Problems with carers

I have care which I pay for at the moment, but I have the social worker visit me every so often to see if all is okay. I explain things that I’m not happy with. For example, my carer is meant to be with me at 7.30 am and was sick so the agency sent another carer who I had never met before. With no introduction she arrived at 8.25 after me calling the agency care office 2 times in a panic because my morphine was due at 8 and if I don’t have it on time it interacts with other meds and I sick them all up and so have no meds in me. This leaves me in a pickle.

I get told by the agency she will be there in few minutes when I call at ten to 8. I ring again ten past 8 and still same: I don’t know were she is. If she starts work at 8 she should be with u I’m very sorry. But I say but my care starts half 7 and she say I will have to talk to your supervisor about it. Finally, she arrives but by then I had panicked so much that I had self medicated and hoped I got it right. When carer arrived she had a go at me about doing that and told me the office knows she leaves her home at 8 because her son leaves same time for school and won’t leave him in house by himself. I complained about all this to the social worker and that is just one thing that has happened.

The social worker says I will speak to your supervisor and make sure I always have some one here on time because of morphine, and always have a introduction when there some one new just opening my door and walking in I don’t know about. I am still waiting for all this to happen. It’s been 3 months now. I’ve asked social worker 2 times since because had other instances with agency and still it not been done. I had my social call last week to go shopping, and my carer was in training. Again no introduction. They knew a week before I was having someone else and when she arrived she was new, she was 18 years old--now don’t get me wrong, I’m all for young men or woman to learn, but when they don’t even no what a supa-pubic catheter is, let alone to replace the flip-flo on the end for me because it was due. The feed back to the office does not seem to get through, or the agency is just not doing their job correctly. They’re always moaning they not got enough staff, but peoples health and lives depend on them to make mistakes is just not good enough.
care agenceys i none seem to mess up the carers rotas all the time as well,2 carers have turned up at my bunglow before now,cus of mistakes at the office,it dont seem to just be my agency either,my moms does it to,and sends carers all over the place ,and when they got a break for a hour when they workin half 7 in the mornin to half 9 at nite,they get a call and say can u go cover such and such ,its so disorganized,even i could do beter than them,and thats sayin somethin:laughing:
I would think that if you are paying for care out of your own pocket as I know you are, you should be given the service you have contracted them to do. As it is crucial you have your meds at the correct time, they, to me would be liable to a breech of contract. I would get on to head office and give them what for.

Radz x
So sorry to hear about your problems ali.

I have no experience of these agencies yet. Are you in contact with any local Parkinson's support group? Might there be anybody there who could talk to the agency and back you up? To be paying for your own care and get such a poor service is dreadful.
I have had the same problems in the past. Now I have my own private carer found through "Hafad" a disability charity organisation and paid through "direct payments" from the council to care for my husband (much better). My husband was assessed first by a Social worker. Can you do the same? do you live in London?

All the best and good luck!
hi radar ,yep give erm a ding dongin,ive tryed to do that through social worker,that never worked,but go higher ,it great idea,but i got get some voice in me to do it now,u no me radar,i gone back in me bubble agin ,i had convidence then it got shattered agin and im findin it hard to open back up agin.:smile:hi MOSIE,i belong to a group yep,and do alot for erm me slef to bring them along ,there no one there as such to help out not with a voice anyways ,it good idea though ,all groups different i guess,i seem to keep erm afloat me self.:smile:HI NATASHA,i think ur rite ,imay have to go private,it more expensive than a agency ,but spose u get wot u pay for,ijust thought like radar says u payin u should get some kinda care package that works.even for people who get help with payment for care,no one no mater wot there finacial circumstances should have probs like this ,this is only 2 things gone rong,i could role off a list,but the morhpine one was the real bummer for me,cus of the type of drug it is and gettin meds on time.if im sick allmeds out i can not have no more morphien or othes,cus u dunna no how much left in ur system.i live in shropshire,but like london ,i guess they have private carers,thankyou all x:smile:
Dear Ali, I sit here reading these posts simply appalled at what a severely ill person is supposed to put up with. Your morphine injection in the morning is absolutely crucial to your welfare, whether you are paying for it out of your own pocket or not, there seems to be some serious neglect of duty going on somewhere. What amazes me is that we are a very vulnerable group of people and it is beholden to others to make sure this kind of detail is looked after. I become very eloquent with rage (Annie Lennox) but increasingly it takes more out of me than I am generally prepared to give. Ali, who are and will remain a breath of fresh air on this forum. We would all kick in if we knew what to do to help.