What's the future for fulltime caregivers?

Working from home is something most caregivers (who need the money) would give nearly anything for. It's still not easy to be a caregiver and keep up working, but it can be easier than going out. Because this is such a big issue, watch for scams. Scammers know where the needs are.

One thing I can suggest if you have tech skills at all - become a virtual assistant. Many small business people can't afford to hire anyone but they need help with anything from social networking to posting on blogs to record keeping. Search out "virtual assistant" on the Internet and you'll find some organizations you can join to learn the ropes.You'll likely need to be bonded as you'd have passwords and other sensitive data to do your work. I think they make about $15 an hour but that may have increased lately.
Good luck,
Carol

If you're a caregiver 24/7 alone and the person you care for needs help pretty much all the time I'd say it's pretty near impossible to work from home. I worked my whole career with huge law firms and did Virtual assistance as a sideline for many years, however then it was just me and my dog. After quitting my career and moving to care for my mother I still did the occasional project but I eventually gave up as caregiving increasingly consumed my life.

People who hire a VA expect you to be available pretty much during business house. Unavailable because you had to dash to the ER, get groceries, clean up messes or just plain took a nap due to exhaustion and it's bye-bye client. So far as data entry is concerned, if someone is going to type all the data out to send to you they may as well enter it themselves as they type. Even websites, blogs and social media must be faithfully updated on a regular basis.

Sorry to be a party pooper but VA needs to be run as a business like any other and there's an awful lot of competition out there. If it was so easy everyone would be doing it.

My mother is now in a NH and I'm fixing up the wee cottage I bought and it's land. I may start up again in the Fall but with just a couple of select clients as I don't want to work full time. After the years of caregiving h*ll, which eventually made me ill, I'm rebuilding my life and plan to enjoy what of it I may have left.

Sure can, to answer your question. On this site there are several paid professional people giving advice & writing blogs. When it come to being in the "trenches", it's a bit different. I find MOST people on this site wish to help.
Being a full time care giver comes mainly from the Heart.
So many baby-boomers will be needing care & I professionally see this as a growing business, being a care giver, an R.N., & a baby-boomer.

In my heart I do see it as a gift of the heart first. Then the $ issue seems to always come up...it's a growing business I say.

As a paraprofessional in healthcare (xray,mammo and biopsy technician) it is so very hard to get back in the workforce after a certain age. I have not worked outside caring for my husband for 2.5years now and am looking for per diem work but at 54 and with so much experience, nobody wants to hire. I have since turned a hobby of soapmaking into a business and although it does not pay nearly as well, I am able to be creative, work in my spare time and one day a week do a farmers market. Even a few hundred extra dollars a month is sweet. Not to mention being your own boss.

bdeartrm
I too am a radiology profession (at almost 57) with years of experience and nobody wants us at that age. You would think the healthcare field would be more understanding and compassionate about one taking care of a loved one, but it can be the complete opposite.

I was thinking the other day, how nice it would be to be able to access scholarships or some funding to help us who taken on this role. I have even though of starting something in my own will so that I can pass this on to someone who needs/wants to do this. It is a hard job full time and it is more work than anything I have ever done.

I could only hope. I am capability of putting in part time hours from home. I can do data entry, enter inventory results and had planned for medical transcription which is all but gone now.

I can barely go to the bathroom by myself when jam caring for Mom. No way could I do any actual work for anyone else. It is like having a newborn who doesn't sleep and needs your full attention. Add a paying job to that mix, and something will get short changed. In caring for someone, you are rarely sitting there twiddling your thumbs. As someone else pointed out, being a VA is a business, you need to be professional about it, and available during business hours. Try telling Mom or Dad to wait, I can't help you to the bathroom right now because I am trying to schedule travel arrangements or whatever! Yeah, right .... ain't gonna go over too well.

I am lucky to work part time, 4 days a week, 5 hours each of those days. Unfortunately it barely helps us make ends meet, so my husband works as much overtime as he can. We are living by the skin of our teeth and a major medical catastrophe for either of us would shatter us. I try not to think about it and take care of myself.

It would be sweet if caregiving were covered under regular insurance, as it is for people who qualify for medicaid, it should be as we are the cheaper alternative.

Meant to write "when I am caring for Mom".