2019-08-23_mloevinsohn_Live-in Caregiver Job Description draft.docx

Job Description

Live-in Caregiver

Caregiver job description based on Helga’s needs.

The goal is to have Helga stay in her home where she is comfortable and feels secure.

Helga enjoys alone(quiet) time but she should never be left alone.

Helga is to make as many decisions as she can for herself.

Helga must always be allowed to maintain her dignity.

Duties and responsibilities:

Personal care: Helping Helga in bathing, personal hygiene (daily shower), dressing and toileting

Engagement: Helping Helga to remain mentally active and intellectually and socially engagedc

Companionship: providing emotional and psychological supportc

Medication: administering and reordering when needed

Food preparation: preparing nutritious and tasty meals and shopping for groceries

Mobility: maintaining optimum mobility and daily exercise, as much as possible outside the apartment

Health monitoring: reporting any health or performance changes to family/companion and handling a crisis or medical emergencyc

Effective communication: relaying relevant information via email/text/WhatsApp/ phone to sons/companion and facilitating Helga’s communication with familyc

Home organization: general housekeeping, such as dishes, laundry and light cleaning to maintain sanitary conditions

The caregiver will be responsible to her sons and to the companion.

Duties marked with c will be shared responsibilities of the caregiver and companion, requiring coordination between them. The caregiver is encouraged to apply and adapt the skills and insights she has acquired in her previous work.  The duties above can be amended at any time as per Helga’s changing needs.

Issues to be discussed:

When can the caregiver shop so as not to leave Helga alone and not to have to use her free time?

Define working hours and free time

Purchases will be reimbursed by companion and/or the caregiver will be given an advance by companion - in either case, purchases are to be receipted

The caregiver will likely prepare the same food for Helga and herself. How will costs be apportioned?

Both may prefer to take their meals together but that shouldn’t be presumed. Both should be able to eat alone.

Privacy concerns: to be solicited and discussed