My dad just went into a skilled nursing home after a serious fall at home and subsequent rehab. He'll be 90 next week, has CHF, Parkinson's, Type 2 diabetes, previous stroke, and is now experiencing episodes of passing out - he used to live alone but can no longer, he just needs more care. I am an only child and have been caring for him for 7+ years with the help of part-time caregivers at his home. So this nursing home situation is brand new over just the past 2 weeks or so. It's a great home and we are very happy with care there.
While he was still living at home, we had just hired a new caregiver a week before my dad fell. Our previous one, who we loved, had to move out of state with her family. The new caregiver was wonderful and she still texts me and checks on my dad, and she was the one that found him after he fell. I asked her about me hiring her to visit my dad in the nursing home daily while we go on vacation for a week in July and she is interested in helping. She would just be my eyes and ears at the nursing home, keep him company an hour or so a day and do his laundry once while we are gone. I am not sure what a fair pay rate is to pay her for this? Anyone ever done anything like this? Should I offer her hourly rate or more?
I am an only child and there is no one else to help, and this past month has been really rough. I have a teenage daughter and husband and we desparately want to take our annual beach trip. I would feel better knowing my dad has someone checking on him while we are gone.
I would pay her the same rate she would have been getting if she was working for you at the house,
Technically you probably could pay less but if she is good she may be turning down full day jobs to be with your dad for a few hours and do laundry. And it would still be less than if she were working 5, 6 or 7 hours a day for you/him
I would though have her document the hours so that there is "proof" that she worked those hours, Although most facilities have sign in and out sheets so the hours could be tracked but if there is ever need to document the cost of his care this might be important later on.
I wouldn't tell the facility she is a paid caregiver, I would tell them she is a family friend. I don't think it's any of their business.
How important is this to you? I sure wouldn't nickel and dime it or hourly it. I would offer her $50-$75 a day.
Do you really want to nickel and dime this? How.important is it?
58.5 first six months 2022
62.5 last six months 2022
https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-increases-mileage-rate-for-remainder-of-2022
After that the going rate these days for 'sitters' runs from $16 to $27 an hour and that's what I'd call her and tell the nursing home you're having a 'sitter'. The nursing home should be doing his laundry (usually). As far as mileage, I'd just build that into the rate you pay them.
Most facilities allow sitters and sometimes welcome them so they aren't overburdened. I wouldn't call it the person a visitor. The home needs to be basically told this person is caring for your father in some capacity, whether it be just being a companion or watching out for his care. I'd always be upfront with any facility. If they find out you hired her regardless of what the intent, they may not take it the right way (or some in the facility may not). When you tell them they are a sitter, they realize they are there to be part of the care team.
Even if she does not hold you to a minimum number of hours, keep in mind her commuting time and that by visiting your father she cannot take another job for your father's part of that day. Make it worth her while. It's part of your "vacation budget."
Enjoy the beach.
I would ask the person you are considering hiring for this task what they would charge. Don’t negotiate -this is an important job and you will have peace of mind.
the laundry, you might consider switching to in-house services. Going forward if incontinence issues develop, having everything marked and a routine setup will let you focus on daily issues.
it has to be worth her while too !!!
nobody’s interested in an hour a day !!!
I like those one-hour assignments because they pay well. Lots of caregivers are interested in those because nobody wants to sit in a nursing home for hours at a time.
Those hour-hour and a half or so assignments are a nice little bit of money and you don't have to do the long haul hours.
I charge $35 if it's for one hour only and I have two jobs now that are only one hour each. If you want her there for two hours with him than pay her $50.
You should pay around $50 for her to do his laundry too. Now remember, she has to pick up the laundry, wash, dry, fold, deliver, and put it away. So $50 is fair.
Depending on what state you're in the dollar amounts can be tweaked a bit.
If she worked for you through an agency, offering her what she was getting paid for one hour is a joke. Not even worth her gas to drive to the nursing home. Offer her twice that or better is fair.
Who knows this may end up being a back up and support for you a few times during the week when you come back.
I was a caregiver to a sweet little lady who had fallen and broke her hip and had a gash in her head while no one was there. Unfortunately we had been telling the family she needed someone there overnight as well. So she wasn’t found until the next day upon our arrival. Her family had her team of caregivers sit with her at the rehab we were paid the same hourly rate( we previously worked 10 hour shifts) I was the weekend staff. So yes, it’s been done before.
If it’s just for an hour or so it should be at least $30-50 of course you can be creative like throw in gift cards gas cards, spa day etc…and lower the hourly pay( we all know time is money & money is time) put a few creative packages together and see how that goes😊.
Wishing you the most favorable outcome💕
After my Mom got considerably weaker when I wasn't there to exercise her because I was gone for a month, we decided to hire PT (physical therapy) to help her keep up her strength. The guy came twice a week.
It worked!
My Mom liked it as she actually had visitors while I was gone. I liked it because at least I knew she was getting some exercise. When I got back, my Mom was a little weaker, however, not like she was when I went away the last time.
As for a fair pay rate, I would suggest that you offer travel reimbursement from their house to/from where he is, plus whatever the going rate is for the level of caregiving that you are expecting, based on what an agency would cost you.
Good luck and try to enjoy your "vacation".