My oldest is headed to college this fall ($$$$$$$$$$$), and with summer on the way my hours at the college library where I work are pretty much nil until next fall.
In order to scrape up some extra cash for little things like electricity, food, and University of Utah’s money sucking vacuum, I have posted, on Craig’s List, my services for In Home Health and Respite Care.
Does anybody have any idea how much one makes for this service? I know that most of my clients will not be rolling in cash, but I am hoping to hit on an amount that will keep my lights on, buy my daughter a textbook or two, and not clean out some poor elderly or disabled citizen.
I’m pretty sure my Gram used to pay about $15/hour for such services through an agency. That was for very basic care - they would help her with showering, get her dressed, prepare basic meals (like, nuking something) and very light housework (washing dishes, etc.)
And they were worth their weight in gold. The family really came to rely on them for the last few year’s of my Gram’s life, their care allowed her to stay in her own apartment for many years before she finally had to go into a nursing home for her last few months of life. Good for you for choosing to do a job that really matters.
Do any of the other Craigslist listing have prices mentioned? What is the minimum wage in your state? In Chicago, the rate seems to be anywhere between $10 and $20 per hour (the higher amount if personal care/toileting, etc. is needed).
I just graduated from nursing school and am studying to take my boards. I do like helping people, but I don’t particularly like having to rush from from one person to the next with a minimum of care like we sometimes have to do in the care homes and hospitals. I like to do what I call ‘entertainment care’. I sing show tunes, old WWII songs, Christmas Carols, and Hymns. We play word games, tell jokes, an I try to have them record special memories for me to transcribe while we do what needs to be done.
Minimum wage here in California is around $8.00. Since I can offer more than basic care, I would like to charge more, but not prohibitively so. I haven’t seen any other postings for homecare on Craig’s list but I know the CNA’s in the care homes get minimum wage.
My late father was getting four hours of care a day, through a service, and I was paying for it. This is north of San Diego. When I get home I’ll post the hourly rate. He was 94, and needed help showering, getting dressed, etc. I’m not sure the caregivers were CNAs, and they were getting a lot more than minimum wage. And worth it.
I pay $8.50 for a high school kid to come help with farm chores (just stuff like pounding T-posts or cleaning fencerows). You should get at least $15/hr plus mileage if you need to run errands or ferry to doctor’s visits.
I have home health care for my parents in Ohio and pay an agency $19/hr. My guess is that the caregiver gets 50/60% of that. No medical stuff - just cooking, cleaning, organizing and running errands. The woman is worth her weight in gold.
I did home care as an RN in the late 70’s and made $20/hr through an agency. They made about $10. I did more than the basics, however. I gave IV meds, did complicated dressing changes, and wound care. That was 30 years ago, so I’m sure it a lot more now.
My husband’s parents have a live-in nursing student to help care for their basic needs (cooking, cleaning) as well as helping mom with personal care. She’s wheelchair bound, with Parkinson’s. They pay her $500/month with room and board. They give her bonuses for extra work. She goes to class 4 days a week, as well as having days off.
My mother is a PCA(Personal Care Attendant) here in Massachusetts. Every client she has pays $12 an hour, as it’s paid by insurance(through an agency). She joined SEIU(a union) a few years ago, I think she gets some kind of benefits now.