About who needs care: I am considering relief care for my 94-year-old mother so I can go home for a few weeks here and there without stress. I've been caregiving for her in her home for several years. I live three hours away, but I only rarely go home. When I do, we manage things via video calls. As she ages, it is getting harder and harder to manage her daily tasks via video calls. She has significant cognitive impairment and it is worsening. She is completely against the idea of having someone come in to help her and insists she doesn't need help, but I am losing my mind trying to get her to do what she needs to do when I go home for a bit. (Things like drinking enough fluids so she doesn't get dehydrated, taking her medications, eating healthy meals, feeding our mouse, and taking care of her teeth and dentures.) Since she doesn't want someone coming to help her, and these are simple tasks that she just needs someone to be "on top of her" about, I would only need someone for about an hour a day, every afternoon or evening for a period of time (maybe 3-4 weeks three times a year). Even then it might not work out because she is threatening to not let anyone in the house, but hopefully she would warm up to the idea. About the care needs: We are looking for a female caregiver who is very patient. Mom often cannot retain instructions for more than five seconds, and you will have to repeat yourself constantly. You might tell her to go take her medications, then she will head toward them but see cookies, and go for the cookies instead. She will then have no recollection of being on the way to take her medications. This can happen multiple times in a row. She is a very devout Catholic, so it would be idea if our caregiver was also, however it is not required. Also, please do not be opposed to feeding our little mouse. Services needed include: meal preparation, errands / shopping, and light housekeeping.
Light Housekeeping
Meal Preparation
Errands / Shopping