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Any information as to effectively finding a companion for my father to live in his house would be appreciated. It is clear to us now that he cannot live by himself. With my daughter having Autism, and my husband having a busy job; we are in need of someone to live in the house and be there for dad. Does anyone have a suggestion on how to find someone. Dad does have money, but we trying not exhaust all of his money too quickly.
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Call home health agencies and see what they have. Maybe you want a couple of round-the clock caregivers?
Or ask around to other families who may have had the funds to hire someone. You will want someone with good references. |
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The agency I use charges $305 for a 24-hour shift. I'm sure there are cheaper alternatives, but the caregivers from the agency are licensed and bonded which means they've been fingerprinted to see if they have a criminal record. You never know what you'll get if you go with someone who is working on her own.
It is what it is. |
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A companion?
Or a worker? Do they need to clean and prepare meals? Do they need to assist your father? Do they need to watch out for your father's safety and health? Do they need to shop? Do they need to accompany him to appt? If any of these, then your best bet is a reliable agency. Agencies screen criminal background, drugs, etc. No matter whether you advertise/hire on your own; or use an agency.....Hide/remove all valuable items, bank statements, etc. If your father uses alcohol, monitor it regularly. There are a lot of reliable and honest people, but there is no way for you to be for sure. Lupe is 95, and I'm 55. She doesn't know that I'm her daughter, but I know that she is my mother. |
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Agencies also offer a back-up plan...if your regular caregiver is sick, they cand send someone else.
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I answered at length on the other thread you posted about this.
I wanted to respond again because all these answers seem to think an agency is a good choice. I guess it really depends on how far along your dad is and how willing he is to accept the help. My LO fought having caregivers tooth and nail in the beginning and when someone from the agency couldn't make it, the agency felt that it was perfectly okay to send someone who had no clue about my LO's individual needs to cover for the missing caregiver. I let it happen a few times, but it only served to upset all the peace and calm I'd worked so hard to maintain. Till finally, I insisted that I be called with the no-shows and ended up covering it myself if no one who knew her could come. It was a nightmare. After too many instances of this, I chose to go with people I personally found and screened. There's still a turnover, but no one goes in to my LO cold. Admittedly, it has been more difficult to do all the hiring myself. It has been more difficult to find interested caregivers, to check out their backgrounds, to work out scheduling and pay, etc. But after all the work, I am able to rest in knowing that my LO is well taken care of and her INDIVIDUAL needs are being met. I'm sure there are some wonderful agencies out there. My experience (with only one, mind you) was not good. Teri |
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I am trying to gage dad's needs at present. He needs someone to cook for him, and make sure he has 3 meals a day. He needs someone to make sure he is safe in the home. He will not leave a home so accompanying him to appointments is not an issue presently. We take care of the shopping. Cleaning and preparing meals is an issue. We also have a maid that comes every other week. So, most of the heavy cleaning is taken care of. Dad does not drink much, just a little beer (which I think I need at the moment). Honestly, he should be relatively easy at the moment. It will be later on as the disease progresses that it will be different. I need to get a better understanding of how fast things can change. Since he is 90, it has not been fast; but, within the last 2 months there has been a significant change in his personality.
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I am looking into getting a nursing student, or other type of student. Or, potentially looking into a church. I will run a background check on the person to determine if there are any issues I should know of. I intend to remove all valuables.
Wendy
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What I don't like about the agencies is that they charge $20-25/hour but pay the caregiver $9-13.
they don't offer health insurance or sickdays to the workers...If there's a gap between clients, the caregiver is unemployed. The advantage to you is that if your aide is sick they will usually have someone to cover for her. One time I used an agency they promised me someone with experience with alzheimer's but did not deliver. That said, hospice has given me a wonderful aide through an agency. A nearby nursing school could be a wonderful source of aides. Or talk to local ministers and ask for recommendations. I let EVERYONE I knew know I was looking... (and in fact a neighbor stopped me yesterday to say they knew of someone...). |
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See my reply to your other thread but a short answer for those reading this one - you can always go through an agency to find caregivers and, if you find one you like, come to your own arrangement with him/her. Many agencies are OK with this, at least in the NY area. Results may vary elsewhere. But worth a look.
Best, Alan Alan G. Ampolsk Blogging Alzheimer's at www.dementianights.com |
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I've had good luck so far from two sources: our minister and TheCaringSpace.com. (The latter site I got from this forum.) Someone here also pointed out that you can get referrals from ministers of other churches -- a great idea.
I'm paying $9.50 an hour, so by the time I pay SS and FUTA it's $10.42 -- which would be at least $250 for 24 hours. (I have 7 a day.) This isn't for any nursing care, just companionship, light housekeeping, etc. Both caregivers give my LO intense, devoted attention, great emotional care plus the right amount of mental stimulation. |
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