Care for elderly parents

[Jillianda]

Hi, I am new to this site...just wondering if anyone has experience of employing a private carer for elderly personal care, currently having a bad time with care agency.

Many thanks

[newlands]

Hi I am due to transfer too private care shortly for myself and dreading it ,I have heard such horror stories and I really am not looking forward to the transfer .i keep telling myself there must be more good ones than bad but will be interested to read the replies you get

Take care

Dorothy

[AliBee1]

Hi. We left a care agency and moved to private. If you contact your local carer's group there will be people there who have private care and you could get a recommendation and that way you will feel safer about it. Your Social Services may also have a list of micro-providers who are people registered with the council but who work privately. If you have a good carer from the agency ask them too as many carers are in touch with others and know of someone who has left the agency and gone privately. Hope this helps and good luck

[Debsoxford]

I work as a carer privately (through my local councils approval scheme) and as an agency worker. You've had good suggestions and it's all in your control! Have you spoken to the agency? If careers aren't doing what your parents want/like inform them go back to your parents social worker (might take several calls) look for a private carer ask for references certificates etc, if you don't like them don't employ them if you do like them give them a trail basis alongside the agency. It's not unusual to have agency's and private carers in its what works for you your parents.

[Noella21]

We have had both private and agency care. We now have private care from 9 to 5 daily . Albera family services care that is contracted by Alberta Health at bed time, agency care on weekends. I pay for all of these through self managed care dollars allotted by Alberta Health Care. You can use those dollars for personal care of your choice. We need to send receipts pay stubs and bank statements quarterly to Alberta health. Most of our experience has been positive. There have been a few snags as there always will be if people are involved. So long as there are others in the home there will be checks and balances. I would not recommend private care for someone vulnerable who has little capacity to report abuse or neglect unless there is somebody to organise and keep an eye on things every day. The down side to private care is paperwork and payroll. We have all the bases covered and it seems to be going smoothly at present. Make sure to do your due diligence criminal record check . References and if they will be driving you in your vehicle get a drivers abstract or your insurance may not cover you in an accident. It is a learning curve at first but once it is set up it it is much easier. In Alberta we have to set up a separate bank account for self managed care dollars . Also register with revenue Canada for payroll tax and empoyer share of Canada pension and employment insurance. I also pay Workers compensation. I wish you the best in all this. Do not be afraid take it one step at a time. I got a hand book from Alberta Health that explains every thing. You can also Google most everything these days. Remember that nobody cares more about your health and care than yourself. You are in control .