THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JULY 1, 2022 Page 19 CANDIDACY | FROM Page 5 How to Hire an In-Home Helper for an Aging Parent Dear Savvy Senior, I would like to hire an in-home helper for my 82-year-old mother to assist with household chores like housekeeping, grocery shopping and driving her to the doctor, etc. But mom doesn’t require any personal/physical caregiving, nor does she require any home medical care. Any tips to help us fi nd someone? Searching Sarah Dear Sarah, Getting your mother some help at home to handle some of her day-to-day chores is a smart idea that can make a big diff erence keeping her independent longer. Here’s are some tips to help you fi nd someone reliable. In-Home Help For seniors who could use some help at home – but don’t need a caregiving aide for personal care – there are homemakers/home helpers you can hire that can help make life a little easier. Most in-home helpers can assist with any number of things like shopping, running errands, transportation, light housekeeping, laundry, meal preparation, arranging services (home maintenance, lawn care, etc.) and other household chores, along with providing companionship and support. And, if your mom gets to the point she needs personal/physical care like bathing or dressing, many home helpers can assist with this too. Most home helpers are part time workers who work a few hours a day or a few days per week. You also need to know that while Medicare does cover home health care services if a doctor orders it, they do not cover in-home homemaker/helper services. There are two ways in which you can go about hiring someone for your mom; either through a home care agency, or you can hire someone directly on your own. Home Care Agency Hiring a home helper through a non-medical home care, or non-medical companion care agency is the easiest, but most expensive option of the two. Costs typically run anywhere from $15 to $25 an hour depending on where you live. How it works is you pay the company, and they handle everything including assigning appropriately trained and prescreened staff to care for your mother and fi nding a fi ll-in on days her helper cannot come. Some of the drawbacks, however, are that you may not have much input into the selection of the aide, and the helpers may change or alternate, which can cause a disruption. To fi nd a home care agency in your area, use search engines like Google or Yahoo and type in “non-medical home care” followed by the city and state your mom lives in. Or you can use Medicare’s home health services search tool at Medicare.gov/ care-compare – click on “home health services.” Most home health agencies off er some form of non-medical home care services too. You can also check your local yellow pages under “home health services.” Hiring Directly Hiring a personal assistant/ home helper on your own is the other option, and it’s less expensive. Costs typically range between $12 and $20 per hour. Hiring directly also gives you more control over who you hire so you can choose someone who you feel is right for your mom. But be aware that if you do hire someone on your own, you become the employer so there’s no agency support to fall back on if a problem occurs or if the assistant doesn’t show up. You’re also responsible for paying payroll taxes and any worker-related injuries that may happen. If you choose this option, make sure you check the person’s references thoroughly and do a criminal background check. To fi nd someone, ask for referrals through friends or you can search online at sites like Care. com or CareLinx.com. For more information on hiring in-home help for your mom, the Family Caregiver Alliance offers a helpful guide that you can access at Caregiver.org/resource/ hiring-home-help. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior. org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. 1. On July 1, 1804, George Sand was born, a French author who was known for wearing what kind of clothes? 2. What was the Dress Act of 1746 by Great Britain’s Parliament? 3. Telephone numbers were fi rst used in Lowell, Mass. (due to a measles epidemic) in what year: 1867, 1879 or 1909? 4. On July 2, 1869, in Boston, Mass., the brig Novelty landed with what cargo from Matanzas, Cuba, in large tanks? 5. In 1777 the fi rst organized Independence Day celebration took place in what city? 6. On July 3, 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated the Eternal Light Peace Memorial where? 7. Who was the oldest Declaration of Independence signer: John Adams, Samuel Adams or Benjamin Franklin? 8. On July 4, 1960, a star was added the flag for what state? 9. In what state was the fi rst newspaper that published the Declaration of Independence? 10. On July 5, 1841, what then current Massachusetts Representative/former President wrote in his diary that he dined at the White House and Answers “There was turtle soup from a turtle weighing 300 lb a present from Key West”? 11. Which New England state has the country’s oldest July 4th parade? 12. From summit to base, what is the world’s tallest mountain: Mauna Kea in Hawaii, Mount Kilimanjaro or Mount Everest? 13. Reportedly, what is the most popular seafood in the USA? 14. July 6 is National Fried Chicken Day; the first known U.S. recipe for fried chicken was in “The Virginia Housewife, Or Methodical Cook,” which was published when: 1825, 1866 or 1899? 15. Southerners called the Battles of Manassas just that; why did Northerners call them the Battles of Bull Run? 16. What is the world’s most common bird? 17. Which U.S. president promoted a brand of steaks? 18. What color agave plant is the most common for making tequila? 19. What country has three areas known (in English) as “toe,” “heel” and “spur”? 20. On July 7, 1906, athlete Leroy Robert Paige was born; he had what nickname? Lee Burbank Highway. These commercial redevelopment initiatives will eventually increase the number of job opportunities in and for Revere by threeto-four fold. These are just a few of the many issues and opportunities for which I have fought on behalf of the residents of Ward 5; and they will continue to require informed attention and leadership in the years to come. I believe that my past performance as your Ward 5 City Councillor refl ects the experience and expertise, the vision and understanding, and the dedication and leadership that I will continue to bring to this exceptionally broad range of civic and community responsibilities and that make me ideally positioned to continue to serve you and the city. We can all agree that Revere is at an exciting time in its history; and the direction that we take and the choices that we make in the coming years will determine whether we reach our economic, commercial and civic potential as a community. It is on that basis that I again humbly ask you, the Revere residents of Ward 5, for your vote in the Ward 5 Special Election on Tuesday, July 19th . WASTE REMOVAL & BUILDING MAINTENANCE • Landscaping, Lawn Care, Mulching • Yard Waste & Rubbish Removal • Interior & Exterior Demolition (Old Decks, Fences, Pools, Sheds, etc.) • Appliance and Metal Pick-up • Construction and Estate Cleanouts • Pick-up Truck Load of Trash starting at $169 • Carpentry LICENSED & INSURED Call for FREE ESTIMATES! KITCHEN CABINETS To Look Like New 508-840-0501 FURNITURE STRIP & FINISH 1. Amantine-Lucile-Aurore Dudevant, a female with the pen name George Sand, wore male attire. 2. It made wearing Scottish Highlander dress, including the tartan kilt, illegal. 3. 1879 (A callee’s name was previously given to a switchboard operator.) 4. Molasses 5. Philadelphia 6. The Gettysburg Battlefi eld 7. Benjamin Franklin 8. Hawaii 9. Pennsylvania (The Pennsylvania Evening Post) 10. John Quincy Adams 11. Rhode Island (in Bristol) 12. Mauna Kea (Its base is below the ocean’s surface.) 13. Shrimp 14. 1825 15. That is the name of the stream at the battlefi eld. 16. The domestic chicken 17. Donald Trump (Trump Steaks) 18. Blue 19. Italy (Calabria, Salento and Gargano, respectively) 20. Satchel (played in Major League Baseball in his later years)
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