I want to know what is fair as far as having someone live in with Mom so that someone is there at night. No need to get up, Mom does well, however, if getting up it would be nice to have her checked in. Help Mom with her breakfast (toast, cereal, coffee) get her newspaper and mail and dispense her medication. Open drapes. Keep personal space tidy (bathroom, bedroom) and help with keeping kitchen cleaned as it is used. Laundry, free wi-fi, garage, room and board and $250.00 stipend.
What hours would you expect this person to be present in the house?
By "board" do you mean 3 meals a day? Would this person be preparing the meals?
It would help to know exactly what you are expecting.
As Glad says, fulltime live-in caregiving is extremely expensive. But it sounds like that might not be what you are looking for. Please explain.
You need someone to be on the premises overnight and through breakfast, with no other duties than that. OK. That is very different than a live-in caregiver.
What are this person's hours? When does the last caregiver shift end? When could the person leave in the morning? It sounds like it might work for someone going to school. Are there any appropriate schools in your area?
I really don't know about a fair stipend, but I think this is a very interesting and legitimate question. Lots of people could get by in their own homes longer if they had someone there at night. Lots of people could take care of their parents longer if there was someone else to get up with them at night.
So, what is a reasonable payment for such a night+breakfast shift? In this case the expectation is the employee could sleep most nights. In other cases, the client may be up a lot at night and would need supervision.
I'd like to hear responses from people more familiar with hiring practices than I am.
What would be reasonable pay, 1) when the expectation is emergency-only night duty? 2) When the person would be expected to stay awake?
If this overnight person is solely for someone to be there for the night with mom and they can work a regular job or go to school or write that novel, that is something else again. But, I would check with your accountant how the room and board need to be addressed for tax purposes, it would be considered income for that overnight person.
Be advised that if you pay beneath the going rate, the caregiver will likely move on as soon as they get a better offer, and one will eventually come along.
Even at $300, $400 or $500 a week these caregivers earn every cent.
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