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Cdriver Asked June 2022

Hiring a private caregiver to check on father in nursing home while we are on vacation: Anyone done this? How much should we pay?

My dad just went into a skilled nursing home after a serious fall at home and subsequent rehab. He'll be 90 next week, has CHF, Parkinson's, Type 2 diabetes, previous stroke, and is now experiencing episodes of passing out - he used to live alone but can no longer, he just needs more care. I am an only child and have been caring for him for 7+ years with the help of part-time caregivers at his home. So this nursing home situation is brand new over just the past 2 weeks or so. It's a great home and we are very happy with care there.


While he was still living at home, we had just hired a new caregiver a week before my dad fell. Our previous one, who we loved, had to move out of state with her family. The new caregiver was wonderful and she still texts me and checks on my dad, and she was the one that found him after he fell. I asked her about me hiring her to visit my dad in the nursing home daily while we go on vacation for a week in July and she is interested in helping. She would just be my eyes and ears at the nursing home, keep him company an hour or so a day and do his laundry once while we are gone. I am not sure what a fair pay rate is to pay her for this? Anyone ever done anything like this? Should I offer her hourly rate or more?


I am an only child and there is no one else to help, and this past month has been really rough. I have a teenage daughter and husband and we desparately want to take our annual beach trip. I would feel better knowing my dad has someone checking on him while we are gone.

Isthisrealyreal Jun 2022
I would pay her enough to cover the expense of showing up if you are only having her for an hour a day. Fuel is to expensive to only get 1 hour pay. Personally, I would pay for 3 hours daily and require that 2.5 of those are with dad.

I wouldn't tell the facility she is a paid caregiver, I would tell them she is a family friend. I don't think it's any of their business.
Cdriver Jun 2022
Thank you. Yes, to the facility, she'll just be a visitor. She has already visited him once just because she cares about him and wanted to say hello. But good point about gas $. I want to make it worth her time to give me peace of mind while we are gone.
Grandma1954 Jun 2022
This is great. And if dad knows her even better it will be someone he knows.
I would pay her the same rate she would have been getting if she was working for you at the house,
Technically you probably could pay less but if she is good she may be turning down full day jobs to be with your dad for a few hours and do laundry. And it would still be less than if she were working 5, 6 or 7 hours a day for you/him
I would though have her document the hours so that there is "proof" that she worked those hours, Although most facilities have sign in and out sheets so the hours could be tracked but if there is ever need to document the cost of his care this might be important later on.
Cdriver Jun 2022
Thank you! Great points.

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RedVanAnnie Jun 2022
How nice of you to have someone look in on your father while you are away. Even better that you already have someone you like who can do this. I would think you would pay her what you pay her for the same service at home. Agencies generally charge at least $25-30 an hour.

Even if she does not hold you to a minimum number of hours, keep in mind her commuting time and that by visiting your father she cannot take another job for your father's part of that day. Make it worth her while. It's part of your "vacation budget."

Enjoy the beach.

AlvaDeer Jun 2022
I would ask her for an hourly rate and let her know you will pay for gas or transit feels. Wishing you good luck.

BurntCaregiver Jun 2022
I have experience with this because I do it. If you're looking for a caregiver to go to the nursing home an hour a day to check things out, I'm going to tell you what I get to do this kind of assignment.
I charge $35 if it's for one hour only and I have two jobs now that are only one hour each. If you want her there for two hours with him than pay her $50.
You should pay around $50 for her to do his laundry too. Now remember, she has to pick up the laundry, wash, dry, fold, deliver, and put it away. So $50 is fair.
Depending on what state you're in the dollar amounts can be tweaked a bit.
If she worked for you through an agency, offering her what she was getting paid for one hour is a joke. Not even worth her gas to drive to the nursing home. Offer her twice that or better is fair.
Cdriver Jun 2022
I am reading this after I offered her a set rate and luckily, it's about what you describe! So good to know I was on the right track. It is def more than the agency offered her. Thanks!
reallyfedup Jun 2022
I think it's a marvelous idea. I imagine you've checked with the nursing home and they're good with it. I would like my father in assisted living. He and my two sisters don't want him to go but if he did I would hire his current part-time caregiver to see him at least once a week. I would hire her through the agency though because I think that's a rule. If I could hire her independently, I would pay her the hourly rate we now pay the agency. I hope you have a great and well-earned vacation.

newbiewife Jun 2022
I think this is a great idea. It sounds as though the caregiver was hired privately and not through an agency, however, since you are asking for suggestions about the hourly rate. It's possible the NH will only allow agency caregivers to be in their facility, so you'd best check that out. We have agency caregivers at home, and I know they are often hired by families (through the agency) to be with folks in nursing homes or assisted living facilities.
Cdriver Jun 2022
See me response above. She won't be doing any caregiving. Just visiting my dad. I just want to pay her for her time to see him and do his laundry so he has some company while we are gone and she can report back to me if he Is ok or not since she knows him well.
gladimhere Jun 2022
First, because of nursing home insurance, they may not allow it.

How important is this to you? I sure wouldn't nickel and dime it or hourly it. I would offer her $50-$75 a day.
Cdriver Jun 2022
I should clarify for everyone. I am not hiring her to do any sort of caregving at the nursing home for my dad. I am simply wanting her to visit my dad so he has a familiar face while we're gone and to do his laundry once, like I normally do. So to the nurisng home she would essentially be a visitor. My dad loved her and vice versa. It would just give me peace of mind to know someone was checking on him while I'm away and he would have some company. So I am only offering to pay her because I am the one asking her to do this and do his laundry. She was a former private caregiver, so she is familiar with my dad and would know if anything was wrong to report back to me. It's really so he has a regular visitor while we are gone and for my peace of mind. We don't have other family nearby to visit him - I am an only child, mom is gone and my dad has literally outlived everyone in his family and most friends. I hope that makes sense. I mainly want to pay her for her time and gas $ and so I can depend on her to show up. Plus I know she could use the extra cash since she lost her job with us.
gladimhere Jun 2022
How long will it take to do his laundry? Two hours? How long is the trip to and from the nursing home? One hour? IRS will allow 72 ¢ a mile come July 1 for business related travel. Sounds like a minimum of two hours each visit plus gas.

Do you really want to nickel and dime this? How.important is it?
Isthisrealyreal Jun 2022
I think that is 62.5 cents after July 1st.

58.5 first six months 2022
62.5 last six months 2022
Helenn Jun 2022
Like you said .. she would be your eyes and ears … don’t try low ball her … and probably an hour a day visit not nearly enough …
it has to be worth her while too !!!
nobody’s interested in an hour a day !!!
BurntCaregiver Jun 2022
Helenn,

I like those one-hour assignments because they pay well. Lots of caregivers are interested in those because nobody wants to sit in a nursing home for hours at a time.
Those hour-hour and a half or so assignments are a nice little bit of money and you don't have to do the long haul hours.
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