I recruited a relative to help me with respite so I could getaway with a friend for a few days to celebrate my birthday. More importantly, I was ready to invite her a live in caregiver for mom since I announced that I needed to work full time. Well, my relative arrived a day later than I expected, so I could not drive with my friend to the planned getaway. I adjusted and said I would take alternative transportation a day later. Well, my relative wanted to leave in the middle of the time period I asked. Literally, on my birthday I was tired and felt defeated and needed to do laundry, so that's what I did. Thankfully, another friend called while I was doing laundry and asked me to have brunch. The friend I had plans with also drove back three hours to spend time celebrating my birthday. I mustered up the energy to ask relative to stay longer so I could actually getaway which I desperately needed and wanted. She agreed and I hopped on the earliest bus out of town missing the drive with my friend a second time. So while away, my early onset dementia mother tells her friend that she has help at home. This 'friend' of my mother recruits my relative to work as a caregiver for her disabled husband. Guess what? As soon as I arrived back from my getaway, my relative is making arrangements to now work with my mother's friend. This confused my mother who felt helpful to her friend but didn't quite understand she would loose her help - or mine. I accept that opportunity comes to everyone and I should remain grateful that I accomplished a get away, and this is part of the process of caregiving ... finding help. I'll move on, but I wanted to write this: everyone has an agenda. I need to roll with it. Anyway, I ask my question above, rhetorically. I told my relative I would find someone else to offer the live in position.
To me her behavior is a good indication of what could have happened later, at a more critical time. (And it still can, to the person who did hire her).
She's not reliable, or sincere. You're fortunate to have avoided what could be a worse scenario if you hired her and she quit to go elsewhere, leaving you stranded after already having begun to rely on her.