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CelineNotDion Asked February 2022

What's the best way to go about finding a professional bather?

JoAnn29 Feb 2022
I just want to make you aware that with Office of Aging if they provide an aide, the person needing the aide may need to be low income. Otherwise, they may have a list of providers you can hire. I worked at a Visiting Nurse Assoc and we had Aides, CNAs and LPNs ask to be put on a list we kept to give to people calling in for help.

I found a woman who bathed my Mom. She was not a CNA but had worked as a private aide for people. At the time she had a job as an aide on a school bus. When the bus dropped her off after the first run, she came to my house. She was there maybe an hour 3x a week. I paid her by check $30 a week. Sometimes she couldn't make one of the days, I still gave her the $30. I now wish I had paid her $15 an hour. I also knew this woman, she went to school with my daughter.

Aides are not all CNAs. It can be someone who likes caring for others and is good at it. I would suggest asking at Churches. My Community College has a Nursing program. Maybe a student would love to make some xtra money. Tech schools have CNA training maybe find someone there. Going thru an agency you will pay a lot more than if you can get someone privately.

Grandma1954 Feb 2022
If this is the first time you have had to have someone come in and help out I would strongly suggest going with an agency.
Getting someone that does not want to bathe or shower can be difficult. But people that have done it for a while sometimes can manage what might be difficult for others. So getting someone that has done this for a while will help.
Call an agency or 2 and ask what the minimum number of hours for a shower aid would be. It is not a "simple" as they shower someone and leave. It is getting the person into the shower, the shower then getting them out, dressed and groomed.
Once you are used to the process and the person getting bathed is used to the process it will become easier.
The last thing to remember is at some point getting someone into a shower or bath might not be the safest thing and regular showers will be replaced with Bed Baths.

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Geaton777 Feb 2022
You can put out an appeal on Nextdoor.com for someone local who is a certified aid and is interested in making a few cash bucks per/bath (or shower). My Aunt has mod/adv dementia and she is fortunate to have a neighbor 2 houses down who is a PT aid as her regular job but then comes to bathe my aunt 2x per week for $30 cash. It only takes her about 30 minutes each time. She knows how to get her to cooperate and only lives 2 houses away from her. She's been doing it for several years now.

Becky04489 Feb 2022
Contact your county agency on aging. They may be able to get you a bathing aide for three times a week at a sliding scale fee. My aunt in WV had one. It cost her $30.00 a month for 3 times a week. She eventually needed help with some other things and was able to get aide for two hours per day M-F. The price for two hours a day, five days a week was $50.00 a month.
JoAnn29 Feb 2022
The Month thing is really cheap. Doesn't even pay the aide. Was Aunt on Medicaid or considered low income?
ThomasY Feb 2022
Look to the right on your screen.
It says: Find Care & Housing.
Select: Home Care
Insert you postal code in the search box that says: Your postal code or city.
You don't have to put in your contact information so close the pop up.
Now look over a trifle to the left of your screen.
A list of home care organizations will appear in front of you.
View their services provided.
Visit their website to find pricing.
Send them an email and see how responsive they are.

These were the instructions I was given a year ago.
I blinked my eyes a few times, processed the information and then was able to find help with bathing.
LMK if you need more help.

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