Anonymous
Post 04/04/2026 18:08     Subject: Why are there barely any “old people nannies”?
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.
Anonymous
Post 04/04/2026 18:07     Subject: Why are there barely any “old people nannies”?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:That’s a caregiver. Most just sit there and listen to the old person. They might do light cooking (make a hot dog), or help order groceries, but that’s it. It’s unusual for them to do more.
Beware of caregiver stealing or exploiting the elderly for money. It’s very common.
Btdt with both parents over a period of 25 yrs.


Okay this is a waste of money, unless you wanted your parents to have conversation partners.
Yes I know about the stealing. I assume even the bg checked ones still steal?


Probably a pretty good assumption, given how hard it is to find people to do this job.


This is what I don’t understand also! If the job is as easy as described (listen, warm up food, help order groceries) why aren’t more people doing it?


Because it pays minimum wage, the hours are bad, and you get treated like crap and often are in a terrible home environment (dirty house, aggressive pets, client who doesn't necessarily want you there, problematic relatives showing up, whatever -- a friend of mine quit this kind of job because the woman she was supposed to be supporting had a kid who kept dropping off her two small children, considering her a free babysitter).
Anonymous
Post 04/04/2026 17:21     Subject: Why are there barely any “old people nannies”?
Search for home health care companies. I know it says health in there, but that’s the term that gets you folks like that.

But it is a very low paid job where people are often asked to do a lot for not much money.
Anonymous
Post 04/04/2026 17:21     Subject: Why are there barely any “old people nannies”?
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.


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


Why do you think this is? Is it because there’s fewer jobs there? Or more people with old fashioned work ethic?


Because in those communities, everyone knows each other and grew up around one another or knows someone who did. They have all been in each other's orbit for decades. There's a true social fabric to these places.


Wage rates are low so Medicaid rates are better reimbursement compared to local wages.
Anonymous
Post 04/04/2026 17:20     Subject: Why are there barely any “old people nannies”?
Pp here. I liken the job to nannying for my elementary schooler. He can shower and dress himself, brush his teeth, go to bed, walk around, all that, and make pretty sound decisions. But he needs to be driven around, needs someone to make sure he’s up on time and gets to things on time, and needs someone around in case he falls in the shower or needs help, or needs food requiring the stove or anything more complicated than that. And of course he needs someone to talk to and play monopoly with him and remind him where stuff is.
Anonymous
Post 04/04/2026 17:19     Subject: Why are there barely any “old people nannies”?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:That’s a caregiver. Most just sit there and listen to the old person. They might do light cooking (make a hot dog), or help order groceries, but that’s it. It’s unusual for them to do more.
Beware of caregiver stealing or exploiting the elderly for money. It’s very common.
Btdt with both parents over a period of 25 yrs.


Okay this is a waste of money, unless you wanted your parents to have conversation partners.
Yes I know about the stealing. I assume even the bg checked ones still steal?


Probably a pretty good assumption, given how hard it is to find people to do this job.


This is what I don’t understand also! If the job is as easy as described (listen, warm up food, help order groceries) why aren’t more people doing it?

It requires a lot of patience and the ability to always do things someone else’s way. It’s a type of servant and while it may not be physically demanding, it takes a great deal of effort. If you live in a moderately sized metro and you can’t find someone good you aren’t paying enough.
Anonymous
Post 04/04/2026 17:16     Subject: Why are there barely any “old people nannies”?
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.


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


Why do you think this is? Is it because there’s fewer jobs there? Or more people with old fashioned work ethic?


Because in those communities, everyone knows each other and grew up around one another or knows someone who did. They have all been in each other's orbit for decades. There's a true social fabric to these places.
Anonymous
Post 04/04/2026 17:14     Subject: Why are there barely any “old people nannies”?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:There is a market for these services, and "companion" is actually one of the fastest growing health care jobs on the job market. You can pay a "companion" less than someone with healthcare training. But bottom line is that people are a lot more willing to pay to have someone watch their kids than they are to have someone watch their parents. People easily work 60k into their budget for little Larla and Larlo, but will hesitate to spend $200 a week on mom or dad.


Yes this is what I think too!
I am taking care of my parent and I’ll have a couple of trainings under my belt in a few years (like caring for someone with dementia) which aren’t medical training type of things but can boost my resume.
My kids’ child support runs out in a couple years and I’ll need extra money. I was thinking about taking on this type of job.


My grandma has a companion and that’s probably what they get paid so I don’t think it’s unreasonable. The person drives her to her doctors appointments/physical therapy and the store and helps with basic cooking, etc. She has no complex medical needs nor does she have dementia and can still do things like shower and walk herself…she’s just old. Her family comes by daily on weekends so her companion pretty much works like 5 regular days a week.
Anonymous
Post 04/04/2026 17:13     Subject: Why are there barely any “old people nannies”?
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!


Many aren't willing. They don't want the liability in terms of all the things that can go wrong with the elderly in general, and definitely in terms of any "medications."

Most people simply can't afford it.
Anonymous
Post 04/04/2026 17:07     Subject: Why are there barely any “old people nannies”?
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!

They can’t handle the meds, so no eye drops or handing them a pill.
Anonymous
Post 04/04/2026 17:07     Subject: Why are there barely any “old people nannies”?
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."


Why do you think this is? Is it because there’s fewer jobs there? Or more people with old fashioned work ethic?
Anonymous
Post 04/04/2026 17:05     Subject: Why are there barely any “old people nannies”?
Anonymous wrote:There is a market for these services, and "companion" is actually one of the fastest growing health care jobs on the job market. You can pay a "companion" less than someone with healthcare training. But bottom line is that people are a lot more willing to pay to have someone watch their kids than they are to have someone watch their parents. People easily work 60k into their budget for little Larla and Larlo, but will hesitate to spend $200 a week on mom or dad.


Yes this is what I think too!
I am taking care of my parent and I’ll have a couple of trainings under my belt in a few years (like caring for someone with dementia) which aren’t medical training type of things but can boost my resume.
My kids’ child support runs out in a couple years and I’ll need extra money. I was thinking about taking on this type of job.
Anonymous
Post 04/04/2026 17:01     Subject: Why are there barely any “old people nannies”?
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!
Anonymous
Post 04/04/2026 17:01     Subject: Why are there barely any “old people nannies”?
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."


That’s very, very true.
Anonymous
Post 04/04/2026 16:58     Subject: Why are there barely any “old people nannies”?
Anonymous wrote:My grandmother's "cleaning lady" became this for her. She was a lovely 60-ish woman in the neighborhood who knew my grandmother through church. She took on more and more responsibility-- first it was just cleaning, then it became cooking a few days a week and leaving leftovers, bringing in grocery delivery, then things like taking my grandmother to Wednesday Mass and Bingo and the beauty salon, and just spending some time chatting and watching TV, keeping an eye on things and raising any concerns, etc. We happily paid her for this at a good rate. Everyone valued her and she was recognized at the funeral as well.

Yes there is some risk to going outside an agency, there was no insurance or anything, but you can have a bad experience with an agency too. If you have a naturally developing support relationship with a trusted person whom your loved one actually likes, it can be the best option.


I actually have little trust in agencies as they hire people on the cheap and don’t really care