SingaporeMotherhood | Parenting
September 2024
Looking for a Live-in Caregiver for Elderly but Don’t Know How?
Many dual-income families who have young children in Singapore engage domestic helpers. But the caregiving burden doesn’t end there, especially as our own parents get older. As our kids grow up and begin gaining independence, we may no longer need a helper. Yet for many of us ‘informal caregivers’, hiring a live-in caregiver for elderly may also become a necessity.
Of course, most elderly would like to ‘age in place’. “However, the increasingly complex care needs of our seniors must be balanced against the needs of the informal caregiver,” says Bernie Poh, chief executive officer of Allium Healthcare, “because the emotional toll can be profound, commonly leading to feelings of guilt, frustration, and the deterioration of their own health.”
“Financial strain is another significant challenge, as many caregivers have to reduce their working hours or leave their jobs to provide care,” he continues. In fact, Ministry of Manpower’s 2023 Labour Force Survey revealed that about 12,000 residents cited caregiving for their aged, ill, or disabled parents as the main reason for not working.
If your caregiving responsibilities are stressing you out, then consider hiring a live-in caregiver for elderly. Here’s how, from someone who’s been there, done that.
(See also: Why Pre-Planning may be the Most Important Gift You can Give Yourself and Your Loved Ones)
Understanding Your Needs
Before starting your search, assess your senior’s specific needs. Consider the following factors.
Level of care: Can your loved one move around independently, or do they need assistance with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)? These refer to washing, toileting, dressing, feeding, mobility, and transferring (to and from a bed or chair).
Medical conditions: Are there any health issues that require more complex care, such as dementia or stroke? (You may want to consider a qualified nurse over a nursing aide for more complex conditions — more on this below.)
Living arrangements: Ensure your home has suitable accommodation for the caregiver. This may be their own room or shared with the elderly, especially if they require overnight care.
Daily routines: Will the caregiver have other responsibilities, such as housekeeping, cooking, and taking your loved one to medical appointments? (Do note that the contract with a certified caregiver typically does not cover general household chores. They may cook, clean, and do laundry for the elderly under their charge.)
(See also: How to Get your Children to Tidy Up by themselves – and Enjoy doing it)
Caregiver Considerations
Next, here’s what you should think about when it comes to choosing a suitable live-in caregiver for elderly.
Qualifications: A live-in caregiver for elderly is essentially a Migrant Domestic Worker (MDW). The difference is that she has foreign nursing certification or has undergone nursing aide training. Relevant experience in hospital or nursing home settings, or home care for seniors is a plus.
Language: Ensure the caregiver is proficient in the language your senior is most comfortable with, especially if they have difficulty communicating in English. Most caregivers are from India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines, or Sri Lanka, and speak English. Some can even converse in Mandarin or Cantonese, because they previously worked as caregivers in Taiwan or Hong Kong.
Even though my dad speaks English, he couldn’t understand the interim caregiver’s Burmese accent!
– 46-year-old Mia Teo on why she decided to hire a Filipina caregiver
Budgeting: The salary for a live-in caregiver for elderly varies, depending on the caregiver’s qualifications, experience, and country of origin. It generally ranges from $600 to $1,000 per month. There’s also a concessionary monthly MDW levy of $60, plus medical and living expenses such as food, utilities, and transportation.
(See also: Childcare Choices in Singapore and How Much They Cost)
Where to Find a Live-in Caregiver for Elderly
The next step is to decide where you will find that ideal live-in caregiver for elderly. We point out some pros and cons of each option.
Via an employment agency
There are tons of maid employment agencies in Singapore who can also match you with a caregiver for elderly. But we recommend going with the agencies that actually specialise in this area. This is because:
- They have authenticated their caregivers’ nursing certifications and pre-interviewed the candidates for aptitude. They are often also the agency who sends MDWs for elderly caregiver training and relevant experience placements.
- They specialise in asking you the right questions to better understand your senior’s specific needs and conditions. This helps them match you with the most suitable live-in caregiver for your situation.
- Some offer MOM’s Advance Placement Scheme, so you can get your live-in caregiver sooner.
- They typically shortlist a few candidates for your choosing and facilitate interviews between you and your potential caregiver. They are also on hand to support any teething issues you may have after the caregiver moves in.
- Of course, like standard maid agencies, they handle all the paperwork on your behalf. This includes drawing up the employment contract, applying for the Work Permit, purchasing the required maid insurance and security bond, handling embassy requirements of the MDW’s home country, and so on.
Self-service
Naturally, the downside of engaging a maid agency is the extra cost. The fees vary from agency to agency, but may add $2,000 to $3,000 upfront.
If you’re unwilling to pay that premium for convenience, you can hire a live-in caregiver for elderly on your own. This means you’ll have to do all the nitty-gritties yourself, of course.
But first, you’ll need to source for your MDW – this is typically through word-of-mouth. Perhaps a friend or relative no longer needs their caregiver or you’ve been trawling online forums. Either way, highly recommended ‘transfer’ caregivers can be heaven-sent.
After you connect with them to discuss terms and expectations, and decide that they’re the one, the real ‘fun’ begins. Besides the paperwork, there’s legwork too, such as getting your caregiver’s photo taken and fingerprints registered in order to obtain her work permit. You’ll find all the steps on the MOM website.
If this is your first rodeo, it may be worth engaging an employment agency. Yes, it costs more upfront, but think of all the hassles you don’t have to deal with. Whichever you choose, we wish you all the best on finding an ideal live-in caregiver for elderly!
(See also: Stress and Seniors: 10 Ways to help Grandma and Grandpa Feel Better)
The medical social worker at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital took us to the AIC Link office to connect us with a caregiver agency. Active Global not only set us up with an interim caregiver on the day my dad was discharged, they were so efficient and helpful that we decided to engage them again to find a live-in caregiver long-term.
It was during Covid so we interviewed two candidates via Zoom. The second one seemed perfect — and she still is, over four years later. My dad can’t do without her! And yes, we engage the same agency to help us settle each renewal. No regrets!
– Mia Teo, on her experience with a caregiver agency and her live-in caregiver
Essential Resources
A quick Google search turns up a number of dedicated caregiver agencies, such as Active Global Specialised Caregivers, Anglo Caregivers, Aseana Caregivers, and Xedge Resource.
Visit the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) to find MOM-accredited elderly caregiver agencies (and those offering the Advance Placement Scheme).
To help offset some caregiving costs, you can also apply for various care subsidies and funds through the AIC. Some examples include:
- Home Caregiving Grant (HCG) – Lower-income Singaporeans looking after their loved ones at home can receive $250 to $400 cash a month.
- Pioneer Generation Disability Assistance Scheme (PioneerDAS) – Part of the Pioneer Generation Package, pioneers with disabilities can receive $100 cash a month.
- Seniors’ Mobility and Enabling Fund (SMF) – Subsidises care items such as wheelchairs, adult diapers, and milk supplements.
(See also: Are You a Caregiver for Your Child? – Please Read This (+ True Life Stories))
All content from this article, including images, cannot be reproduced without credits or written permission from SingaporeMotherhood.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Telegram for the latest article and promotion updates.
