How do you put a price on the health and care of a loved one? It’s a tough question.
Many people believe that limits on spending do not exist when caring for an aging adult. In practicality, the cost of care for a senior is an expense that must be considered among other financial responsibilities. The real question is this -- can you get quality care for an aging adult at an affordable rate in an environment that brings comfort to your loved one? In short, the answer is yes.
With 20 years of providing in-home care for aging Texans, Home Instead, serving Bryan and College Station, can do just that. At an average rate of $22.00 per hour, this is a bargain when considering other hourly rates. For comparison, a computer tech vendor in the area charges $125.00 per hour to keep your personal computer running. A commercial building’s janitorial service charges $40.00 per hour. Need a plumber? That’ll be $80.00 per hour. And yet, to take care of your mom, dad, or spouse, it’s $22.00 per hour.
So, why does that rate seem like a bargain? Read on…
All Home Instead CAREGivers are thoroughly vetted and trained before being assigned to the home of a senior who has made the decision to age in the comfortable surroundings of HOME. On the average, we hire less than one out of ten CAREGiver applicants because, while experience is important, it’s not everything. We can train people on tasks, but the ability to form a strong relationship with the client, to share the CAREGiver’s heart with the client, and the willingness to perform the most intimate tasks of life are qualities that cannot be taught. These qualities are what we look for in a CAREGiver to help your loved ones age in their home.
When the time comes to seek out options for the care of a parent, consider this – you’re looking for a caring individual to share an important relationship with the person who raised you, who provided for you, who loves you. This role-reversal is one that many people struggle with daily.
When looking for someone you can trust with the care of an aging parent, you’re looking for a person who can cook, clean a home, remind mom or dad to take their medications on time, provide incontinence care, perform personal care, drive them to the doctor when you can’t, and above that, be a friend and confidante when it’s needed the most.
Home Instead CAREGivers are highly trained and highly motivated to perform these tasks and others and yet, we stress Relationship Above Task as our Home Instead mantra. Relationships are foundational to every Home Instead experience. We all know that we do our best work for people we care about – with whom we have a great relationship. Here is a true story about one local Home Instead CAREGiver whose relationships with her clients were exemplary:
Eva was working the week of Christmas 2018 when she received a call from one of her children telling her to come home right away – Eva’s husband had passed away after a lengthy illness. Eva gathered herself and said that she would be home after her assignment finished in three hours because her husband was “with the Lord, and my client needs me right now”. Almost a year later to the day, Eva got a call while caring for the same client, telling her that her mother had died and, true to form, she remained with her client until her replacement arrived on schedule. Asked about it later, Eva remarked that her work was with the people that “God hadn’t called home yet”. She was committed to her clients and wanted to be there for them when she was needed.
It takes a special person, to be a caregiver and an even more dedicated person to be a Home Instead CAREGiver.
When considering in-home care, remember that having a person to assist your parent is a blessing and that the cost shouldn’t be the first consideration. We all live on budgets; there are so many things to consider when it comes to home care and cost is just one of them. According to the AARP, nearly 90% of Americans desire to age in their current homes as they grow older. Providing for your parent can be the most satisfying thing you ever do – and granting them the way they choose to live is something you’ll remember forever. And never forget that the service we provide helps the entire family. We will help to reduce your burden while establishing a great relationship with your loved one.
The memories that last won’t include the conversations about the cost, they will be about the experience your loved one had. Providing care for an aging parent is a decision you’ll remember fondly.
