# Close to Home Work Opportunity



## FrontPorch (Mar 27, 2008)

It's not exactly work-at-home work, but it's close. Today I brought up my idea to help elderly folks in the neighborhood to our mail carrier. Given that this is a small, country community I figured she knew everyone the best. I explained that I was thinking of doing light housekeeping, running errands such as groceries or prescriptions and generally just checking in on the well being of some of the older residents. She immediately told me she would hire me for her own parents and sounded relieved. She is going to think about who else in the neighborhood needs this type of service. Also, I plan to contact the ministers in town, as they would also know who might need a little helping hand.

This is a huge issue in this day and age. With two person incomes there's no longer anyone available to help take care of Grandma and Grandpa. Or often the family doesn't live close enough to stop by and check on them. I don't know of any medical insurance that will provide or pay for this type of thing. 

It's not glamorous work, and you won't get rich doing it. But it sure is an honest day's work that would be rewarding in other ways. Just wanted to share this business idea as it's certainly universal and needed no matter where you live.


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## whitewolf (Nov 9, 2003)

I have been thinking along those lines for a while. I believe there are already a couple of people in our small town that already does this. I really need to check it out and see if they are. If not, I may try doing that too. Thanks for jarring my memory. Hadn't thought to check it out lately. As for glamour....these days and times you do what needs to be done.

Whitewolf


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## PNP Katahdins (Oct 28, 2008)

Christine, your office would be at home with this type of work so the Work-at-Home forum may be a good place to post.

Peg


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## Ken Scharabok (May 11, 2002)

Apparently you didn't request my e-book:

EXTENDED FAMILY SERVICES:

In many areas it is not unusual to find elderly people who can live fairly well by themselves but have no immediate family available to help with their day-to-day needs. This opens the opportunity to offer &#8216;extended family&#8217; services on a contractual basis.

Services which can be provided may include providing transportation to and from grocery and other shopping; light housecleaning; menu plan-ning with emphasis on microwave cooking and assistance in such areas as interpreting insurance policies or forms; selling of a residence and moving into a nursing home or retirement village; paying bills and helping to keep track of their finances; helping them in writing letters to family members or friends; arranging for needed repairs or services, playing card or other games to keep them mentally alert (including perhaps getting a group together); calling daily to ensure medications are taken as prescribed; alerting doctors or visiting nurses as conditions warrant; helping them avoid scams and just being someone to talk to from time-to-time or someone to call in case assistance is needed.

(Scams directed towards the elderly in particular include enticing them to buy small merchandise with the promise of it leading to a grand prize, high pressure sales tactics or letters trying to scare them into making donations to scam organizations to try to protect the Social Security System, MEDICARE, etc. After making one donation, a 86-year old woman living in a senior center received over 700 such mailings within a four-month period.)

Such a service might include ten clients so one morning or afternoon a week could be devoted to them.

Nationally, the average cost for one year in a nursing home is $39,000, or over $3,000 a month! Thus, if you offered this service at $250 a month, or $3,000 a year, the savings could be fairly high since the coverage of MEDICAID and MEDICARE is rather limited in this situation. An average of ten clients at a time at $250 a month works out to a gross of $30,000 a year, and expenses would seem to be limited.

Even if these people do not have the funds to adequately compensate for such services, a payment option may be a contractual arrangement with a social services agency or with their children or guardian living out of the area, who might be delighted to find someone to look after their parents. Part of this service could include periodic status reports, including photographs, to the children or other guardian, to help ease their mind.

Providers of these services have names such as Elderly Visiting Service, Enriched Living Quality Home Services and Friends of the Family.

For one such service go to www.seniorcomfortservices.com.

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The nursing home figure is probably low these days and even living assistance center costs are fairly steep.

I have an neighbor whose elderly mother is now living with him. She is pretty well physically OK, but just can't live by herself. He farms so has someone come in for about six-hours a day to care for her while he gets the farm work done. He makes her a light breakfast and the caretaker makes her lunch and will start supper for them both. Caretaker also helps her take periodic baths.


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## ChristieAcres (Apr 11, 2009)

Here, people won't hire you to do anything unless you are a Certified Home Care Provider (that guarantees you have been trained, pre-screened, had a background check & TB Test...). The work you described falls under the light duties Care Providers offer. This can be offered privately, also, and is an excellent way to make a good income while serving others.


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