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The caregiver and her mother are tag teaming 24-hr care for my mother. I hired them from an agency. I live there, too. I loaned her money and she now wants me to be here child's godmother. She's only been in our home for 3 months. Should I be concerned?

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You should NEVER mix business with pleasure as the saying goes, and I tend to agree with that very wise statement.
And I would venture to guess that if your caregivers agency found out that she asked to borrow money from you that she would be fired immediately.
She definitely crossed the ethical line by doing that.
I would definitely be concerned, and you may want to request different caregivers if not from the same agency then another.
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Reply to funkygrandma59
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Has the money been repaid?
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Reply to Beatty
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I would be concerned. My uncle has fallen for the Goddaughter bit and given thousands of dollars to this person because he feels obligated as a godparent. Elder abuse is more like it. Please don't loan any more money.
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BurntCaregiver Jul 13, 2024
@AMZebbC

You know, being a godparent is a very special honor in many cultures.

I am Sicilian. My godfather (patrone) always looked after me. Better than my own father and did so until he died. I have three godchildren of my own that I look after special as well.

Don't be judgmental about your uncle taking being a godfather seriously. Don't put a nasty and shameful spin on it either about him having 'fallen' for his own goddaughter. That's disgusting.
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The first time she asked to borrow money I would have fired her and reported her to the agency. Get her out of your life -- now.

Also, you should be hiding your Mom's sensitive information and valuables, like checkbooks, jewelry, cash, credit and debit cards, passwords, SSN, house deed/title, passport, prescription medications, etc. You should put a credit freeze on your Mom's accounts (she doesn't need credit anymore, anyway). Buy a fireproof safe where you can lock it all up in a closet and it's too heavy to run away with it.
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Beatty Jul 12, 2024
Me too. Instant dismissal & reported for such unprofessional behaviour.
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Everybody else sees this a predator behaviour and it may very well be but if you like these people and they give good care I think that you can take a wait and see approach. Be on guard, as Geaton advises secure all the assets and don't make any more loans or allow the relationship to become anything more that professionally friendly, it they are grifters they will show their true colours once it becomes clear you are not easy marks.
Oh, and bringing in a third (or fourth) caregiver might be a good idea too, that way you have someone else to rely on should things go wrong.
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Geaton777 Jul 12, 2024
It's incredibly unprofessional for them to ask to borrow money from this OP. Now they smell money + a naive person and will go into overdrive trying to get stuff out of her. Even if they aren't professional financial abusers, then they don't see boundaries. This is troubling in and of itself. This is a client/worker relationship and blurring that line will be a problem. They need to be reported to the agency.
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Red flags waving in your face, pay attention. I would never lend her any money and would report her to the agency she works for, IMO you are being set up. This is a con job.
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Reply to MeDolly
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Wait. This cg not only has her mom there but is pregnant? Do you want three generations including this child living with you and possibly not leaving when you want? The $400 is just the beginning.

The way to handle this is by firing them by reporting them to your agency.
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pamzimmrrt Jul 12, 2024
I so agree! They will be using her address, and hard to evict.
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Suzzan, I'm not saying one way or the other, because honestly, who knows, from one paragraph.

I will say, I have learned the hard way to keep a polite distance from new people until I get to know them. I've had to learn the hard way. If we get a new neighbor, I keep a friendly distance.

I need to know people know and get to know a lot more about them before I get to chummy, with anyone. And if someone comes across to strong , that is a red flag for me

I took a walk with someone, I hardly new, and she was like, oh, your my new best friend, it really creeped me out. So that was the last walk we had.

I also keep my distance from new people so they get to know me , and my rules of friendship. I can't stand when a friend takes over my life and stops in all the time. I've been friends with people that completely consumed my life, and I had to dump them , because they just couldn't understand that , that is not the type of friendship I wanted.

