NEED 3 DAYS of 24 HOUR CARE for my MOM... looking for advice !

MattyBoy

 hi WONDERFUL PEOPLE !!!

nothing HORRIBLE is happening (thank god!)... i have a DAYTIME AIDE/COMPANION for my MOM.. but she can't do OVERNIGHTS... i FINALLY want to take a NICE 3 DAYS away... my MOM is in EARLY STAGES... she basically needs a BABYSITTER... no INCONTINENCE, she can WALK by herself...

i live in WESTCHESTER, NY... and i will PRIVATE PAY (pay myself! i don't really know the lingo!)...

i am happy to have someone at our home...  but i am open to bringing her somewhere...

i just dont know where to START... i want to feel COMFORTABLE and feel she is SAFE (obviously!)...

ok, WONDERFUL PEOPLE... hit me with some WONDERFUL SUGGESTIONS !!

Sjodry

Hi MattyBoy,

I used an agency called Comfort Keepers. They have folks that can do overnights. There is also a site called Care.com. It may take awhile to find the right person on care.com and they usually charge less than Comfort Keepers. The difference is typically insurance/bonding. Agencies offer that. Also, if you find an individual, sometimes they might have an emergency and then you may not have a back-up. This is not usually a problem with an agency.

Good luck.

Sandy

harshedbuzz

Matty Boy-

If your daytime person is through an agency, contact them. Other wise, contact a local agency being aware that your mom will get whomever is available for a few overnight shifts. If the daytime person works an 8 hour, you may need 2 "overnight" people.

Care.com is great, but there's more work on your end which might not be reasonable for a 3 day break and there's a much greater risk of "no-shows" especially for a limited time gig.

Do you have a relative who would be willing to stay evenings/overnights? Perhaps even an older teen/young adult you could pay?

MCF will take people for respite, but they often have minimum stays of 2-4 weeks. 

HB

Bunnyquest

We used either a close friend and paid them or an agency.  We did not have good luck with care. Com.

Many responses but when it came to meeting, they were no shows.  We then had to start all over again.

We had a great agency (Mom is currently in a facility that is a branch of their HHC service) and just eliminated the no show issues. 

Rescue mom

When I needed absolute, short notice 24/7 care over a few days, I used an agency. They may not be perfect or do everything exactly like you, but at the least the agency ensures somebody will show up and be there. At the least, mom  will be kept safe, dry/clean, and fed. IME, friends and family may volunteer, but those night hours can be tough and “emergencies” arise—meaning no-shows— more often than not.

MattyBoy

hey EVERYONE !!!

thanks.. as USUAL...

but, when you say "agency"... what does that mean... like, how would i look that up?

i am in westchester, ny... are there "known" agencies in my area... which (obviously) is close to NYC...

p.s. i, of course, understand the concept of an AGENCY... ha... i am just asking if you could be more specific in how i find one !!

THANK YOU !!!!!

MattyBoy

happy to say this ALL worked out...

the UNIVERSE can REALLY CONSPIRE to help sometimes !!!

i am GRATEFUL for the support i RECEIVED here...

i STAND STRONG with ALL who are VALIANTLY helping others through this INTENSE (for lack of a better word!) DISEASE/CONDITION !!!!

gwynelizabeth

Hi Matt,

I would start with Visiting Angels.  They should be in your area.  They are about $36 an hour in California.  From there I would google local Fijian Care Givers and find someone you like and trust.  Fijians are wonderfully compassionate people and caregivers. My Dad has a 24/7 caregiver at his home at this point.  Very sad, but necessary.  

G

Rescue mom

An “agency” as used here, is a business that hires a lot of individual caregivers. The business does background checks, pays the caregivers/workers, does the paperwork, makes sure the workers  are bonded and legal protections in place, etc. 

You call the agency/business, and they send their employees to be caregivers. You pay the business/agency.  You may not know who in advance who they send, but they send somebody. Or, they may tell you they are booked on those days and call another place.

Many agencies are franchises and some are national, such as Comfort Keepers, Home Alone, Seniors Helping Seniors (caregivers are NOT always seniors). They have branch offices/franchises in towns all over, but not everywhere.

Or there are other, local agencies that do the same thing. Just Google for something like “home care for seniors near me” or “senior home caregiver agencies near me.” That should produce many such businesses. Agencies near me usually charge around $35 per hour, with 3-hour minimums.

The other alternative is you find, meet and screen an individual who will work as a caregiver. That’s often less expensive, but can be harder to find a trained honest person, a person who will work all night, and it’s up to you to do background checks, keep up with paying the caregiver, and taxes, etc.

The4thOne

Hi MattyBoy,

Not sure about NY, but in NJ some of the nursing homes and assisted living facilities offered 'respite care' and that means they will let a patient spend the night for a few days.  Now it costs more, and, and I'm sure COVID restrictions have impacted that access, and you have to have a note from her doctor stating that Mom can not be by herself for the time you need to be out of state, but it is an option.  I've learned from living in other states that NJ tends to be more caregiver friendly, so I don't want to assume other states have the same services, but it is worth checking into.