Is Home Health Aide 24 Hr Live-in Rate $100/day Too Low?

Specialties Private Duty

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Hi,

I'm being offered a case in Tampa, FL 4 days a week, all in a row, 'round-the-clock for $100 a day. Sleep when the client sleeps eat what the client eats. I'd prepare meals and a meal is provided for me. Help with light housekeeping, ADLs, bathing, escort to appointments (drive client's car) Client is oriented, not-confused, IDDM, forgetful, and unsteady. She's pleasant to be around.

So is this a taker? It seems a real lowball offer but I'm told it is the going rate. I assume the client has already negotiated a rate they will pay and theres not much room for the Home Health Agency to give me much more. I could be wrong on that.

I'm well trained with good experience and stellar references. Am I cheapening myself especially for future jobs? Would you take this? Thoughts...

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Specializes in Hospice / Ambulatory Clinic.

One hospice case I worked the caretakers were paid $100 per day for a couple and the poor wife of the couple was not allowed to leave the house for more than 30mins. So they were getting paid $50 each a day and this was in Los Angeles

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One hospice case I worked the caretakers were paid $100 per day for a couple and the poor wife of the couple was not allowed to leave the house for more than 30mins. So they were getting paid $50 each a day and this was in Los Angeles

Interesting. Is "caretaker" in some way a licensed or regulated position in California?

Did one spouse or both spouses have a consent to treat with the caretaker(s)? I ask the second question as I have seen what I call "vicarious health care." One spouse who does not have a consent to treat receives hands on care during an Aide or Companion visit for the other spouse who does.

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Specializes in Hospice / Ambulatory Clinic.

No caretaker is an unlicensed uncertified unregulated position in CA as far as I know. The wife it seemed was doing most of the hands on care and even when the patient was on 24/7 care she felt like she could leave the house something that was reinforced by the SIL of the patient.

I know that domestic caregivers are one of the positions where OT does not legally need to be paid which is why $100/day is the going rate. Usually this is because they figure you get the benefit of free housing.

My concern would be burn out. Are you going to be the only caregiver 24/7 or swapping off days?

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Specializes in Not specified.

If you were to use the case as a primary residence then you would be saving tons of money on rent, utilities and food, which makes up the bulk of our expenses. I agree with the poser about concerns re: burnout if you don't have any relief.

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I know that domestic caregivers are one of the positions where OT does not legally need to be paid which is why $100/day is the going rate. Usually this is because they figure you get the benefit of free housing.

Correct. Home Health Aides in Florida are not required to be paid minimum wage nor overtime, nor are they protected under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Unless of course more than 20% of their time is spent doing household tasks such as cleaning and laundry. Conversely, I am not willing to spend 5 hours of a 24 hour shift cleaning! :)

My concern would be burn out. Are you going to be the only caregiver 24/7 or swapping off days?

No as I mentioned, it's 4 days a week, all in a row.

If you were to use the case as a primary residence then you would be saving tons of money on rent, utilities and food, which makes up the bulk of our expenses. I agree with the poser about concerns re: burnout if you don't have any relief.

Well, as I said, the client is oriented, not-confused, IDDM, forgetful, and unsteady. She's pleasant to be around. I think I can do 4 days a week of that so burnout is unlikely.

You mention the critical item. 4 days a week of room and board doesn't relieve me of the expenses of keeping a home and a car and paying utilities elsewhere. I *would* take the case for $100/day X 7 days a week. But a family member will do the days that I don't.

We are paid $11/hour for other cases so really I'd be trading 5 X 8 hour days for 4 X 24 hour days. That's a bad deal.

I pass.

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Specializes in Hospice / Ambulatory Clinic.

Yeah I think daily rate of $100 is only a fair deal if you get to live their full time otherwise your making the same amount of money for a lot more time invest.

Cost vs benefit analysis

My bad for not reading your orginal post more clearly since you did give most of the answers up front.

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My bad for not reading your orginal post more clearly

Actually, thanks bunches! You nudged me to re-evaluate and in a way restate my question! Once I clarified the dollars versus time I saw it all so clearly.

The other thing to consider for anyone else looking at the issue is after the 4 X 24 shifts are completed for a week, there are only 72 hours remaining to pick up a shift here and there for the agency (or agencies).

After putting in 40 hours, there are 128 hours remaining that one could work. I hope that makes sense... You have more opportunities to pick up a shift, snag twenty bucks for a bath visit, or cover a call out, if you aren't locked in to those full 24 hours each day.

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Specializes in ER.

Right now I am a private duty nurse living with my client making 200$ a day free rent and utilities and she also provides food and pays when we go out to dinner or her social events. I was very blessed to find this position!

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Agencies should be honest and stress the need for the patient to maintain the service of their house cleaner or merry maid. Too many caregivers enter homes to assist with adls and discover that the client immediately fire or release their house keeping services having the misguided opinion that the caregiver or cna is the housekeeper, gardener, house cleaner, chef all rolled into one. quick question whoever informed clients that the live in care giver is searching for accommodations, Most people work as care givers to earn a living;send their children or themselves to college. Live in Caregivers are not moochers or homeless please put the word out. NB: I am not a livein caregiver just have first hand experience of the crazy senario. Please also advise that the individual should be given a complete meal or serving of meals not have to scrounge around for the left over gravy in the pot after the clients eat their fill. Shameful what these important people often go through.

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Sounds like a conscientious decent client. Pray much for her health and treat her well. You could be dropping her off and waiting in the foyer of the restaurant or in the car in the parking lot and being questioned if you could not find something more honorable to do.

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The agencies charge clients $225-300 a day and pay HHA's $100-125. I do private duty 4-5days/week @150/day.

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