Seniors, Housework Outside Help?

Question

Seniors,

Do you have someone other than your children come in and help with the heavier household chores such as mopping? If so, what type of service do you use? Did you go through Social Security or Medicare to find them?

Thanking you in advance.

Answer 1

I hired a cleaning company once a week, sometimes twice...usually once does it just fine...change the sheets, clean the baths, kitchen/refrig, vacuum, mop the floors, do all the dusting, clean the doors and door windows. A crew of 3 pops in on Friday (trust me, I do not clean the kitchen on Thursday night) and has the job done in about 3-4 hours. I pay 85.00 per visit for this service. I still have to do all the washing, but that's ok. IT is housecleaning I hate, and for my time, I get a very good bargain indeed at the rates I pay. The cleaners were recomended to me years ago, and I have had them ever since...I can leave anything...money, jewelry (I have no jewelry, so that doesn't count, but I have been known to leave wads of bills laying here and there), you name it, I have never had so much as a penny taken. I cannot say that about all housecleaners... I had two guns stolen from me years ago by a house cleaner...didn't miss them for quite awhile, but I knew exactly who took them...too late to do anything about it. When you find a good housecleaner, pay them decently, tip them (I tip 15.00 per visit to the crew...not each, but total) and you get good service. BE very careful about hiring individuals...you are responsible for SS payments on their salary if they are NOT a company! Many have been stung badly that I know when a claim was made for disability, and the employer was listed as the person doing the hiring, yet didn't pay SS on wages....My mother was stung for 1000's of dollars when this happened to her with a housekeeper of many, many years became disabled....be careful what you do, observe the laws...that is why I advise paying a company that does all this on their payroll...it is no longer your responsibility, IF you pay the ss payments, you have to add about 15.5% for SS payments! Good luck, peace, and love..Goldwing

Answer 2

yes someone comes in about every 5 to6 wks for the cleaning. Hubby and I do what we can,like toilets and vacuuming,and kitchen,but the fans overhead,the pictures on walls,the washing of all floors and moving furniture to vacuum underneath plus blinds and windows we can't do, so I went thru some agencies and found them lazy and poor cleaners and I could do better, so I stopped for a long time. Hubby got very ill and could not do anything after the hospital and I could not do it my self,so I found these women thru friends, they do fine, the money is a little more than I really can afford but the house is big and I have 9 rooms and 3 bathrms and they make the house shine and smell good,so if people come over I'm not embarrassed. you cannot go thru medicare or SS.Find someone who will recommend their cleaning person. My best friend wanted me to use her's, and a relative recommended hers, but for now I'll stick to these people.It would be a cold day you know where if any of my kids would clean, I had boys and their wives all work and clean their homes.

Answer 3

Social services has taken care of this when I had my stroke 11 years ago. I do not have any children and my family lives out of town. Some friends did help me a LOT in those days for the cleaning, cooking, laundry, etc... But now I am better and someone comes once a week to do the things I can't do myself.


Best of luck in finding the right people on your path of life to help you like I did have and still have. I feel very fortunate and am very grateful for all that was provided to me over those years.

Answer 4

I posted a similar question last month and received some really good answers and now am planning to hire someone to come in at least once a month to handle the 'heavy' stuff that my anal self requires to be done but for which I no longer have the time nor the energy!

Thanks for bringing this subject once again :-)
you're a gem!

Answer 5

I have a cleaning lady come in every two weeks to the basic cleaning. She does the vaccuuming and dusting and bathrooms. Hubby does the heavy stuff. I do shopping, cooking, dishes and laundry, although hubby sometimes carries the laundry basket up and down 3 flights of stairs. My next home is going to be all on one floor. No more stairs.

Answer 6

Hi Joanne, I haven't personally used services from medi-cal or medicare for in-home services. However, most community organisations have volunteer programs where people will come in if you need a little help and Medical even pays for it monthly.

Answer 7

I help my dad with yard work and computer work twice a week. My mom rarely asks me for help, she's still very healthy. I do help her with washing the walls at least once a year and have helped with some window washing. For the heavy things my dad has a guy who comes over once or twice a week. I think that he found him by word of mouth. Friends who knew the guy and referred him to my dad.

Be very careful about who you let into your home though. Get references!

Answer 8

i live in a senior high rise income based, there are some here who are in good health just retirement age and post ads to help do anything to help others that need the help. i use their help all the time since i am disabled and i pay them but they are more reasonable than anywhere else i have tried to get help from.

Answer 9

I'm naturally a slob, and have a cleaning lady come in to do the big stuff once/month. The day before is "Panic Pick up day".

Answer 10

I give the hubby whatever help he needs. And if that doesn't get it done, we have someone from our church that does heavy cleaning at a very reasonable charge. You might check there or post on a church/community bulletin board. But, I would recommend checking references when you find someone.