Senior sitters are caregivers that can provide basic help and companionship for elders. Sitters can help with non-medical needs like housework, running errands, medication reminders, and cooking. They cannot provide for medical needs or activities of daily living like bathing, dressing, or administering medication.
Sitters are best for seniors who want companionship and basic supervision when away from a regular caregiver.
Services Generally Offered By Sitters
- Companionship: Sitters provide seniors with someone to talk to, play games with, go on walks with and have company while their primary caregiver is away
- Medication: Sitters can help remind seniors to take prescribed medication but can not help administer it
- Errands: sitters may pick up groceries, give transportation to the doctor or other outings
- Light Housework: sitters may help with cleaning, laundry, meal preparation, or other small assistance with housework
Services Not Provided By Sitters
- Activities of Daily Living: Sitters cannot help with anything requiring physical assistance. This means they cannot assist with activities of daily living like bathing, getting in and out of bed, grooming, or mobility
- Medication: Sitters are also not registered healthcare providers, so they cannot help with the administration of medication or any medical care
What to Look for in a Senior Sitter
A senior sitter is not a health care provider, but a person who can provide companionship and light assistance, so the most important factors will be the personality of the individual sitter, their availability, schedule, and what services they will provide.
Sitter agencies can provide part-time or full-time services and are generally flexible, but determining the general schedule and if services can be provided on-call is important when looking for the right agency.
Madison County Sitter Services