Problems with carers

Contact the agency and just keep at it. Does your carer speak English? I had this problem when looking after my mother. One carer just wanted to make her cups of tea and chat to her. She said she had a bad back and was allergic to chemicals! Another local case I heard of was of a daughter suspicious of her mother's carer and nothing ever seemed done. She popped in one day unannounced. The carer was sitting on the balcony smoking, having a coffee and scrolling through her 'phone. The mother was just left sitting in a chair in the lounge. Both cases were reported to the agencies. We finally got a super lady for my mum who my mother adored.

Various neighbours and friends have had visiting carers over the years and firm up my intention to go into a care home when the time comes. Main complaints include the ever changing rotas of people turning up with very varied notions of what they were supposed to do. Some good, some dreadful. The powerlessness of the person being cared for ie being put to bed for the night at a very early hour, not knowing who exactly was in the house or who had access to it. One direct comment that struck me from one lady, ' When my bedroom door closes at night I never when it'll be opened again or who by.'

I think that being unhappy with carers is a common problem .
My father had them when first ill .
I kept a diary at that time and noted that he had seven different ones .
They varied enormously in what they did .
One of them was really fantastic ,one constantly trying to persuade him to have her daughter at the house to cut his hair snd give him expensive manicures and pedicures and one shouted at him and made him cry .

When his health deteriorated during the last two years the hospital suggested carers again .
It was a disaster .
They did very little .
They left him without a drink .
One poured half a bottle of Dettol into a bowl to wash his highly inflamed skin .
They complained a great deal .
They began to steal things .
They left the front door open .
They nearly set the house on fire .
One of them told me that her job was just a hobby as she was wealthy and she was doing us a favour .
They used to sing irritating songs enjoying teasing him and chat loudly- intimidating and frightening my father .

Unknown to them I could understand most of what they said .
They'd been recruited by a distant relative.
They lived in a really poor area and slept on sofas .
They were expected to keep house for the people that they stayed with .
They were constantly asking for their salaries and were never paid on time .

The only person , who was happy with the situation was the greedy care agency owner.

Reported

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Mt61

If you are getting attendance allowance, I would pay a private cleaner that might go the extra mile & do a little bit of care.

Sounds like a good idea. Thanks

If you are getting attendance allowance, I would pay a private cleaner that might go the extra mile & do a little bit of care.

Other useful information

Resolving problems with social care:
www.ageuk.org.uk/globalassets/age-uk/documents/factsheets/fs59_how_to_resolve_problems_and_complain_about_social_care_fcs.pdf

Direct Payments
www.ageuk.org.uk/globalassets/age-uk/documents/factsheets/fs24_personal_budgets_and_direct_payments_in_social_care_fcs.pdf

Finding help at home
www.ageuk.org.uk/globalassets/age-uk/documents/factsheets/fs6_finding_help_at_home_fcs.pdf

Paying for care and support:
www.ageuk.org.uk/globalassets/age-uk/documents/factsheets/fs46_paying_for_care_and_support_at_home_fcs.pdf

I thought I'd come back and let you know what I've learned about SS provided care as others have also experienced bad service.

You can ask SS to change providers if you're not happy with the service you're getting. You are also entitled to know how much money has been allocated to your care package and can choose a carer/home help yourself. SS just need to be assured that they can meet your needs.

You can ask your local Age UK for a list of care services in your area, which might be a good place to start. Though you don't need to go through a care provider, you can choose anyone as long as you don't live with them. Ask for a Direct Payment Process.

I phoned Age UK for advice today: 0800 032 0451

Astitchintime

Spend two hours in my kitchen and you’d be able to clean out the cupboards, wash the paintwork, clean the oven, mop the floor AND wipe the worktops! How does it take 2 hours to wipe surfaces?? I think someone is definitely having a laugh at the OP’s expense.

Get your complaint in writing and send to their management team as that employee is clearly in breach of their employment contract. My philosophy is, if you don’t want to do the job, find another one!

Not sure who is funding this care package but they are clearly being ripped off!

This is my point. If they were actually thoroughly cleaning the kitchen eg cupboards and fridge, it wouldn't feel so bad. They are literally wiping down one counter. The other counter had a laundry basket on it and wasn't cleaned but as a poster said earlier, perhaps it's not their job to move anything. I would expect them to move aside a side table to access the carpet but maybe they don't do that for health and safety reasons. I don't know.

carequestion163 blimey! Really useless cleaner.
The useless cleaner I had spent two hours on two rooms then nearly passed out when I said I'd expected her to do the whole flat in that time. Currently, I have a tag team of two ladies who go through the house like a dose of salts in 45 minutes. The place is sparkling and carpets pristine. They are real old fashioned professionals. I really appreciate them and their work.