So I'll just say, this for me would be all to fast.
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Reply to Anxietynacy
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This is going too fast. I am surprised that an agency is pairing up relatives. Burnt can chime in on that. I would never have loaned her money and I would have reported her to the agency for asking. No, do not except being a godmother. This will get you in deeper with them. I see a scam here. Aides are employees and as such need to be professional. As an employer you to need to be professional. If I had loaned the aide money, there would have been an IOU signed with instructions how it would be paid back.

No problem in liking your aide and showing appreciation. But agency aides are not allowed to borrow money or take gifts from clients. I would watch these two. They are waiting for you to become comfortable with them, then you are going to start missing things. She is going to ask if its OK to bring the baby to work. This is a no no. I am sure the agency would not allow it. Ask for another loan, "Sorry, not until the first loan is paid back".

Really, now that you have been warned, you need to be more alert. But if it was me, the first time she asked for a loan, I would have reported her.
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BurntCaregiver Jul 13, 2024
@JoAnn

I did chime in on this. I would not allow two family members to EVER share a case. NEVER. No reputable homecare establishent would.
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Suzzzen, welcome to the forum. Please fill out your profile. That will help us better understand what is your situation. Example, is your Mom in her 50's or 90's, what are her main medical issues? Do you work outside of the home, thus are away during the day?


Curious, you mentioned you hired these women from an Agency. Do you pay the women directly or do you pay the Agency? Is the Agency licensed, insured and bonded?


If you pay the women directly, make sure you purchase Workman's Comp insurance for in case one or both women get hurt on the job (easy when lifting someone). Said comp insurance can be purchased through your homeowner's insurance carrier.


A definite "no" to being the Godmother. Who knows how many others are also the child's Godmother.
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Hopeforhelp22 Jul 12, 2024
Hi freqflyer - thank you for mentioning Workman's comp insurance - I never even thought of that in the case of hiring a private caregiver. Just wondering, if a private caregiver is hired, is it customary to have them sign an employment agreement, or anything of that sort?

- thank you!
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This is so stupid it is obviously a fake post. I hope the mods delete it.
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Why did you put your question under Frauds and Scams? Either this post is a joke or you know darn well you're being scammed!
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BurntCaregiver Jul 13, 2024
THANK-YOU!
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Yes a person You Hire shouldn't be asking you for money you are Not a Bank or ATM . Once they ask for Money it only gets worse and they want More . I Had a Lot of trouble with a couple handy men supposedly working For My Dad. First guy got about $10,000 , forged a lease , Broke into Both My Dads condos - I Called 911 and we got him and his GF Out . It started with Him asking or rather demanding $3500 and walking him to the Bank . APS , a Police detective got Involved But this guy and his brothers were notorious for elder abuse . This caregiver has no Boundaries . Another guy My Dad was paying $200 a day to basically do Nothing and he Knew My dad was Ill and I heard him asking for " $3000 for a Car . " he got about $15,000 and I got the police Involved But we never were able to catch him . I Found Him Lurking Outside My House . The Point is If someone doesnt Have boundaries that is a huge Red Flag and it will Only get worse .
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Reply to KNance72
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Does this make sense to you? To lend people you don't know money and let them move into your house? And there's a baby too? Or is the daughter pregnant? If any of this sounds good to you then I'll sell you a real nice bridge in Brooklyn at a super special price, my friend.

Forgive me if I speak plainly, but please use your brain and think for a minute.

Does it make sense to you that a reputable homecare agency would send a mother and daughter caregiving team to move into a private home and work a 24-hour assignment? Some illegal, fly by night agency would do this. A reputable one would not. I own a homecare agency and I would not allow this for one second. We do not even provide 'live-in' care. We'll provide 24-hour care, but none of my caregivers live in a client's home and make it their official residence. No way. Some agencies do live-in, I do not.

Drop this agency immediately and find a reputable one. Or hire a couple of private-duty caregivers from a caregiver website that you can interview and check out personally.

