Why are there barely any “old people nannies”?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have someone like this for my mother. I got her off of care.com and she's fabulous. I pay her $25/hour and she does everything I can't be there to do. She's been with my mother for a year and I'm getting ready to give her raise. I can't lose her.

How many hours a day does she work for you? What does she usually do?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We had someone doing this — chit chat, clean up the kitchen and put the dishes away, light sweeping, heat up soup etc. she ended up irritating my mom who felt llle she could do all that, and because she’d chit chat about her own health problems so then my mom felt bad having her unload the dishwasher or whatever.

Did anyone see the WaPo article about the jubilee tv thing? That actually seemed great.

It’s important to be able to get along with the client!

[Anonymous]

I agree OP, it's impossible to find. I wanted this for a parent who was of sound mind, but who had some mobility limitations and didn't like to be alone. We wanted a few hours a day 2-3 days a week and tried care.com. It was a frustrating bunch of dead ends. We were looking for someone to be around and help with laundry and cooking (but really the moving parts of those - carrying stuff up and down stairs).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree OP, it's impossible to find. I wanted this for a parent who was of sound mind, but who had some mobility limitations and didn't like to be alone. We wanted a few hours a day 2-3 days a week and tried care.com. It was a frustrating bunch of dead ends. We were looking for someone to be around and help with laundry and cooking (but really the moving parts of those - carrying stuff up and down stairs).

It sounds very simple! I wonder what the holdup was.
I am thinking of supplementing my income in a couple years with jobs like this.
I used to visit an old lady at a care home for a couple hrs at a time,I’d take her out for a walk around the block or sit with her in their garden, I’d do it again!
I’d ask for more money now, knowing how hard it is to find someone reliable.

[Anonymous]

Even when you think you’ve found a great caregiver, be careful. They are often guilty of exploitation and stealing. I’ve been burned by so many. Using my parents credit card, making my parent go sign for loans then making parent pay monthly payment, stealing nice items and replacing them with cheap ones, getting parent to hire their friends and family for “odd jobs” that never get done…
Be prepared to watch every move.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree OP, it's impossible to find. I wanted this for a parent who was of sound mind, but who had some mobility limitations and didn't like to be alone. We wanted a few hours a day 2-3 days a week and tried care.com. It was a frustrating bunch of dead ends. We were looking for someone to be around and help with laundry and cooking (but really the moving parts of those - carrying stuff up and down stairs).

It sounds very simple! I wonder what the holdup was.
I am thinking of supplementing my income in a couple years with jobs like this.
I used to visit an old lady at a care home for a couple hrs at a time,I’d take her out for a walk around the block or sit with her in their garden, I’d do it again!
I’d ask for more money now, knowing how hard it is to find someone reliable.

Usually, the people looking to pay money aren't just looking for a visit and a walk. Too often they expect multiple services for minimum wage-cooking or at least light meal prep, cleaning, companionship, assistance with toileting and bathing needs, etc. If an elderly person is pleasant, family members are willing to visit and hang out in a garden, but they don't always have time for all the other things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are lots of people who do this unless you are in some isolated backwater. Reminding to take medication is one thing but dispensing it is another. Check the laws for your jurisdiction and don’t ask a companion/housekeeper to do anything illegal.

Oh I am not hiring anyone (I wish I could) but I don’t understand the dispensing thing. Do you mean like giving someone a pill with a glass of water? And maybe doing eye drops?
It’s so stupid someone needs a license for it. I do it for my dad with no license and I’d totally allow someone else responsible enough to do it if they were willing!

So stupid ... until your loved one overdoses and dies. Use your head.

Why would they overdose?! Meds are locked, someone reasonably competent comes and gives a pill according to instructions. What kind of super training or license is needed?! We all do this for ourselves and/or our parents

You can give your parents pills no problem. There are liability issues in most states if anyone, but a nurse administers them otherwise. An aide can probably supervise, but cannot physically give the pill. Lawsuits have made a lot of things more complicated than needed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are lots of people who do this unless you are in some isolated backwater. Reminding to take medication is one thing but dispensing it is another. Check the laws for your jurisdiction and don’t ask a companion/housekeeper to do anything illegal.

It can actually be easier to find good people to do this in those "isolated backwaters."

Yes. This is 40 years ago, but there was nearly always a farm widow ISO income. My grandmother had two different companions who alternated spending the night to ensure someone was on hand in case she fell. Also present to ensure she did not leave a skillet on a lit burner, etc. She still handled all the chores - no way was she going to relinquish! - but sometimes needed to be steered back on track.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree OP, it's impossible to find. I wanted this for a parent who was of sound mind, but who had some mobility limitations and didn't like to be alone. We wanted a few hours a day 2-3 days a week and tried care.com. It was a frustrating bunch of dead ends. We were looking for someone to be around and help with laundry and cooking (but really the moving parts of those - carrying stuff up and down stairs).

