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I'm looking for a mature women to live with and care for my almost 88 year old mom in exchange for rent. She needs some help around her house with daily household chores, some cooking, grocery shopping and grooming. She gets around ok with her walker, but needs help now and then. I'm not looking for an in home health care assistant, or medical assistant, just someone looking to help her out in exchange for rent. Looking for any suggestions or referrals for me.

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What job or other source of income do you envisage that this person would have?

When you think through what you're proposing, you're looking for someone to help manage the home and to be there to "keep an eye" on your mother, who needs to use a walker so presumably is at some risk of falls and who does need some level of personal care. And what is this person going to live on?

It's not impossible that a retired lady with her own pension would be interested in sharing a home, but I can't imagine that people like that - who are also young and physically fit enough to be up to the job - are thick on the ground.

Whereas, if the person is still working, what cover will be there for your mother while she is away? What about vacations and time off?

Yours is not the first enquiry we've had along these lines, and we can understand that when a person wants to stay in her own home, and needs only a little help ad hoc with her household and personal routines, getting in a roommate seems like an option. But once you think it through you'll probably see it's not going to work.

Look instead at services like "lady's companion" and see what comes up. I'm afraid it's going to cost more than just free rent.
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You get what you pay for in this old world.

If you are only offering rent have you thought about how this person is supposed to eat. What about daily expenses of just living.

What happens when you say you should have and they tell you to jog on because they have been dealing with moms issues for 80 hours this week and based on minimum wage they have already provided enough care to cover this months and part of next months rent. You see how this could go south in a hurry.
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You need to look around locally. If your mother is a church goer, an enquiry at churches might be a good place to start. Some of the internet sites (Marketplace? Craig's List?) take this sort of query, but it would be a very good idea to check references carefully. If you find someone, it would be sensible to get the arrangements in writing, signed and witnessed. Carers like you are looking for are in an ideal position to become 'instant friends' and influence wills, major gifts etc.
Tread carefully!
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You have to pay the live-in caregiver a salary as well. You can’t just offer free rent in exchange for their services.
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How soon are you looking for someone to fill this position? Im currently a live in Caregiver, but I'm working 24/7 with no relief in site....i just have to remove myself from this position. I'm also in phoenix, AZ.
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Estelle, please don't put your personal contact details on a forum on the world wide web. *Anybody* could be reading this, it isn't a good idea.

There are also forum rules about advertising services; so I am going to report your post and the moderators will probably take it down.

I read your profile: your situation sounds terrible both for you and for the elderly lady you have been left alone to care for. I would strongly recommend that you call APS and get their advice.

Please understand that I do not for a moment think that you are doing anything wrong, but you need help and guidance from professionals. Best of luck, please don't hesitate to start your own question if you'd like to.
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Carolynsu, it's great that you are thinking that having someone around to watch over your Mom. Kinda like a Golden Girl situation but with no one working outside of the house. It will be difficult to find someone willing to do this in exchange for free room/board with no income coming in.

A younger person would need income as they would need to purchase their own health insurance. Need money to maintain their vehicle, gasoline, repairs, etc. Money for person items and personal hygiene.

An older person already on Medicare and Social Security probably would not have the energy to do everything that is required later down the road. And if your Mom was starting to fall, this senior caregiver could go down in the fall.

Anyhoo, if your Mom pays a salary for having someone in the house, your Mom would also need to get "workman's comp" insurance in case that person gets hurt on the job.

So much to think about.
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