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    Shortage of caregivers?

    I have been navigating my own care by word of mouth and Craigslist since 2010. Right after my dx I already had a woman who was very loyal and dependable. She stuck by me through some really difficult times. But she got her CNA license and was making $26/hour with full benefits. She stayed out of the goodness of her heart until I moved out of state.

    When I first started seeking them out on my own in 2015 I would put an ad in and get 100 responses, sometimes more. Now, the only people who are available are the ones no employer would want.

    I kept trying to get more creative with the ads but responses have dwindled down to nothing. Finally, I wondered what was going on.Apparently, there are are more caregiving jobs than there are caregivers right now. I know things are cyclical and this problem will reverse itself. But what do I do in the meantime?

    Agencies are not the answer. They charge about 3 times what the worker is getting, they have 4 hour a day minimum with 3 days a week minimum. You can’t choose the person and most are very low level people. There are good CNAs of course but in general...I can’t afford to pay their rates which were as high as $98/hour.

    So where do we go from here? I have tried NMSS but they say we are on our own with it. Is anyone else trying to juggle this kind of thing?

    #2
    Do you have any colleges near you? Maybe a student might be able to help. I am not sure what level of care you are looking for.

    Sorry that I don't have any more ideas. I am sure a booming economy is part of it, with unemployment low, fewer looking. As you said, cyclical, but not an option to wait it out.
    Kathy
    DX 01/06, currently on Tysabri

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      #3
      I would imagine your experience is consistent with the market in general as in my experience hospitals seem to have difficulty hiring/retaining CNAs and they are the ones getting in the low 20s an hour with excellent benefits. I suspect it will get worse as the population continues to age.

      I like the college student, specifically nursing student, suggestion.
      Good luck!
      He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.
      Anonymous

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by palmtree View Post
        I have been navigating my own care by word of mouth and Craigslist since 2010. Right after my dx I already had a woman who was very loyal and dependable. She stuck by me through some really difficult times. But she got her CNA license and was making $26/hour with full benefits. She stayed out of the goodness of her heart until I moved out of state.

        When I first started seeking them out on my own in 2015 I would put an ad in and get 100 responses, sometimes more. Now, the only people who are available are the ones no employer would want.

        I kept trying to get more creative with the ads but responses have dwindled down to nothing. Finally, I wondered what was going on.Apparently, there are are more caregiving jobs than there are caregivers right now. I know things are cyclical and this problem will reverse itself. But what do I do in the meantime?

        Agencies are not the answer. They charge about 3 times what the worker is getting, they have 4 hour a day minimum with 3 days a week minimum. You can’t choose the person and most are very low level people. There are good CNAs of course but in general...I can’t afford to pay their rates which were as high as $98/hour.

        So where do we go from here? I have tried NMSS but they say we are on our own with it. Is anyone else trying to juggle this kind of thing?

        Hi I know how you feel. I've gone through the same thing. I paid for a Craigslist ad too and just got the bottom of the barrel so to speak. A tweaker for one and that means someone using meth. Was a waist of money in my book and the county where I live the public authority sucks. That's the agency that's supposed to screen caregivers and have a list for the disabled person. I might suggest a church as well to see if you're paster might know of someone looking.

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          #5
          Thank you all for your responses. It is at least validating that this isn’t some failure on my part.

          We do have a university in town and I plan to put an ad in their newspaper in the fall but, alas, they don’t publish in the summer.

          The strange thing is that it is easy to find people who want to work. It’s just that it means putting up with something that would normally be a red flag for me. When I meet some who is 35 whose lower teeth are all about to fall out and they look about 85 is know immediately that we are dealing with Meth.

          Drugs aren’t really something I worry about because it is so easy to spot. It’s people with emotional problems more serious than the kind of things many MS patients suffer from. I really need someone emotionally solid because I never know which way this monster will pull me around. Almost all of them admit to ADHD, anxiety, depression or being bipolar. There are lots of traps I am learning. An artist is a code word for art therapy. When their pet, “goes everywhere I go” that means an emotional service animal. Well, I decided not to go to college because I dropped out of high school at 16. I’m living out of my camper. Can you pay me every day? I was so abused in my marriage. I’m looking for healthy relationships. Well, I have a lot of issues...

          Everyone has a therapist with varying success. This would be humorous if I wasn’t in so much danger of being harmed my it. With many of them there is the sense they would retaliate if you let them go. Some have.

          But, my luck might be changing. A schoolteacher I know at a nearby high school has found me a teaching assistant who is willing to take the job. I will meet her this week. Pray for me. I’m just feeling a little beat up by all this.

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by palmtree View Post
            Thank you all for your responses. It is at least validating that this isn’t some failure on my part.

            We do have a university in town and I plan to put an ad in their newspaper in the fall but, alas, they don’t publish in the summer.

            The strange thing is that it is easy to find people who want to work. It’s just that it means putting up with something that would normally be a red flag for me. When I meet some who is 35 whose lower teeth are all about to fall out and they look about 85 is know immediately that we are dealing with Meth.

            Drugs aren’t really something I worry about because it is so easy to spot. It’s people with emotional problems more serious than the kind of things many MS patients suffer from. I really need someone emotionally solid because I never know which way this monster will pull me around. Almost all of them admit to ADHD, anxiety, depression or being bipolar. There are lots of traps I am learning. An artist is a code word for art therapy. When their pet, “goes everywhere I go” that means an emotional service animal. Well, I decided not to go to college because I dropped out of high school at 16. I’m living out of my camper. Can you pay me every day? I was so abused in my marriage. I’m looking for healthy relationships. Well, I have a lot of issues...

            Everyone has a therapist with varying success. This would be humorous if I wasn’t in so much danger of being harmed my it. With many of them there is the sense they would retaliate if you let them go. Some have.

            But, my luck might be changing. A schoolteacher I know at a nearby high school has found me a teaching assistant who is willing to take the job. I will meet her this week. Pray for me. I’m just feeling a little beat up by all this.
            Hi Palm tree they should have a student Union where they have a bolitine board that you can ask to put up a flyer.

            Comment


              #7
              private pay agency

              I hope the teaching assistant worked out for you palmtree.

              Otherwise I wanted to add that recently we stumbled into a "private pay" agency where overhead is less and the worker gets more of your $ and they are bonded. When my aunt transitioned out of rehab the social worker there recommended one (likely in her personal network) and it turned out to be pretty good for what our relative needed including tracking meds, bathing, dressing, personal hygiene, general house upkeep, light meal prep, going to appointments. I can't say it would be easy to pay for it ongoing for us, but here are a couple of the details:

              • Charged $32/hr (in heavily populated northern California - maybe less in other regions).
              • We could verify the workers coming into her home were bonded, licensed, and insured.
              • We did not get to choose the person, but could have asked for someone different. Due to some switches on our side and the agency's side (sick days, our own schedule changes) about 3 caregivers came through, all good.
              • A 12 hour weekly minimum did apply - if < 12, per-hour cost went up to about $40.
              • We could reach and speak to the owner of the agency.


              The caregivers all spoke English as a Second Language. All had also worked in nursing homes or tended to their own relatives - an experienced pool. If I needed to find one, I would probably ask people at my church/community group, other support group, or a social worker in a medical facility.
              All the best, ~G

              Comment


                #8
                I am facing this problem too
                it is very hard to find honest reputable and capable caregiver for reasonable rate
                The best experience I have heard was hiring those who have been referred by Friends Or word-of-mouth

                Honestly I am not even sure if Direct hire is a good idea because of liability

                Agencies rate is very high but liability is on agency

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