It sounds very simple! I wonder what the holdup was.
I am thinking of supplementing my income in a couple years with jobs like this.
I used to visit an old lady at a care home for a couple hrs at a time,I’d take her out for a walk around the block or sit with her in their garden, I’d do it again!
I’d ask for more money now, knowing how hard it is to find someone reliable.

Usually, the people looking to pay money aren't just looking for a visit and a walk. Too often they expect multiple services for minimum wage-cooking or at least light meal prep, cleaning, companionship, assistance with toileting and bathing needs, etc. If an elderly person is pleasant, family members are willing to visit and hang out in a garden, but they don't always have time for all the other things.

A few years back, someone on here wanted to hire someone for minimum wage to care for their parent for 2 hours/day blocks from a bus line that ran only 1x/hour if lucky. Believe this was west of Rock Creek, north of Military. No matter who suggested how this was not an economically-sustaining job for the person most likely to hold it, they continued to double down. I think I suggested they walk door to door and see if there was someone who was interested as well as post in their neighborhood listserv. I get that the nearing end of life model sucks in so many ways, but solving it on the backs of the working poor is not the solution.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are lots of people who do this unless you are in some isolated backwater. Reminding to take medication is one thing but dispensing it is another. Check the laws for your jurisdiction and don’t ask a companion/housekeeper to do anything illegal.

Oh I am not hiring anyone (I wish I could) but I don’t understand the dispensing thing. Do you mean like giving someone a pill with a glass of water? And maybe doing eye drops?
It’s so stupid someone needs a license for it. I do it for my dad with no license and I’d totally allow someone else responsible enough to do it if they were willing!

So stupid ... until your loved one overdoses and dies. Use your head.

Why would they overdose?! Meds are locked, someone reasonably competent comes and gives a pill according to instructions. What kind of super training or license is needed?! We all do this for ourselves and/or our parents

You can give your parents pills no problem. There are liability issues in most states if anyone, but a nurse administers them otherwise. An aide can probably supervise, but cannot physically give the pill. Lawsuits have made a lot of things more complicated than needed.

This is exactly what I mean.
So many stupid things.
I know it’s due to lawsuits but it’s just so dumb it makes me irrationally angry

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree OP, it's impossible to find. I wanted this for a parent who was of sound mind, but who had some mobility limitations and didn't like to be alone. We wanted a few hours a day 2-3 days a week and tried care.com. It was a frustrating bunch of dead ends. We were looking for someone to be around and help with laundry and cooking (but really the moving parts of those - carrying stuff up and down stairs).

It sounds very simple! I wonder what the holdup was.
I am thinking of supplementing my income in a couple years with jobs like this.
I used to visit an old lady at a care home for a couple hrs at a time,I’d take her out for a walk around the block or sit with her in their garden, I’d do it again!
I’d ask for more money now, knowing how hard it is to find someone reliable.

Usually, the people looking to pay money aren't just looking for a visit and a walk. Too often they expect multiple services for minimum wage-cooking or at least light meal prep, cleaning, companionship, assistance with toileting and bathing needs, etc. If an elderly person is pleasant, family members are willing to visit and hang out in a garden, but they don't always have time for all the other things.

I am told upthread that companions don’t do much anyway
That’s why I said a visit and a walk

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Companion Care at least in Northwest DC, which you can hire by the hour, and it’s usually done by youngish retired professionals, is like $100 an hour.

I should look into a place like this maybe as my potential workplace. The issue is I can’t choose the client!

DP, I think $100 is not true but I know for sure someone paying $80/hour and it’s word of mouth. Another getting paid a lot but idk how much was the nanny/housekeeper of a family friend. But even still, I think it can go poorly a lot of the time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree OP, it's impossible to find. I wanted this for a parent who was of sound mind, but who had some mobility limitations and didn't like to be alone. We wanted a few hours a day 2-3 days a week and tried care.com. It was a frustrating bunch of dead ends. We were looking for someone to be around and help with laundry and cooking (but really the moving parts of those - carrying stuff up and down stairs).

If the elder is pleasant, you likely could have found someone full time. 2-3 days a week isn't worth it to most because they are not paid for driving between homes and it's very hard to find someone else who wants the days you don't need her. It's hard to find the people doing it for a side-gig while in grad school or whatever and they want the absolute easiest elder possible and the family with the most realistic demands. Also, when people hire part time they often expect more than the people hiring full time in terms of how much they want accomplished while the person is there. If you are full time, you might be expected to do laundry once or twice a week unless the person is incontinent and you get meal prep in advance and plan, so you have more down time. When people hire part time they often expect as much of that stuff done as they would expect from full time. You may need to adjust your expectations considering how poorly these jobs pay.