Are non-professional non-family caregivers a common thing? My mother, who lives in a senior apartment (in another state from me), has an acquaintance helping her with shopping and driving to doctor appointments. My mom knew this person's now-deceased father but has known her for only a short time. From what I can tell, she has no set rates for services, and is neither bonded nor insured. This person apparently provides such services for several people in the senior complex. Should I be concerned?
some people aren't so honest. I don't know what you could really do tho.
besides some sort of background check.
I know I have gone to my county courts website and ive looked up arrest records, probate records etc.
you sound concerned since you are here asking...
I am so glad to have her help.
I've though on and off about taking other elders on grocery trips with my mother, and charging them. But the thought of being in an accident while with them makes me shudder!
While I have a few concerns, I will likely constrain my actions to monitoring her checking accounts on line and just keeping in touch. I supposedly still have POA but have no documentation for that and will ask her about it.
Mom has a lot of mental problems and was abusive toward me last Summer - I can't be around her much as we end up arguing just about every time -her words are hurtful and she has dementia so doesn't remember much about her circumstances. Some days are good some are not...last week she was really far out there - this week better - but more critical of nice people who want to help her...it's very hard to deal with...but the answer to your question is 'YES' wonderful people are out there! When there are such people appreciate them for all their worth.
I also send this wonderful caring lady a check every month - it's far from enough to reimburse her for her time/caring - but it's the best we can do and it hopefully gives her a little spending money that she otherwise would not have.
So let me just say that I was glad that we didn't have to use this woman, who my late mother knew, longer than a week.
My mother also had a cleaning girl. This girl was hired originally to do a 3 hour shift each Monday. Then her boss called my late mother and said "We're cutting Melissa's hours from 3 hours down to 1 hour." Now mind you, I was lucky to find out this information when my mother let it slip. HOWEVER, Melissa was cheating my mother from the get-go! She never worked 3 hours! She never worked 1 hour! She skipped out after 40 minutes. And not only did she clog up my mother's vacuum cleaner as she did not know how to empty it, but she also left my mother's clothes in the dryer for a week! She also almost caused a fire in the dryer, which was detected by my when I found 5 dryer sheets stuck to the air vent.
My mother had a bookkeeper. She did not balance my mom's checkbook for 9 months! She was off to the tune of $859 for NINE MONTHS! My mother's response ="She'll get it on month number 10." I said "No, she is done; she either balances on month numer 1 or she adds or subtracts."
I added the above after what Robinr wrote. Elders are prime targets for scam artists!
Beware though-scary when an elder like my late mother liked the socialization with this people even though they were not performing their jobs to any level of functionality! My mother was just fine with it! Say what??!!