Hi, my mother lives in St. Petersburg with her husband. She has mid-to-late Alzheimer's. Her husband is overwhelmed. I'm researching how to find live-in help for them. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Agree with others that engaging someone through a home care agency would reduce a lot of the vetting and management for you. Some things to keep in mind if you are seeking a live-in caregiver is that it will cost less than hourly care because the caregiver will be getting a room in the home as part of the deal. Also, most agencies require the caregiver will be able to have 8 hrs set aside for uninterrupted sleep. This doesn't work so well if your loved one is someone who gets up multiple times in the night, unless there is a daytime "shift" a family member can cover while the caregiver rests. Lots to think about, but couldn't agree more that having the support of a good agency is super helpful vs going it alone.
Next door .com Place a ad , Care.com Has people Looking for work as caregivers - same as Next Door . Nesterly.com also Not sure if they are in Florida .
Assisted living or memory care would be the best way to go. Otherwise you're going to run yourself ragged trying to do everything for them. And from a distance besides.
Right now, you can set up online shopping from Walmart and Amazon. If they can't order online, they write things on a list and tell you over the phone. You order the things from your phone or computer, and it's charged to their credit card and delivered to their doorstep the next day. Check out local rides for seniors and sign them up. If you're lucky, there will be a volunteer organization that does that.
Get all their bills on autopay. Every. Single. One. Best thing to do is have them charged to their credit card, and have that credit card on autopay at their bank. Their banking should all be done online. Any income checks should be direct deposited into their account.
Through an agency you will have better outreach and certain communications, likely somewhat better vetting than you yourself can do; however, there's a price to be paid for that as your care may be 30.00 to 40.00 an hour as opposed to 20.00 to 25.00 an hour. If you can get good recommendations from the area that will be helpful. Still, problematic when you don't live there.
Agencies vary according to their "minimums". When my brother needed some help he just couldn't really go there with their minimums of three days a week, four hours each day at 30.00 an hour. Moreover, the care he needed help with, shopping and cooking, just didn't exist often enough and "light housekeeping" is what was provided.
It's going to take a lot of exploration and discussing with others. It may be time to discuss Independent Living or ALF care, as well.
Sure wish you good luck and hope you'll update us as you go.
Right now, you can set up online shopping from Walmart and Amazon. If they can't order online, they write things on a list and tell you over the phone. You order the things from your phone or computer, and it's charged to their credit card and delivered to their doorstep the next day. Check out local rides for seniors and sign them up. If you're lucky, there will be a volunteer organization that does that.
Get all their bills on autopay. Every. Single. One. Best thing to do is have them charged to their credit card, and have that credit card on autopay at their bank. Their banking should all be done online. Any income checks should be direct deposited into their account.
You can do these things immediately.
Good luck!
Agencies vary according to their "minimums". When my brother needed some help he just couldn't really go there with their minimums of three days a week, four hours each day at 30.00 an hour. Moreover, the care he needed help with, shopping and cooking, just didn't exist often enough and "light housekeeping" is what was provided.
It's going to take a lot of exploration and discussing with others. It may be time to discuss Independent Living or ALF care, as well.
Sure wish you good luck and hope you'll update us as you go.