Thoughts? Caregiver in exchange for rent

[ms.netters]

Hi Everyone,

I've recently been looking for a caregiver for my mother-in-law, and have had a great deal of luck (I think). She's a very independent person needing basically part-time assistance with personal care. Given that she doesn't need care 24/7, but it's hard to schedule when she'll need it, we've opted for the live-in route. I have found several people (with and without experience) willing to take the arrangement of rent in exchange for this care. She's had a family living with her since her injury 4 years ago, but they are no longer providing adequate care. So, seeing as we're all new to this, I thought I would seek out advice from people with more experience in these matters. Is there anything I should know/do/watch for?

Thanks Much!

[Sh1wn]

Background check for sure, some references personal and work would be good to.

You might want to see how landlord/renters rights laws work in your state, they can stretch out a eviction for months here.

Thats a few things I can think of.

I'm sure someone smarter will see your post soon and help you layout a contract.

[ms.netters]

You might want to see how landlord/renters rights laws work in your state, they can stretch out a eviction for months here.

I've been told that terminating an employment type arrangement doesn't require eviction. I wonder what the grey area on this is.

[gjnl]

I had a friend who built a second story on to his single story home. He outfitted the second floor in dormitory fashion, three small sleeping rooms, a communal recreation/living room and kitchen, shared bathroom facilities. He hired 3 college men to be at the home in 8 hour work shifts scheduled around their class and other work schedules. If he was not in need of help or services, the men could study or watch television or just rest in the "dorm" rooms. He lived just miles from a major university. He provided room and board. This arrangement worked out very well for him. He was very particular about background checks, references from professors, work references, etc. These kind of arrangements can work out well, if all the parameters are worked out in advance.

All the best,
GJ

[ms.netters]

Thanks so much for your thoughts!

[Random]

Take what I have to say with the understanding that I have a well of bitterness. But I would recommend highly being very very specific about work hours and expectations. My experience with the majority of live-in caregivers that I have had is that they get impatient very quickly with your putting a crimp at all in how they want to spend their days.

[giambjj]

What is a good hourly wage for a caregiver in the SE USA?

Thanks;

JJG

[SCI-Nurse]

What is a good hourly wage for a caregiver in the SE USA?

Thanks;

JJG

You should be able to get this kind of information from your local ILC. In my area (Southern California) I am paying $13-15/hour depending on experience and time in the job, but we do not pay hourly for live-in.

(KLD)

[zillazangel]

From my experience with a C4/5 friend in northern Alabama, he paid by the task instead of by the hour, as people tend to get pretty slowwwww when paid by the hour. So he would pay $20 in the morning to give him a bed bath and get him up in his chair. He paid $10 for her to come back in the evening to get him undressed, back in bed and on bowel nights, put in a suppository that she would then clean up the "results" the next morning. It took about 1.5 hours in the morning and about 20-30 minutes at night. But that's all the help he needed as he had family that helped with making and serving him food, etc. For extra things, like driving him somewhere, he would pay her $10/hour, which in that rural area was very decent pay (for someone without alot of education, no formal CNA training etc).

[Patty41]

My biggest concern would be if you're advertising this type of "free housing" position, say in your local newspaper, individuals who target the elderly may see this as their golden opportunity. Many such people have the MO of not being able to provide themselves with the basic necessities in life, including a place to live, but yet would feel entitled to not only the housing, but possibility also your mother's belongings and/or money. My past experience has taught me these personalities are often very crafty in their schemes and make it their profession to present as total angles to family members. As others have already pointed out the importance of checking and re-checking those references. If the person is offended at the extent to which you are checking into their background, I'd say move right on along to the next applicant. And as bad as I hate to say this, and I don't mean any disrespect to ANYONE'S belief system, I didn't find pastoral references a good go to. Simply for the fact they were often in the business of being as compassionate to the individual as possible, looking to help them make a "fresh start" from their current situation. I never got anything but the most glowing references, which sadly, was not always the true character of the person.