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Can anyone help - I have no idea how to begin to hire someone to come into my home, sit with my mom, so my hubby and I can get away for just a bit of relaxation?

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My mom's live-in was sneaking men in the house in the middle of the night and stealing food. I changed agencies when she moved here, but not right away. We hired privately for a year and that is difficult to document. If I had it to do all over again, I would have stuck to an agency. Just get referrals and do your homework.
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You need to set guidelines right away make a list of what has to be done each day or else you will have someone who gets very lazy-do not start out being their good friend and if the firsr one does not work out call the agency and get someone else and you should pay the agency yourself not the aide we had one who kept the money and lied about his hourses. I had one who did not know how to give a bedbath-it is better to use an agency because you will get a receipt which can be used when you do your taxes it is good if the aide does not show up they will send a replacement this does happen. They should bring their own meal and if you want you can supply snacks or coffee -they should be working most of the time not sleeping or on the phone -you are their boss while they are there and if their is a problem there are lots of other agencies out there-I learned the hard way and the Pt. needs to be willing to let them care for them-my husband let them watch TV and when I got home I did the work the aide was hired to do-he did not want to bother them,
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grandog4kids,
I have used agencies for over 4 years and I can tell you that there are good ones and bad ones. My first one was just awful The second one was better and the third is wonderful.

Go local.
Try to find an agency that has an office in your town or one near you.
Be very specific in your needs. We needed someone who did not have small children. Did not want her to bring in colds, flu or take days off for school calendar or child illnesses.
Also, we wanted someone who spoke with little or no accent since mom is hard of hearing.
If you are paying them, you call the shots!! Make a list of what you expect to be done during the day. One woman told my friend who has her 99 year old mom with her that she did laundry only once a week. She is now doing it everyday as per my friend telling her what her job is. Some people will get away with what you let them.
Make sure the agency has a list of your needs and concerns.
Check prices. I found a wide range of prices even within the same company but in different counties.
I try to keep a very worker employer relationship with my help, but it does not always work. You really come to think of many of these wonderful woman as family. My best helper is 72 and comes 4 hours a day, three days a week and we think of her as family( loves my dog too).
Have more than one person- you need a backup if someone can't come.
Using an agency is less paperwork for you, but I also have a private hire who comes on Saturdays. She has been coming for 3 1/2 years and she is now such a dear friend.
If you don't want to go to an agency, then call your church or hang up notices in public places. That is how I found some help when mom first moved in. MAKE SURE YOU CHECK REFERENCES!!! Good luck,
Linda
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Hi there are many options available to you that you can find from your local senior resource center, friends, family, church, etc. You can check your local white pages for phone numbers or ask for personal referrals. Care comes in many forms from: respite (breaks), to live-in caregivers. There are great articles in this website that would be useful.

~Rose
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