Mr Wings
Member
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2016
- Messages
- 12
- Reason
- Loved one DX
- Diagnosis
- 06/2015
- Country
- US
- State
- Illinois
- City
- Chicago
Hello All,
We're planning a move home for my mother. She's currently at a nursing home. The nursing home can't/won't keep up with her needs, and we can't afford to pay them AND pay a private caretaker to be by her side at the nursing home. So, we're planning to take her home for care.
Background: Mom's speech is at about 50%. A good listener can get about half of her sentences without asking her to repeat. A less experienced listener can get about 25%. Her arms and hands don't move. Her legs can click a call button (yay!) She eats orally (takes 30-45 minutes), but has a g-tube too. She uses a hoyer lift to get on the commode or in her wheelchair, though doesn't always use the commode. She has a wonderful hospice care team. She uses the BiPAP at night. She uses cough assist, nebulizer, and suction about once a day.
I'm looking for honest and realistic answers to these questions. I know that nothing is totally predictable, but I'm looking for answers from YOUR experience (or from people you know). Thanks in advance for your help answering any of these questions.
1)Agency vs private caretaker: I'm being quoted $255 per day ($7,650 per month) for live-in care provided by an agency. I'm being quoted about $175 per day ($5,250 per month) for live-in care provided by a private caretaker. We can make it work financially either way, but we would obviously benefit from paying less. Is it worth the extra money (in your experience) to pay an agency?
2)Carpet: we'll be using a hoyer lift, and an electric wheel chair. Here's an example of how our carpet looks. Will those devices work on that type of carpet? Should we get plastic mats to put on the carpet (like the mats used for office chairs)? Should we get rid of the carpet (revealing an ugly hard-wood floor).
3)What's the best way to keep your caretaker happy, so they don't burn out and quit?
4)Will we eventually need to pay for care taking shifts (have someone awake and by her side all day and all night)?
5)Can one hired caretaker handle this? The only person living in the house besides the hired caretaker and Mom will be Dad, who is in his 80s. For the sake of his health, he will not be able to step in and help much with care taking.
6)Can a live-in caretaker handle being awakened twice per night to do brief tasks? I have heard conflicting answers to this question, so I'm wondering in your experience if this is doable. Have you had a caretaker burn out and quit?
We're planning a move home for my mother. She's currently at a nursing home. The nursing home can't/won't keep up with her needs, and we can't afford to pay them AND pay a private caretaker to be by her side at the nursing home. So, we're planning to take her home for care.
Background: Mom's speech is at about 50%. A good listener can get about half of her sentences without asking her to repeat. A less experienced listener can get about 25%. Her arms and hands don't move. Her legs can click a call button (yay!) She eats orally (takes 30-45 minutes), but has a g-tube too. She uses a hoyer lift to get on the commode or in her wheelchair, though doesn't always use the commode. She has a wonderful hospice care team. She uses the BiPAP at night. She uses cough assist, nebulizer, and suction about once a day.
I'm looking for honest and realistic answers to these questions. I know that nothing is totally predictable, but I'm looking for answers from YOUR experience (or from people you know). Thanks in advance for your help answering any of these questions.
1)Agency vs private caretaker: I'm being quoted $255 per day ($7,650 per month) for live-in care provided by an agency. I'm being quoted about $175 per day ($5,250 per month) for live-in care provided by a private caretaker. We can make it work financially either way, but we would obviously benefit from paying less. Is it worth the extra money (in your experience) to pay an agency?
2)Carpet: we'll be using a hoyer lift, and an electric wheel chair. Here's an example of how our carpet looks. Will those devices work on that type of carpet? Should we get plastic mats to put on the carpet (like the mats used for office chairs)? Should we get rid of the carpet (revealing an ugly hard-wood floor).
3)What's the best way to keep your caretaker happy, so they don't burn out and quit?
4)Will we eventually need to pay for care taking shifts (have someone awake and by her side all day and all night)?
5)Can one hired caretaker handle this? The only person living in the house besides the hired caretaker and Mom will be Dad, who is in his 80s. For the sake of his health, he will not be able to step in and help much with care taking.
6)Can a live-in caretaker handle being awakened twice per night to do brief tasks? I have heard conflicting answers to this question, so I'm wondering in your experience if this is doable. Have you had a caretaker burn out and quit?
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