CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Caring for older loved ones is getting harder, more expensive and more taxing on American families as seniors increasingly choose to stay at home rather than move into a nursing home or assisted living facility.
Also, that choice is impacting employers. According to a Harvard Business report, 40% of people are quitting their jobs so they can care for an older loved one because getting help is so expensive.
Christine Griffin is 81 and has dementia. She and her husband John still live on their own in their Charlotte home but need some help every day.
Their daughter Anne Schmitt was shouldering most of that burden.
“It caused a lot of stress in my life," Schmitt admitted.
Now, though, she has help from Naborforce. This service is newer to Charlotte, and it pairs older people with other community members who are willing to help with day-to-day tasks like taking medication, running errands, cooking or cleaning.
Susan Slade is the “nabor” who works with the Griffins.
“She wakes us up, makes my wife take her pills, get dressed, fixes breakfast," John Griffin said. "It’s wonderful.”
Slade said getting Christine Griffin to take her medicine is "one of those things she’ll start and stop, so you have to be attentive.”
Many families end up paying for in-home health care in order to help with these types of tasks, and the cost can add up.
A new study by Seniorly shows a record 42 million Americans are serving as caregivers and spending an average of 26% of their household income on loved ones.
WCNC Charlotte is always asking "where's the money?" If you need help, reach out to WCNC Charlotte by emailing money@wcnc.com.
The average cost to hire help in North Carolina is nearly $30,000. Most in-home health care providers require a minimum of four hours per shift, but Naborforce has just a one-hour minimum, and it pro-rates its time.
Schmitt said a home health service isn't what's needed in the case of her parents, so Naborforce has been helpful.
“In the industry, this has been a gap for many, many years," Helen Burns, who works in community development for Naborforce in Charlotte, said. "It stems from when people wanted home care as opposed to nursing or assisted living, so when people want to stay in their homes but don’t need nursing care but they need an extra hand.”
For the Griffin family, there’s some financial relief from using Naborforce, but, perhaps even more importantly, it's eased an emotional situation.
"There’s a lot of stress relief for me knowing they’re being taken care of every day," Schmitt said.
Naborforce said there’s a big demand for more people to be nabors in Charlotte. Find out more about how to become a nabor on the company's website.
Contact Michelle at mboudin@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
WCNC Charlotte is committed to reporting on the issues facing the communities we serve. We tell the stories of people working to solve persistent social problems. We examine how problems can be solved or addressed to improve the quality of life and make a positive difference. WCNC Charlotte is seeking solutions for you. Send your tips or questions to newstips@wcnc.com.