Fire these two and the agency they work for at once immediately.
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JoAnn29 Jul 14, 2024
Glad you chimed in. The mother and daughter team was my first concern. Then then the loan of $400.
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She's not getting enough from the agency? Besides, she is using your utilities isn't she? This does not sound right at all.
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Reply to cover9339
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Pay me $400 and I'll be your friend...
I get finding a suitable caregiver is nearly impossible, be careful of one asking for money.
Are they both bonded and insured? Whenever I start thinking about finding one for my wife I get this visual in my head of my office security camera showing them rifling my file cabinets while I'm gone.
It's a tough call but use your gut instinct, only you can.
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BurntCaregiver Jul 13, 2024
@BluSky1

The client or their representatives have to actually do a minuscule amout of work and research themselves about what homecare agency they may use or what caregivers they may hire privately. Everyone has a computer today so it's up to the consumer to do a little bit of work themselves in choosing who they let in their homes.

Also, when you have people coming into your home to work, you secure valuables. You get locks on cabinets.

We have a cleaning lady who comes in for us. I knew this woman for a long time. I still don't leave my checkbook, or credit cards, or the pearl and diamond suite my husband gave me as a wedding gift out on the counter. Common sense.

You don't want your filing cabinets rifled though at home if you're not there?

Lock them. Then put them into another room and lock the door. You can have a space that is off-limits to a caregiver or housekeeper that you lock.
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This sounds fishy as all get out. Get these people out of your home immediately. Report the agency to your Department of Health complaint section. Either you are new to this game of home health care, but I've never heard of relatives working a twenty-four hour case. Who owns this company? Is it privately owned?

You are paying for a service? Is it private pay? If it is private pay, that means you are paying for services and forking out additional money to someone you think is honest? It doesn't sound like integrity to me. It sounds like a scam.
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Reply to Scampie1
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I would not have loaned her money.
At least without a signed note of payback.
If she does not pay you back you need to inform the agency. This may be against agency policy. (could be construed as financial elder abuse.)
I would refuse to be the child's godparent. You are not her friend. She is not your friend. You are her employer (yes I know she is employed by the agency but you get my drift)
BOUNDRIES.
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Reply to Grandma1954
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You’re likely being slowly, or not so slowly, set up. Watch your money, watch mom’s money, and really consider the safety of having these people in your home
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Reply to Daughterof1930
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Omg!!! Fire them immediately
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Reply to Cruiseforever
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It’s never good to loan money
it may not stop then god parent they might expect more bebefits
id say you’re flattered and spite hate the gesture but you take that role very seriously and need to know people longer
if they ask fur anymore money
its
no!
you haven’t got it
nit saying they are aiming to take advantage of your good nature but I think you shd protect yourself once they are
woman in work years ago suffered a long time before she told us all
she moved - nice couple next door knocked - we e made you a salad you must be tired in the move
thx given wot nice people
next day a knock
them again
Hi
weve come for dinner!!
This continued fir a few weeks daily until she broke down upset telling us
and they were sent packing
there are a lot of not so good people out there looking fur a kind heart
be careful
ecen if they are genuine -who asks to borrow money from someone they’ve only just recently become wanted to if ever- send them packing
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pamzimmrrt Jul 14, 2024
Well this is confusing as heck!
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Regarding workman's comp insurance when hiring a caregiver: www.care.com/hp/nanny-workers-compensation-insurance ..... This article also refers to caregivers.
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Reply to freqflyer
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Red flags all over here, especially with the caregivers wanting to be chummy as a godparent. You are being groomed for a good scam.
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Reply to MACinCT
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Ps if the care giver is making you feel uncomfortable- change her!
she sounds like she’s taking advantage of your good nature. No one should be asking to loan money from you and especially a. Care Worker - and one who you haven’t a long history with. I think you need to change her -actually - don’t wait change her Now!!! And consider the money lost - doubt. you’ll get it back.
get her out asap- she’s def a scammer
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Reply to Jenny10
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Have the agency send out two replacement workers and have these two taken off of your case.
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Reply to brandee
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Trust your gut. The agency can send out two new workers. Tell them these two are not working out and requested money from you.
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