Live-in Aide / Nurse / HHA / CNA / LPN for quadriplegic man

Hi, I am a C5/C6 quadriplegic and I'm looking for a caregiver with a medical background. I am 41 years old, and I am looking for a female healthcare provider to work on the weekends. The shift starts on Friday night at 7 PM and ends on Sunday night at 7 PM.

The core of the job is helping me with the medical portion of my needs in the morning, and to help my wife and I with my daily routine – keeping the apartment clean, helping me with stretching and meals, and general assistance in the home. At night I need help getting ready for bed and I need to be turned once at night. When you are working, you will stay at my apartment with me as a live in worker.

You will split the job with a main caregiver, and depending on your availability/flexibility you may be able to work additional days as the job evolves.

I find that the people that have hard family commitments - a spouse or young children - have trouble balancing life and the job. An ideal candidate for me is a woman with a background in quadriplegic care who may have had children that are now grown (my weekday caregiver is a man). I say this, because there are similarities between this job and raising children, and the job requires someone with a good attention for detail.

All that said, I am open to anyone that thinks they are an appropriate candidate for this job.

MORNING ROUTINE

Because I'm a quadriplegic, the most important part of the job is helping me get ready in the morning. This includes transfers using a Hoyer lift from my bed to wheelchair and shower chair, doing a bowel regimen stimulation with mini-enema, and stretching.

All of this can be taught, but it's helpful if you have an awareness of each of these elements or some medical background. Knowledge/comfort administering the enema and ability to help me with stretching is the most important.

DRIVING/TRAVEL

I have a handicap van, and if you are comfortable driving that would be nice, but not required.

GENERAL ASSISTANCE

I live with my wife, and she helps with a lot of meal preparation and shopping. Sometimes she needs help or sometimes I am on my own, so you need to be flexible and open minded to helping out when needed. This includes helping with cleaning and some meal prep. You will be in charge of the tasks that I would do as a husband if I were able.

NIGHT

At night, I need help getting ready for bed and turning once in the middle of the night. You will sleep in an adjacent room, and wake up in the middle of the night to turn me. This takes some getting used to, but once you get the hang of it, you can kind of sleep walk through this part. It takes about three minutes to turn me halfway through the night.

BACKGROUND

I have been injured for almost 10 years (I broke my neck snowboarding), so my routine is developed and easy to follow. I find that it takes about 5 to 7 days of training to learn it.

I work in marketing, and typically work on the computer from home. Some days you have lots of downtime, which can be helpful if you are studying or something that occupies your free time. I need to have someone nearby to help me with stretching, emptying my catheter bag, or if I need assistance with water to drink.

I think that I am a reasonable person, and easy to get along with.

GUIDELINES

I have had issues with people helping me that have used drugs or alcohol on the job. I've also had issues with people being untruthful or behaving in a way that reflects poorly on me. I feel like it's silly to bring this up but it's important. I will be relying on you for my health and well-being, and I need you to operate in a professional manner – respect me and my household, do not drink or do drugs while working, and behave in an adult way, which includes respecting my home, working alongside my wife, and helping me keep everything organized. I will reciprocate with my own behavior.

Thank you, I look forward to speaking further!