You cannot do this by yourself 24/7. I say this as someone with a child that needs 24/7 care. You need a plan that involves outside help.

My parents in NC pay $29-32/hour through an agency. So I’m not sure how much the aide makes herself.

My Dad previously took care of an elderly lady (errands, took her to appts, found her assisted living place, helped clear out and sell her house) and I think he was paid $20/hour and mileage for errands and appts.

Make sure you get some rest and are taking care of yourself (eating well).

PP

Also, per Medicaid, be sure to do a personal care agreement to avoid issues related to Medicaid look-back, if that is a concern.

https://www.medicaidplanningassistance.org/medicaid-look-back-period/
https://www.medicaidplanningassistance.org/personal-care-agreements/

Anonymous wrote:Please hire someone to give you a day off or at minimum a free period each day to be fully off. The emotional and mental weight of care giving is intense. We all burn out eventually without respite.

+100

For your own health and well being hire someone (Dad pays) on a regular basis to at least do one 8 hour "shift" or half shift each day. Too many women ruin their health taking care of elders. It's not sustainable to be the solo 24/7 caregiver.

That hire will also give you a basis for what you charge. If you charge the same per hour, your Dad will be getting a deal since you will also be sleeping there (cost for overnight or live-in aides would be more) and I'm sure you will also be doing many administrative and logistics-related things a basic home health aide wouldn't do (at least not without an extra fee).

Please hire someone to give you a day off or at minimum a free period each day to be fully off. The emotional and mental weight of care giving is intense. We all burn out eventually without respite.

Perhaps I missed in previous replies but…will there ever be a chance that one or both of your parents will need to apply for Medicaid? If so, they will be subject to a “look back,” which can end up being a “claw back,” period (believe it is 5 years). If you are paid $5000/week (~$260,000/year), I would not be surprised if Medicaid staff may consider this a form of divestment and require you to pay back if this falls within the five years.

Too many women end up impoverished when caring FT for their parents, often leaving the work force in their prime earning years, so I don’t think OP should be doing that as charity by any stretch here. That doesn’t meant the Medicaid program looks at this similarly.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My father wants to compensate me/come up with a plan because I’m taking care of my mom full time alone and around the clock (as my father stays in Florida and I am staying with her in the Washington DC area)

If she was at home with caregivers you'd have to hire them 24/7 and they are around $25/hour (low). So that's 600 per day x 30. $18,000 a month. $5000 a month is a bargain for them.

OP is asking for a per week rate and is suggesting 3-5K.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My father wants to compensate me/come up with a plan because I’m taking care of my mom full time alone and around the clock (as my father stays in Florida and I am staying with her in the Washington DC area)

If she was at home with caregivers you'd have to hire them 24/7 and they are around $25/hour (low). So that's 600 per day x 30. $18,000 a month. $5000 a month is a bargain for them.

I work in this industry and can tell you that the current pricing in DMV for in-home caregiver is closer to $34/hr. (But that is if you are paying a company who sends a caregiver to you that they likely pay $18-24/hr)
However, live-in 24/7 care is actually less expensive because the model assumes that caregiver gets 7 hours of rest (while client is sleeping). So the rate varies bit for 24/7 in home live-in care, a client would pay somewhere in the range of $375-425/day. So that works out to roughly $11,000/month in the low end. Again that’s the rate a client would pay to a caregiver company to supply a 24/7 livein caregiver.

So yes, $5000 a month to care for someone to pay you to provide one-on-one care in their home is a steal.

Anonymous wrote:He goes for months - after a few months will come back for a week. It’s been going on for a year.

He needs to pay for outside help. You need to get your life back and pay for help for your mom.
He is a jerk if he thinks he can just ignore all of this.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can't really charge 24/7 7 days a week. You need to sleep sometimes.

And that is exactly what you have to pay for when you hire 24/7 help. The help likely sleeps/dozes during the night shift, while nearby/in the same room as the patient. She is still the one who has to get up at 1am if mom needs to use the toilet, or needs water or whatever. If she is staying with her 24/7 she should be paid for it.

You usually have 3-4 people, not 1 person 24/7 365 days a year.

I am aware of that. But the help for overnight hours likely doesn't remain fully awake for their shift. They sleep in the same room/nearby/doze so they are there to help if/when needed. And you pay them similar to a daytime shift

Anonymous wrote:He goes for months - after a few months will come back for a week. It’s been going on for a year.

I’m sorry to say this but your dad is a selfish loser and likely has a woman in FL.

Get paid all you can.