How do I get my client to fix a mold problem?

This is how they chose to live.

You have the right to quit due to an unsafe environment.
You, if you do not want to quit can outfit yourself with an appropriate respirator and continue to work.
I think that you are shortsighted. This job is going to ruin your health if it has not done so now. And there are plenty of people looking for caregivers. Even if you miss a week or two of work that is far less expensive than the costs that you may incur in the future.

To answer your question...you don't. The only person you have control over is yourself.
And from what I'm reading here, your health is not as important as you losing this client right?
How very sad, that you jeopardizing your health is not your number one priority, and that you're putting this client before yourself.
There is definitely something wrong with this picture. I'm just saying.
Please...I have asthma and am allergic to mold too, and I would never knowingly put myself in such a dangerous situation. You are asking for long lasting health trouble by doing so. I hope you know that.
So start looking for a new client ASAP.

If this is creating health issues for you, I’d look for another job right now. Your client doesn’t want to spend the money to fix the situation. Don’t put yourself in a situation that is dangerous to your health,

This is a health problem that effects your client too. You should not sacrifice your life for your client. When you were first told the mold was effecting your health you should have quit. This could have lifetime ramifications for you. Check with your unemployment office to see if you can collect if you quit because your health is being effected working for this person. Thisvis nothing to fool around with.

Cgmxem, Please, please advise your employer that if the situation is not remedied in two weeks you will be gone. I know that you're in a tough situation, but anaphylaxis and asthma are deadly. The only other thing I can think of is reporting the situation to APS. The client can't benefit from living with severe mold. That ay force their hand into fixing the issue.

Cg, have you told your client that you are going to quit if the mold isn't dealt with? Perhaps that would get him serious about dealing with this issue. I would speak with him/them and start packing up in front of him if he bucks getting this dealt with so he knows that you are outta there.

Has the water intrusion that is causing the mold been dealt with? Honestly, stopping the water, because mold cannot live in the dry, is always the 1st thing to do.

I would encourage him to check with his homeowners insurance, they usually cover the water issue and resulting damage, if it isn't allowed to continue after discovery.

I would call mold remediation companies to come out, do inspections and provide quotes with time lines for completion. If it is toxic mold, you can tell this by spraying bleach on it and if it doesn't lighten, it's toxic, then the insurance would pay for a hotel while repairs are made but, this can not wait, they will deny the claim if it has been left, after discovery to just fester and grow.

Sometimes it is beyond an ill seniors executive function to know how to rectify a situation. Offer the solution for fixing the problem and have the quotes to make the best decision, this might be the solution to get this resolved. If not, paragraph one.

Best of luck, it sounds like a tough situation for you.

Mold induced asthma can kill. When I worked in a hospital, one of my patients was on a ventilator for 3 weeks with asthma exacerbation. It took the docs a while to do a certain culture and that is what they found in his lungs. Antibiotics does not treat for mold. He was very slow to recover. Turns out that he lived in a moldy apartment under Section 8 housing.
That said, you are choosing to stay and work in an environment that you know is unhealthy. The ball is back in your court.

"I know it needs to be me but just leaving.."

I cannot see another option.

I can sympathise - I am allergic to mold/mould too.

I had to leave a rental home in a great location, damp walls released slugs at night.

Casual jobs I have left;
Basement office under street level, fluorescent lights, dodgy boss.
Office job, enslosed office, full of smokers.
Bar tender with rough clientele, too much broken glass underfoot.

You have to choose you in life many times. Best of luck finding a new, HEALTHIER position.

You care more about this client than he cares about you, and about his own health as well, since living with mold is a very dangerous thing.

Who cares if he has dementia or not?? He won't part with the funds to remedy the problem, and you say you're having "anaphylactic" reactions to this mold?? There is no decision to made here. Quit immediately and tell this client WHY. That you cannot risk your life working in a toxic environment for one more minute. It's a no brainer. You cant force someone to "do the right thing", so focus on doing the right thing for YOURSELF.

Unless you live on the moon, caregiver jobs are plentiful everywhere. Get busy looking for one. If you stay where you are, you won't need a job much longer but a long term care facilty, God forbid.

With an allergy to mold you simply are not going to be able to do this job. You cannot force your client to do anything about his mold problem, but you can quit. I understand the difficulty of finding another job, but that isn't your client's problem, and you must take care of your health. Your client is in fact risking his own health by staying in this condition. I cannot myself think of any options. If you are certain that this is the dangerous "black mold" you might consider reporting this condition to APS and see if they can get the client to fix this for his own good, but this is a hazmat situation and you and client would not be able to stay there during the "fix".

If you think you’re successfully suing them for not undertaking mold cleanup, you’re probably mistaken.

So to clarify, your elderly client manually does the payroll, withholding and W2 submission. Does this mean they do not have a PoA?

Do they have any adult children you can contact?

Outside of finding whether they have legal representatives, you will need to resign. Maybe once the impact of your resignation sinks in, they will relent and fix the mold. Do not help them find your replacement -- they need to understand that you can't in good conscience train in another hire with mold in the residence. It may even be a labor violation, since they are employers.

Not sure if reporting them to APS will be fruitful but you can certainly call to ask what they'd recommend in this scenario.

I am self employed. I prefer it that way but that in itself makes it harder. I also care about the client. We've been together for a long time. I thought that I was cared for as well but it seems I may have been wrong. It's just the right thing to do and they know that and still refuse. I guess I'm more about doing the right thing and I am learning that not everyone is like that.

I’m sorry that you are in this situation.

You can’t force them to make repairs to their house even if they do have the money to do so.

The mold is their problem. Allergies are your problem. I have severe allergies so I do empathize with you.

Instead of wasting time and energy on trying to convince them, why don’t you focus on finding a different job?

Are you self employed or do you work for an agency? If you’re with an agency ask them to find another client for you to work with.

Wishing you all the best.