This business idea takes a page from old fashioned baby-sitting, but with a new twist.
Instead of caring for babies and children, you will offer sitting services for the elderly.
When parents age and can no longer take care of themselves, we usually place them in a nursing home.
However, many sons and daughters choose to move their parents into their own home, and take care of them themselves.
And these usually generous and caring people often deserve a night out! Offer to "baby sit" their parents so they can have a night out, catch up on work, relax...whatever.
Or you can offer daytime services too, taking a senior for a walk, running errands with them, or just parent sitting while the son or daughter takes care of their household needs or errands.
You would be fulfilling a genuine need for many people in your area who are already in desperate need of your services.
As the 'baby-boomer' generation ages, the need for your services will grow quickly. They are just starting to reach their 60's now and for the next 20 years this will be a growing need, more than ever before.
This type of elder care work will require some basic nursing skills. You should have training in CPR and first aid, and even some nurse training would be a big bonus.
Each case may require different skills; and depending on your abilities, you will be able to choose your own jobs.
It is always a good idea to check your own local laws and requirements to see if there are any applicable to the services you would like to offer.
This is always wise so that if anything unusual happens you will not be held legally or financially responsible.
Depending on where you live, you should be able to make at the least $15.00 - $30.00 an hour. This price could also depend on the skills you have to offer.
If you are literally just sitting with them so that they don't forget to turn off the stove when warming water and such, there would be no need to charge a large fee.
On the other hand, if you are restraining an Alzheimer patient that is not cooperative and very active, or a patient in need of constant medication and oversight, you may need to charge more.
Just as parents are very careful about whom they ask to watch their children, children will be equally cautious when looking for help with their parents.
Having the required skills and good reports from others that you have worked for will be necessary.
Advertising by word of mouth is always the best way to acquire new work.
Visiting doctors' offices and leaving your business cards is a good idea. Introduce yourself to the staff and reassure them of your nursing skills.
If you can, leaving brochures describing the services you offer in doctors' offices is a good idea too. This would be especially true for the offices of doctors who specialize in working with the elderly.
Also print up flyers and leave them wherever you think potential clients will see them.
Visit aging service agencies and senior citizen centers and leave your information there too.
This line of work could be helpful in making extra money on the side if you are a college student, doctor's office assistant, schoolteacher, or a nurse.
It is also a wonderful idea for full time work because you can choose your own hours and decide on your own fees.
If you have more interest than you can fill, you can offer work for others that are skilled in this area too. You may find yourself starting a very active business that will grow quickly.
This is one of those small business ideas that would be very easy to start and build as large as you would feel capable of doing.
Parent sitting is going to be one of those new age businesses that will be quite common in our future, since people are living much longer than ever before.
If this is work that you have the needed patience and concern for, why not try this business idea? You will be very happy that you pursued it.
