1. Know your options
We all want our loved ones to live independently, but circumstances don’t always allow it. Once a person needs help, the ideal solution is where family members are willing and able to provide it, but that’s not always possible.
Even where it is possible - for some older people in need of care - having the services of a carer at home is the optimal solution.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) offers a Home Support Service. It aims to help older people to continue living in their own homes for as long as possible, and can provide support with everyday tasks such as getting in and out of bed, bathing and dressing.
For those who require extended help, and can afford it, paying for a carer privately is another option.
It is possible, and often cheaper, to find someone via online platforms, but be careful. "This can be very risky as you will not be able to get that person Garda vetted and it may be very difficult to check their references," cautions Tom Quinlan, manager of Affordable Live-in Homecare (ALHomcare for short).
2. Choose wisely
It is critically important that the person being cared for gets on well with their carer.
“At the end of the day, if your relative is not happy with the care provided, then that care solution will not last,” Quinlan says. ALHomecare offers a three-week trial period and, if you’re not happy, you can get a replacement carer or a refund of the placement fee.
Consistent and reliable care is key, and an advantage of live-in care.
“Working as a visiting carer is not an easy job because the carer has to visit many different clients from early morning to late evening and this can quickly take its toll on the carer,” adds Quinlan.
He believes elderly people like to feel that the carer is there for them alone. “They also want to feel that the carer is not stressed or rushing,” he says.
In a live-in situation, the carer is better able to adjust and adapt to the client’s needs on an ongoing basis. “The live-in carer is not tied into a tight schedule of multiple visits. They are there for that client, and that client alone, so the client feels very well supported and reassured,” he says.
3. Care for the carer
What you want is a carer who enjoys their work. That means making sure your carer is happy in your relative’s home too.
“If your carer feels respected, well-treated and is satisfied with their working conditions, then this should result in that carer being more dedicated, loyal and committed to providing the best possible care to your relative,” says Quinlan.
With ALHomecare, each carer is carefully matched to a client’s needs and personality before coming to live with the client.
“This means that the care is consistent and reliable, making the client feel very well supported and very much at ease. The client and the carer get to know each other and form a bond over time. This is very important in elderly care especially if the client has any form of dementia or Alzheimer’s,” he points out.
4. Do your sums
Caregiving solutions are not cheap. If your relative needs a couple of hours a day from a visiting carer, paying around 28 euro an hour is a rough guide.
If they require care around the clock, opting into the Government’s Fair Deal scheme to cover the cost of a residential eldercare facility may become more practical.
ALHomecare offers an alternative option. By placing a carer into your relative’s home the advantage for the client is that they receive one-to-one care. The advantage for the carer is that they get free board and lodging, good working hours and reliable pay and conditions.
There is someone in the house at night in case of emergencies, which provides peace of mind
It’s a combination that has seen the business, which was set up eight years ago, grow significantly - by 40 per cent over the past year alone.
Most of that has come via word-of-mouth recommendations, says Quinlan, who currently places an average of 10 carers a week in homes across Ireland.
It’s a model that can prove significantly cheaper than buying extended hours from a visiting agency, he says. “It also means there is someone in the house at night in case of emergencies, which provides additional peace of mind.”
ALHomecare’s live-in care service starts from just €485 euro per week with free accommodation and food for the carer. For this, the carer lives in and is a passive presence in the home at night, and then by day, they work 5 days per week, 7 hours per day. Their duties include housekeeping, meal preparation, companionship, personal care and medication supervision. And if you want, the carer can do up to 6 days and 8 hours per day - the overtime rate is from just €12 euro per hour.
5. Have confidence in your care solution
Whether you opt for visiting care, a live-in caregiver or take the next step and opt for a residential care setting, you need to feel your relative is getting the support they need. Do your due diligence, including asking to speak to other people already using the service.
“Families want to feel confident in the care solution,” says Quinlan. “They want to know that their relative is well-cared for and that they don’t have to worry about whether the carer is going to show up or not.”
Very many families with elder care responsibilities also have work pressures to manage and children to raise too, he points out. “When their elderly relative is well-cared for, then that’s one major thing they don’t also have to worry about, especially if they live at a distance from their elderly relative’s home.”