Caregivers for us Seniors among fastest growing jobs list in US

[Autumn72]

With the population bubble of baby boomers hitting senior years this situation was utterly predictable. Too bad there isn't more robotic assistance for those who need physical help. For long-term assistance I'd personally rather have a robot than a human.

I've seen what some in-home and skilled nursing facility caregiving looks like, and it's not always pretty.

This is a difficult situation, for sure.

I am on the side of "the merry maids" kind of care. I don't want to be taken care of

Well, according to this article, we Boomers are becoming significant to the job market in an interesting way. Caregivers are on this list of fastest growing jobs as more of us are needing the care.

Fastest-growing jobs in the U.S. point to caregiving crisis as Boomers age (yahoo.com)

Where are the " Merry Maids"???
Who wants caregivers, not me.
Sounds like nursing home bs.
No one wishes for a caregivers. It's too awful. Better merry maids to clean a oven, refridgerator, wash floors do mail run, why such a ordeal to find

 

[Autumn72]

My experience with home health aides is from 27 years ago.

Still, I urge people to carefully check out all home health aides and agencies. To my surprise, a friend of mine has a client who is awaiting sentencing for being a big time dealer of an awful illegal drug. He asked my friend if he would get probation (instead of a very longsentence) because he is a home health aide.

Apparently some of those agencies will let anyone who can walk, talk, and breathe into homes of patients. This is only one example, and does not a trend make; it is anecdotal. I actually doubt things have improved since my triplets came home from the NICU. Our home health aide experience was a freaking nightmare. But I keep in mind that very few home health aides are eager to take care of premature triplets.

Patient! What? Caregivers are drug dealers? The Merry Maids are I feel done with dignity as in help not a babysitter. What this country does to people.
" I will not help you unless you become my special patient." Is damn right insulting!!!!!!!!!

 

[Autumn72]

Robots are good

 

[Ruthanne]

Interesting, very interesting!

The government sponsored Senior Centers in our area advertise their purpose as helping seniors stay in their own homes. But many of the services the elderly need to maintain their homes, such as housekeeping and lawn service, are not provided by these Senior Centers. Seniors have to hire these services and pay for them out of their own pocket. The Senior Centers help social workers and employees stay in their homes by paying them a salary, but seniors seem to be on their own.

And why shouldn't they pay for those services out of their own pockets? We are not entitled. There ARE some things that are included with insurance, though.

 

[StarSong]

@Autumn72, I don't fully understand your comments about Merry Maids. Unless that company has changed direction, it provides housecleaning, not caregiving.

When my mother was having difficulty keeping up with heavy housekeeping I brought in a local cleaning service that was run by a friend and had Mom's house deep cleaned periodically. Mom was able to manage everyday housekeeping like dishes and laundry. I'd take on some of the other stuff during my weekly visits and either brought in groceries or had them delivered to her. This arrangement worked for several years.

Later on, after two broken hips she became wheelchair bound and needed caregiving assistance with personal care including showering and toileting. Her cognitive abilities had eroded considerably by that time due to vascular dementia and she was no longer able to live alone. We found a nearby assisted living facility that took excellent care of her until she passed after a massive stroke about 18 months later.

I am wary of caregivers who come into people's homes. Yes, I've seen some very good caregivers, but have also seen (up close and personally) drained bank accounts and other thefts, apathetic caregivers who spent most of their time playing on their cellphones, and extraordinary laziness.

IMHO, in-home caregivers can be a very mixed bag. It's best if they know they're being watched by someone with full physical and mental capacities.

That bumper sticker wisdom about being good to your children because they'll choose your nursing home is truer than we wanted to believe.

 

[Autumn72]

@Autumn72, I don't fully understand your comments about Merry Maids. Unless that company has changed direction, it provides housecleaning, not caregiving.

When my mother was having difficulty keeping up with heavy housekeeping I brought in a local cleaning service that was run by a friend and had Mom's house deep cleaned periodically. Mom was able to manage everyday housekeeping like dishes and laundry. I'd take on some of the other stuff during my weekly visits and either brought in groceries or had them delivered to her. This arrangement worked for several years.

Later on, after two broken hips she became wheelchair bound and needed caregiving assistance with personal care including showering and toileting. Her cognitive abilities had eroded considerably by that time due to vascular dementia and she was no longer able to live alone. We found a nearby assisted living facility that took excellent care of her until she passed after a massive stroke about 18 months later.

I am wary of caregivers who come into people's homes. Yes, I've seen some very good caregivers, but have also seen (up close and personally) drained bank accounts and other thefts, apathetic caregivers who spent most of their time playing on their cellphones, and extraordinary laziness.

IMHO, in-home caregivers can be a very mixed bag. It's best if they know they're being watched by someone with full physical and mental capacities.

That bumper sticker wisdom about being good to your children because they'll choose your nursing home is truer than we wanted to believe.

I meant household cleaning as in bed and