Im live in caregiver for a elderly couple with dementia,I get little breaks during the day long enough to walk my dog, no days off.The lady is up like a dozen times all during the night so i get little to no sleep, The man requires less care from me but i still do alot for him There son pays me $3,600 per month but i wonder if thats enough ?
There is too little information provided in your post to tell you if it is enough.
Are you a family member? If you are living on premise do you have a lease agreement for an exchange of service? I strongly suggest your have a private care contract established for the begining of the year if you do not have one currently. To many variables that can lead you to being homeless and jobless if you do not.
Might be time to find another job, where you can actually still have a life and get the much needed sleep we all need.
Given that, and ignoring my opinion, if you are doing this then it is up to you to ask for the salary you feel is deserved. It will be up to the family whether or not they can afford it, and whether or not they continue to have you do this work, or decide to hire another.
I wish you the best.
I was up a lot at night with care for my father who was up a lot- circling his house. He lives in a guest house on our property. I sought to limit this anxious behavior (he has late stage dementia) and he has been much better on a sleeping/anti anxiety med. A very low dose went a long way to settling his ‘out there’ behavior. That may be something to consider for the wife. It was hard for me to commit as my dad is very anti med. that behavior can be seen as mental pain over physical pain with dementia.
Your “free” rent is what it would cost to rent a room. Around here that’s 1000 a month.
Also, I think you would be wise to document for them what is involved for their parents' care. If you do not tell them the assumption on their part will be that all is manageable, fair and copacetic.
Your service is very valuable. Do not be afraid to ask for fair compensation and some help. It is not reasonable to expect one person to serve the needs for 2 dependent people 24/7.
You don't have to work for these people. You don't deserve more money than what you're getting for an under-the-table job with free room and board. You agreed to it. If it's not working for you move on. Get another job, start paying for rent, utilities, food, and health insurance. That $3,600 a month tax and bill free will seem like a lot when you're living in the real world where nothing is free.
Depending are where you live, room and board can have a significant value. In today’s economy that is easily worth 40k/yr. Or more and as a care giver you are lucky if you actually work 6hrs a day. The only caveat is you need to be available when work calls. So the ideal caregiver would have personal activities they can do at home even side jobs are possible.
consider a pilot as a similar job most think they are well paid but let me draw similarities. Pilots only get paid for wheels up time. They are even are limited to 100hrs/mo. But they still need to do flight planning and preflight technically with no pay and are on call 24hrs a day. The also get rooms and meals paid when on standby Just like a care giver.
so whatever do you decide to pay consider all the unpaid benefits you are giving in addition to the salary for what amounts to a part-time job
you may look at having your hour's reduce to save your sanity, burnout, and stress level. Your health will suffer.
see if the family can have PCP prescribe night time medication.
I was looking into this for my mom but that is not cheap.
Tell the son he needs to hire someone to give you relief so you can take regularly scheduled days off - you determine what that is for you, one day a week, two days? What days would those be?
or you need 4 hours break on some days, with someone to come in and help or take over so you can just get outside, or take a nap. You can't be at your best for this couple if you are so exhausted mentally and physically.