As parents and grandparents age, they grow increasingly reliant on their younger relatives for assistance. Unfortunately, our busy schedules often don’t provide enough time to provide sufficient care. In this case, you can hire a concierge service for seniors who want to maintain independence.
A concierge service is essentially an on-call resource for seniors who need help with day-to-day activities. The concierge isn’t with the same individual or family all day, but they can schedule their visits around key necessities, such as fixing meals or picking up dry cleaning or intercepting packages at the post office. This is a great way for your elderly relative to maintain his or her independence while still enjoying the better things in life.
The extent of services provided by a concierge service for seniors will vary depending on the skills and resources of the business. Some provide everything from meal preparation to pet care, while others specialize in just a few areas. It is important to select a concierge who can satisfy all of your loved one’s needs without having to look for additional outside help.
Services you might request from a concierge service include companion services, administrative assistance, home and office organization, grocery and personal shopping, meal preparation, household cleaning, yard care, computer training, exercise and fitness, package interception and reminder services. You can usually pick and choose the services that apply to your elderly relative.
Costs of Services
Most concierge services for seniors charge by the hour to avoid any discrepancies in services rendered. The clock starts with the concierge begins the assigned tasks, then ends as soon as he or she leaves. Bills might come once a month or once every two weeks, while other services charge in advance.
The amount you’ll pay per hour will vary widely, but the costs are usually no more than $50 per hour. If you require more time with your elderly relative, the concierge service should charge less for each hour. Talk to several local services for seniors to find out what the averages rates are in your area.
Benefits of the Service
When you’re in a meeting and can’t get away, your elderly relative shouldn’t have to wait. Our lives are incredibly demanding, and we sometimes cannot get out of family or career obligations. If your elderly relative needs assistance on a regular basis, but doesn’t want to give up his or her autonomy, a concierge service for seniors can strike just the right balance.
Furthermore, a concierge service provides your loved one with companionship and structure. He or she can come to rely on the assistant to take care of things on a daily basis. Most services assign one concierge to each client so that he or she is comfortable.
You should know, however, that a concierge service for seniors usually doesn’t provide transportation. This requires additional insurance and bonding, and if the service doesn’t have it, your relative could be at risk. Make sure that all precautions are taken to ensure safety and reliability before making a hiring decision.
