerted me, that one carer in particular was falsifying her reports of the time she spent at Mum's. For example, when she was supposed to be there to help Mum at bedtime, scheduled for 20 minutes, she was barely in the house for 3 and yet she recorded a 20 minute visit. She did this a lot. I reported this to the management, along with my record of reported times compared with actual times, and that carer was removed from Mum's care.

I know that carers are paid a pittance for what they do, and their job must sometimes be very difficult, but it seems to be up to clients to notice and say if things are not right. The management of the company appear to welcome my comments, and whenever I have called them to query something they have been very responsive.

@Carequestion163 Your expectations are not too high at all. Carers are supposed be supporting you to continue to live as independently as possible. Could you contact the service provider again and let them know what's happening? They may be keen to know and could perhaps change the carer they are sending. If there's still no improvement, then contacting SS with a view to changing provider may be the next option.

Incidentally, my Mum also pays for additional care from Home Instead, and their carers are wonderful, without exception.

Well if she's 2 hours in the kitchen and barely anywhere else, it's not working for you.
It's supposed to be a help surely?

NotSpaghetti

I'd complain to the agency in writing (address it to the owner or manager) Ask Social care (in writing) if they can find another agency?
This sounds terrible!

Speak to your local councillor.


Good luck.

Thanks. I'm not sure what to expect as I've never had carers before. I wasn't sure if I was being too demanding. The first time I spoke to the agency she insisted everything had been relayed to the carer and the carer had a checklist. This is why this time I had a list as well to ensure clear communication but she didn't look at it.

I'm waiting to see if SS resolve it next week because we discussed moving to another agency if they don't. However I'm wondering if my expectations are too high.

I'd complain to the agency in writing (address it to the owner or manager) Ask Social care (in writing) if they can find another agency?
This sounds terrible!

Speak to your local councillor.


Good luck.