Carers

[Toro]

Just wondering what the community here has to say how there home care is provided. I'm putting together a new team now that I'm having people in my home after getting vaccinated and I'm interested in what others have to say with regards to how many you employ and hours you have them around.

I know each person will be different with the big factor being para/quad or self ability.

I myself am a C4-5 so needing carers help for most things.

Look forward to responses.

[slomobile]

I have my wife and son, but would like to hire 1 person. Would like to know how that is done, especially now. Don't want a bunch of potential carriers going through my home for interviews.

[Burgerman]

Well covid is pretty much irrelivant here in the UK and so an ad in the local paper, but I employ barmaids usually.

[Toro]

Well I go through a care agency and they employ the girls... I'm just about to start again and have a 6 carer rotation.

The agency send girls out to meet me and I interview them, see what they are like, if any experience and go from there... tell them straight up what the job entails, then have them buddy with another carer who has been working for me a while, have her witness the job, then see if she sticks around... they say they are keen up front but until they see the full service you can't be sure... like yes when I shower I have my genitalia cleaned... some freak when they realize they got to handle a cock and balls...lmao

[Burgerman]

Some may. Most dont care. Depends. You gotta tell them exactly what it involves.

Why an agency? They take a large cut. And they then have the responsibility and they fail when things dont all go smoothly. Been there and got the T shirt. Better to have you employ, and choose, and hire and fire. Hence barmaids...

[slomobile]

I don't require a lot of medical help, med reminders, catch me during transfers, and I've adapted the house to make self care as easy as possible, so a barmaid would do, but my wife would not like it.
Its being alone all day, dropping things and hurting myself to pick it up. I'd really like a collaborator/lab assistant to work on projects with and share coffee and meals. I'm a good cook, but get worn out quickly being upright and shuffling pans. I'm trying to figure out a way to offer free room and board to a homeless like minded person in exchange for companionship and help picking things up. I have a spare room and workshop space, but not income. As a former homeless teenager myself, I would have loved the opportunity I am offering. Of course this really freaks my wife out. Its not likely there would be any takers. I wouldn't know how to filter the takers if there were any. There are legitimate safety concerns. I have a young son. My home likely does not meet OSHA (health and safety) requirements. Messy, projects everywhere.
I've probably opened myself up to something not good just by posting this much personal information. Maybe its a bad idea, I don't know how to do it, but want to figure it out. I used to mentor high school kids in robotics, so I should probably be looking to my former students, but they are already well taken care of. I want someone that wants what I have to offer.

Re: UK Covid. Are you referring to people failing to report new Covid cases so they don't have to cancel plans with restrictions lifted? I'm not sure how closely US representations of UK news mirror the actual news. They mentioned puzzling precipitous drop in new cases with lifted travel restrictions, but silent on trends in hospital admissions or deaths.

[Burgerman]

Re: UK Covid. Are you referring to people failing to report new Covid cases so they don't have to cancel plans with restrictions lifted? I'm not sure how closely US representations of UK news mirror the actual news. They mentioned puzzling precipitous drop in new cases with lifted travel restrictions, but silent on trends in hospital admissions or deaths.

Over here almost everyone was fully vaccinated - 90% population months back. And so after unlock freedom day ON 19TH jULY, nobody is really restriced at all. Football matches, night clubs, pubs, concerts and cinemas and big events, shops, work, all no restrictions. If tested positive, you are supposed to isolate at home. Most dont bother. Travel in the UK no restrictions. Masks? Some still wear them, most dont and no laws about mask wearing. So we have been mixing like crazy for the last couple of months. For all intents and purposes it is all over. Everything is open, and nothing restricted.

Testing. Covid positive cases? Going wild. Very high. Does anyone care? Nope. Nobody much is getting ill and certainly not ill enough to be hospitalised in the main. If it gets you bad you feel shit for a couple of days. Normally you would stay home a week. The very few that are hospitalised, are the ones that decided they didnt want the vaccine. Pretty much all of them. So yes lots of covid infections! And its doing nothing much that matters and no threats of lockdown in sight yet. Remains to be seen what winter brings. But I doubt its an issue.

So there are many tested positive "cases", now up to 1 in 10 of the population. That 10% of 68million people. Mostly they are unaware they are meant to be ill.
Number of deaths FROM covid is practically zero.
Number of deaths reported as covid is about 150 a day. (There were 166 deaths within 28 days of a positive test for coronavirus reported on 22 September 2021.)
But thats fake news because anyone tested positive that dies within 1 month, is counted in the "covid death" figures. Even if they died of a heart attack or a plane crash. Or under a bus...

Number of extra deaths over a normal pre-covid year is more telling. Its practically zero over the last 2 months or so. Its done. Finished. Over. Unless you are one of the few that didnt want a vaccine. Even then, pretty negligable risk if healthy or young and was your own choice.

[ex-Gooserider]

No personal experience, but it seems to be very country dependent... Different countries, and even US states have differing rules about what they will cover, how many hours, and so on...

My understanding is that some require going through an agency.

At least in theory (reportedly doesn't work as well in practice) one advantage of an agency is that if a persons 'regular' carer can't make it for whatever reason, they are supposed to provide a substitute... Also the agencies are supposed to (aren't always successful) do all the background checks and screening for bad actors as part of their hiring practices.

If one is hiring directly, it can be more problematic if a carer does a no-show, and one is also on your own for doing all the pre-employment screening, interviewing, etc...

bottom line is there are pluses and minuses for both options.

ex-Gooserider

[Burgerman]

First few years I tried using agencies.
Reasons I dont now include:

a) Much greater costs. So less hours for the same goverment assessed ££amount paid into my account.

b) Most agencies finish around 8pm. I dont usually want to go to bed until 12pm to 1am.

c) Fixed timetable. I call carers when I want them, Or need them depending on what I am doing or need at the time and so very flexible timetable. Impossible with an agency. I dont want to run my life to a timetable.

d) reliability. This was very problematic with agencies. And theres not much you can do about it. You must rely on the company. I can call any of my 3 carers if theres a problem. Anytime I have this problem. And I encourage them to work together if they want to swap days/shifts etc. If one of them is really problematic I get someone else and replace them.

e) The staff from agencies vary in how shall we say, personality, ability, etc. If you hire and employ your own YOU get to choose, and hire and fire so this is not a problem. So I employ those with a little bit of sense that look after my house, help me with everything without doing more damage than good. As was the case with agency workers.

f) I employ people that live nearby. So it takes them just a few mins to walk or drive. Agencies can employ people that live miles away and this bothers THEM and so frequently complaining and high staff turnover.

g) I can pay them more than an agency and so they are happier to help you and do as asked. Agencies tend to pay less so fast turnover of staff. I have 3 here now. 12 years, 6 years 3 years.

I use a payroll agency so thats literally 10 mins a week.