Nannies for Seniors | Retirement ? Only the Beginning

Guest Post by Monta Fleming

When you think of nannies the image that first pops into your mind is probably one of a Mary Poppins type figure who is hired to watch over young children. In fact, most people think that nannies watch children exclusively, and never consider that they may be hired for senior care as well. However nannies can be extremely diverse in their caregiving options and hiring a nanny for senior care is helpful in many ways.

Hiring a senior caregiver can help your senior because:

1.??It offers companionship: Many seniors need companionship more than anything else, and hiring a nanny can offer just that. Nannies are so involved in the lives of their charges that they often become much more than just hired help, and usually end up more like family members than an employee. This can be a lifesaver for seniors who are limited in their interactions with other adults, and they can find a good friend from their caregiver.

2.??They can be there when the family cannot: Often time?s family members want someone to be with their more senior family members at all times, but can?t take the time off work or away from their own families to be there themselves. Hiring a nanny gives families the peace of mind knowing that their elderly family member has a trusted caregiver with them in case of any emergencies that can happen when they would be otherwise unattended.

3.??Nannies can help in many aspects of a senior?s life: A nanny can be hired for far more than just administering medications and supervising her charge; nannies can help seniors by helping out around the house, cooking meals, and accompanying them to the grocery store. This helps preserve a peace of mind for both the senior and other family members alike.

How to Hire a Nanny

You first need to determine what it is you want out of a nanny for your senior. Do you want someone to live in or to just come by each day? Do you want someone who has previous healthcare experience? Do you want someone who has previous senior experience or just previous care experience? Do you want someone who is going to clean and run errands, or just provide companionship? Answering these questions can help you narrow down the type of candidates you are willing to consider.

Talk to people you know. Getting a referral from a trusted friend or coworker can help ease the tension associated with hiring a caregiver. When you know someone that can back up the credentials of a nanny it?s much easier to trust that they will be a good fit for your own family.

Use an agency.?Gonannies.com carefully screens all caregivers before accepting their applications to ensure that the highest quality care is going to be delivered to families. Caregivers go through a screening process to verify their information and credentials, taking some of the guesswork out of the hiring process.

Cover all your bases in the interview. Ask your prospective caregiver why she wants the position, how she?ll react in the event of an emergency, what she?s willing to do and what she?s not willing to do, and why she?s interested in this particular field of work. You and your family need to know ahead of time if there are going to be any issues should an emergency situation arise, and that your caregiver is well equipped to handle any and all surprises.

Hiring a caregiver for your senior can be a very rewarding experience for both your family member and for the caregiver. The relationships that often develop from these situations are very special ones built on mutual trust and affection, and can keep your senior in much higher spirits then if they were otherwise left alone or being forced into a nursing home.

Monta the mother of three children serves as an Expert Advisor on multiple household help issues to many Organizations and groups, and is a mentor for other ?Mom-preneurs? seeking guidance.? She is a regular contributor of ?find nannies?.? You can get in touch with her at montafleming6@gmail dotcom.

Source: http://lovebeingretired.com/2012/07/25/nannies-for-seniors/

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