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Comments:
What a sad little person you are.
Firstly the majority of people searching for care are not old and vulnerable, they are usually children or family members. Secondly you show little understanding of the demography, a large proportion of potential clients are professionals, many living abroad. Would you care to telephone Care Homes from Australia? Finally companies such as these explain costs before proceeding.
I'm writing to share a concern that a group of related websites (listed below) are charging vulnerable elderly people hundreds of pounds for advice that is available for free from Local Authorities, Direct Payments Organisations and charities like Age Concern.
One of them is based in Guildford and another in South Kensington.
In particular, the Association of Independent Care Advisers at www.aica.org.uk appears to have been created solely in order to lend credibility to Grace Care. This is misleading to consumers because it implies Grace Care are independently regulated by a recognised trade body, when in fact the AICA's contact details are identical to those of Grace Care, and the organisation has no 'proper companies' as members.
This is all the more concerning because there are authentic trade bodies that Grace Consulting could have chosen to register with (and haven't) - e.g. the Social Care Association and the UK Home Care Association.
On their website, Grace Care claim to have been operating for thirty years, but using Onesource (a commercial credit search tool) we haven't been able to trace the named directors to any company trading before 2000. Their About Us page also makes the conflicting claim that they began trading in 1986 (i.e. only 22 years ago!) See http://www.grace-care.co.uk/about-grace.htm.
A further concern is that Grace Care do not mention the Commission for Social Care Inspection (www.csci.org.uk).
Any care service they recommended to their clients would be legally required to register with CSCI, so this is strange.
It may also open the possibility that Grace Care are referring vulnerable elderly people to unregistered care providers.
LIST OF WEBSITES
www.graceconsulting.co.uk
http://www.grace-care.co.uk/about-grace.htm
http://www.aica.org.uk (a "trade association" whose contact number belongs to Chris Cain of Grace Care- 01483-203066)
www.ucarewecare.com (partners with Grace Care)
http://www.nursing-home-directory.co.uk (same contact number as Grace Care (whilst simultaneously recommending them), links seniorshousing.co.uk, A1 Stairlifts, seniorsearch.com,)
http://www.seniorshousing.co.uk (links back to the above, A1 Stairlifts, and nobody else)
This is an "international over 50s housing expert" who only turns up 6 google results and whose franchiser in the US sells pricey management guru DVDs.
The service is pitched at major housing associations but the testimonials on their site are from two *tiny* US businesses...
http://www.wisteria.co.uk/ (legitimate chartered accountancy practice owned by Andrew Millet, a director of seniorshousing.co.uk)
http://www.seniorssearch.com/ (linked by several of the above sites - looks like a link farm)
Grace Consulting appears to be a sole trader - but several Ltd Cos with similar names have been registered to Chris Cain and since dissolved (details attached).
Add a comment about this blagger
Visitors to the site are reminded that the details contained within user comments are uncorroborated and as such should not be read as fact but as the opinion of the person who left the comment.
Comments:
Firstly the majority of people searching for care are not old and vulnerable, they are usually children or family members. Secondly you show little understanding of the demography, a large proportion of potential clients are professionals, many living abroad. Would you care to telephone Care Homes from Australia? Finally companies such as these explain costs before proceeding.
I'm writing to share a concern that a group of related websites (listed below) are charging vulnerable elderly people hundreds of pounds for advice that is available for free from Local Authorities, Direct Payments Organisations and charities like Age Concern.
One of them is based in Guildford and another in South Kensington.
In particular, the Association of Independent Care Advisers at www.aica.org.uk appears to have been created solely in order to lend credibility to Grace Care. This is misleading to consumers because it implies Grace Care are independently regulated by a recognised trade body, when in fact the AICA's contact details are identical to those of Grace Care, and the organisation has no 'proper companies' as members.
This is all the more concerning because there are authentic trade bodies that Grace Consulting could have chosen to register with (and haven't) - e.g. the Social Care Association and the UK Home Care Association.
On their website, Grace Care claim to have been operating for thirty years, but using Onesource (a commercial credit search tool) we haven't been able to trace the named directors to any company trading before 2000. Their About Us page also makes the conflicting claim that they began trading in 1986 (i.e. only 22 years ago!) See http://www.grace-care.co.uk/about-grace.htm.
A further concern is that Grace Care do not mention the Commission for Social Care Inspection (www.csci.org.uk).
Any care service they recommended to their clients would be legally required to register with CSCI, so this is strange.
It may also open the possibility that Grace Care are referring vulnerable elderly people to unregistered care providers.
LIST OF WEBSITES
www.graceconsulting.co.uk
http://www.grace-care.co.uk/about-grace.htm
http://www.aica.org.uk (a "trade association" whose contact number belongs to Chris Cain of Grace Care- 01483-203066)
www.ucarewecare.com (partners with Grace Care)
http://www.nursing-home-directory.co.uk (same contact number as Grace Care (whilst simultaneously recommending them), links seniorshousing.co.uk, A1 Stairlifts, seniorsearch.com,)
http://www.seniorshousing.co.uk (links back to the above, A1 Stairlifts, and nobody else)
This is an "international over 50s housing expert" who only turns up 6 google results and whose franchiser in the US sells pricey management guru DVDs.
The service is pitched at major housing associations but the testimonials on their site are from two *tiny* US businesses...
http://www.wisteria.co.uk/ (legitimate chartered accountancy practice owned by Andrew Millet, a director of seniorshousing.co.uk)
http://www.seniorssearch.com/ (linked by several of the above sites - looks like a link farm)
Grace Consulting appears to be a sole trader - but several Ltd Cos with similar names have been registered to Chris Cain and since dissolved (details attached).
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