My mother has had 24/7 home care since September. The weekend aide has been there since then. The weekday aide has been there for about a month. Neither of them celebrate Christmas, but it seems like I should give them an end-of-the-year tip. How should I go about judging the amount based on the time they've been employed. We like them both. (A week's pay is obviously not feasible since it costs a fortune.) Thanks.
It was a head scratcher trying to figure out who got what amount. I bought everyone Target gift cards. I had cards $100, $50, and $25. What I found interesting, the male caregiver was the only one who sent me a handwritten thank you note.
Grace + Peace,
Bob in North Carolina
Don't know if that helps. Merry Christmas!
She's choosing to have dinner with your family on Christmas? Smart of her, gets to eat and time and a half pay as well.
xinabess, you even mentioned that giving a weeks pay would cost a fortune, so...
My personal opinion, cash is the best. Depending on how how long the caregiver has been with you, and how well they take care of the patient and don't forget you will have to give more next year.
I would give as much as I could, they deserve it.
I see now. Thanks for the clarification. It's nice there are some decent medical people; too bad there are so few of the same in the Cleveland area.
Knowing how much the family spends on health care it does not compute.
However I would give cash not a gift card.
One of my Dad's caregivers use to cook from scratch, and she would bring him extras she had cooked. He loved her cooking. Her sisters would give her deserts for "Mr. Bob". So in her case, a grocery store coupon would work :)
A tip to a health care professional seems demeaning, imo.
Presentation is everything, wrap it up nice, or put the gift in a pretty card.
Gifts during the year are nice too.
I see nothing demeaning about tipping a caregiver who is only getting $10 to $13 an hour. Maybe it's different for an RN or LPN. My thinking is that if the caregiver is good, they are saving your life and sanity, and keeping your loved one happier. Don't they deserve a nice gift of money more than your lazy, know-it-all sister-in-law?
If you can't afford much, then when you give it to him/her, say, "I wish it could be a million dollars!"