If you are looking for a cleaner it is easier and cheaper to look for one yourself. Do any of your friends or neighbours have one?

That lot from the agency appears to be a waste of space.

Spend two hours in my kitchen and you’d be able to clean out the cupboards, wash the paintwork, clean the oven, mop the floor AND wipe the worktops! How does it take 2 hours to wipe surfaces?? I think someone is definitely having a laugh at the OP’s expense.

Get your complaint in writing and send to their management team as that employee is clearly in breach of their employment contract. My philosophy is, if you don’t want to do the job, find another one!

Not sure who is funding this care package but they are clearly being ripped off!

Aveline

We once had a cleaner from an agency who quite literally didn't know how to clean. I suppose we assume that everyone knows how to do it efficiently and well but it seems others grow up never learning this.

I don't think this carer had a clue what she was doing. I showed her the duster (one with a handle) and she asked me what she was meant to use it for.

Lathyrus3

It sounds as if you need a cleaner rather than a carer - or do they help with personal stuff too?

Can you decide who you use? Just wondering if going to a cleaning agency might be better.

It's a home help but they call them carers. I don't know if I can decide on who to use, they just sent someone.

Regarding time they are supposed to be working. They were supposed to do up to 45 minutes. The quickest one was 8 minutes start to finish!

We once had a cleaner from an agency who quite literally didn't know how to clean. I suppose we assume that everyone knows how to do it efficiently and well but it seems others grow up never learning this.

Maybe try to find someone to clean, by word of mouth or recommendation.

Often a better way rather than using Social Services.

windmill1

Cleaning the bathroom with a face flannel? Sounds as if the 'carer' is a bit thick.

But I suppose these agencies don't bother requiring people they take on to have a basic level of IQ and commonsense.

Also, I sincerely hope anything of value is securely hidden away.

This is what I was wondering, as I showed the carer the box of cleaning items when she first arrived but she didn't seem to touch anything from it.

I also thought I would be better off paying someone to do a thorough job rather than this slap dash waste of time.

They have to log in and out with a card, so their time is shown when they arrive and leave. I'm not sure if complaining again will do any good as the manager just reassures me that this time they'll do a proper job.

Primrose53

After my husband’s stroke we had care workers sent in for a few weeks and they were dreadful. Came in big, dirty shoes and boots, trailing mud and water.

They were supposed to help him have a wash, get dressed etc as he was unable to bath or shower. I left everything ready for them but they used to leave dripping wet face cloths on the kitchen table, talc everywhere, blobs of toothpaste etc.

They crashed his wheelchair into kitchen units and door frames and were just generally very careless.

They were more trouble than they were worth and we got rid of them after a couple of weeks and put in a complaint.

Definitely complain!

Ha we had this chat on wearing shoes in the house- my mum had a beautiful cream rug, too large & heavy to roll up, it was absolutely filthy by the time carers & nurses had finished coming.

You are lucky that they do any cleaning at all.

It sounds as if you need a cleaner rather than a carer - or do they help with personal stuff too?

Can you decide who you use? Just wondering if going to a cleaning agency might be better.

After my husband’s stroke we had care workers sent in for a few weeks and they were dreadful. Came in big, dirty shoes and boots, trailing mud and water.

They were supposed to help him have a wash, get dressed etc as he was unable to bath or shower. I left everything ready for them but they used to leave dripping wet face cloths on the kitchen table, talc everywhere, blobs of toothpaste etc.

They crashed his wheelchair into kitchen units and door frames and were just generally very careless.

They were more trouble than they were worth and we got rid of them after a couple of weeks and put in a complaint.

Definitely complain!

Cleaning the bathroom with a face flannel? Sounds as if the 'carer' is a bit thick.

But I suppose these agencies don't bother requiring people they take on to have a basic level of IQ and commonsense.

Also, I sincerely hope anything of value is securely hidden away.

It's not a carers job to be moving furniture. However, two hours in the kitchen does seem excessive. Your lucky yours actually turn up. Up here in Scotland, husband and I got quite a few calls from our relative to say carer not turned up. I knew other people who had this problem.