Live-In Care in Upstate NY - Kinderhook, NY

I have wonderful parents and I love them very much. They have reached a time in their lives where they need someone to care for them on a 24/7 basis. One person cannot possibly handle this entire task, so we are seeking two live-in caretakers that can see to their needs at night, and be available at some other times during the day and evening. They no longer drive so you'll also need to have a valid drivers license and a good driving record.

This is an interesting and off-beat job, combining a team care environment with a family atmosphere in a private home. Other care providers regularly visit for in-home physical therapy, blood draws, or whatever is medically needed at any given time. There are also frequent visits from family and friends. This job requires excellent communications skills, the ability to work well with others, resourcefulness, flexibility, and a genuine liking and respect for the elderly. Note: Please do not apply for this job if you are not looking to relocate and reside in my parents’ home. This is a requirement. For the right person, this is an opportunity to live rent free and pay no heat or other utilities, no commuting costs, and draw a moderate salary with very little overhead. If you are seeking a live-in job only because you would like a lot of hours, and you have another residence, this job is not for you. My parents are on a fixed (middle) income and have limited savings. We are seeking an exchange of things that both parties value. If the room and board has no value to you, please do not apply.

A little about them: Mom is 86, and is an RN, trained as an Army cadet nurse during WWII. She is lovable, artistic, very intelligent, is mostly self-sufficient, but suffers from some memory loss. She is somewhat frail, often uses oxygen, and has had some falls over the past year. She has a green thumb and is a fabulous cook who loves to cook with others. My dad is 88, a lawyer, a former town justice, and a decorated WWII vet. He is very smart and very funny, and suffers from hearing loss and incontinence. He is a student of history and politics, and loves to discuss both. He grew up in NYC, and loves jazz and swing music. He likes to charm and tease, and jokes with everyone around him. He is the one who needs help at night with toileting. Their four bedroom home is set in rural farm country in Columbia County in upstate NY. They have a view of the sunset over the Catskills, and a spacious old barn they would be willing to lend space in to pursue artistic interests or hobbies, for example. The house is lovely, comfortable, and cheerful, with a big kitchen, family room, and a bright garden room that my mother designed. There is a national park next door where visitors may take a historic tour of the home of Martin Van Buren, eighth president of the United States.

Living arrangements: The layout of the house is a bit quirky. It is an old farmhouse and multiple additions were built over the years as the needs of the family changed. There are two private furnished rooms for the care providers, located at opposite ends of the house on the second floor. There is a full bathroom with tub and shower located near each of them. These two bathrooms are not private, but in practice they are not used a lot by the family most of the time. My parents live mostly on the first floor at this point due to their physical limitations. My mother comes upstairs sometimes to use one of the two bathrooms, and the other bathroom is sometimes used by friends or family who are in town about once a month. These occasional visitors stay in the upstairs guest room. The rest of the time, the care providers would have a reasonable amount of privacy on the second floor, from the family and even from each other if they so desired. The two care providers would have shared use of a laundry room on the second floor (my parents have their own laundry downstairs) and would share the use of a refrigerator, microwave, and toaster oven upstairs, for times when they would prefer not to eat downstairs with the family.

Salary: The total salary to be shared between the two caretakers is $1000 per week plus room and board. The caretakers may split the time and the salary in any way they wish and mutually agree upon. This is the base salary for my parents’ care (see description below), but there are opportunities to earn extra money by doing additional household tasks, to be determined according to the particular skills and abilities you may have to offer. Examples of tasks that you could earn additional money for would be things like yard work, cleaning the gutters, setting mouse traps, i.e. various tasks of household maintenance. The base salary covers all of my parents’ personal care and grooming, help with activities of daily living, driving them (in their car, we pay gas and maintenance), cooking, light housekeeping, and care of the family dog.

One of my parents’ current care managers writes: I am a C.N.A that has provided care for Mr. and Mrs. C for almost two years. Mrs. C requires supervision / companion and at times can become a one assist; this will happen mostly when she is ill. Mr. C is a one assist who needs help with basic ADL’s, i.e. toileting, preparing meals, bathing, and getting in and out of bed. Some of Mr. C’s care is provided by the V.A. It has been a pleasure working with Mr. and Mrs. C. They are both very caring, warm and outgoing. I have established a bond with the both of them that my family and I will cherish forever.

We have experienced in the past that both my parents and extended family members have often developed close relationships with the people who have cared for Mom and Dad. This is what we like and what we are looking for, especially now that caretakers will be living in. This house has been my parents’ home for the past 35 years of their nearly 63 year marriage. We want it to continue to feel like a place for family. We are seeking someone with elder care experience who is compassionate, practical, warm, creative, and good around grandchildren, plants, and dogs. Last but not least, you must have rock-solid integrity, and a damn good sense of humor. We look forward to meeting you.