For 2 hours a day someone to come in give mom with mild dementia lunch, do exercises, take to bathroom & read to her. I was paying $10 an hour. I will increase to $15 starting in Sept for 4 hours a day. Is this a reasonable amount?? This is not thru an agency. The caregiver is someone I was able to connect with. Not a professional just someone looking for extra money. We live in East coast. Mom does not like this person. I am not crazy for her either but I have no choice. I have no family help am pretty new to this and very tired and overwhelmed, any advice will be very really appreciated.
the agency was charging $25 (of course) for the same exact people. The agency just hires off the street...a background check is all they do. But, the insurance company would not pay for Mom unless it was thru an agency....so the 2 gals I had went to work for that agency....I had to demand that they get paid the same $18.
$15 is cheap.
$15 an hour is not a bad wage, but depending on what the person would need to do and how cooperative your mother is, it may not be enough to compensate her.
I am a firm believer that if you are saying you are there and working for 2 hours and you leave in 1.5 hours then you are stealing.
So finding a way to ensure that she is actually working the hours she is being paid is important.
I would have a sit down talk with her and try to get a bit of understanding going on. Let her know that mom feels like she is rushing her and what can you all do to make the time more enjoyable for mom, that is what matters.
If you and mom don't particularly care for her, perhaps she feels the same way. People can feel that we don't like them and it does effect how they interact with us. Maybe try to find a way to become friendly with her and even if she doesn't deserve it right now, show and tell her how much she is appreciated.
I think 15.00 is good pay but not for sitting around on the phone. I would include activities that she can be doing when not interacting or assisting mom.
I would consider finding someone else if Mom doesn't care for her. Do u have a nursing school near u. A jr college or technical school? There maybe students who would love a $15 an hr job.
and remember in the world of correctness, if you pay her over a certain amount a year she is considered a household employee.
I am through care.com what is your zip code. you can find one there, and they should have all of that.
Let me know
I am a very big proponent of private in home pay, but if you don't like her, that is hard to understand. I understand the absolute need. There are many on here that follow the rules by the book. I am one of those, but there are the other people that consider them independent contractors, and then there are those that just pay under the table.
I would go on your computer or let me know your zip code, and I will see how many are in your area from Care.com. The problem with that is you need to pay to have access.