Courtesy of Daughter for Hire
By Jill Nagy
For those mothers who complain that their daughters never come, Laurie Abele has a suggestion: rent a daughter from her service, Daughter for Hire. The “daughters” can provide any non-medical service including housekeeping, grocery shopping, or transportation.
Since she began business on September 30, Abele has found that demand is greatest for transportation and help with laundry, especially if doing the laundry includes trudging up and down stairs.
Employees are subject to national background checks. They receive orientation and training before they start and, annually, training in assisting people with Alzheimers. Although employees receive specialized training in dealing with Alzheimers sufferers, the services are available “to anyone who needs care,” she said. Approximately six weeks in, she had 23 clients “but it is growing everyday.”
For now, Abele is working out of her home in Gansevoort. She is looking for office space in Saratoga. Daughter for Hire is a national company, she explained. The nearest other office is in Latham.
Abele is a former elementary school teacher but also spent time with a different care company.
The basic fee for Daughter for Hire services is $39 per hour for a minimum of three hours. “We can get a great deal done in three hours,” she pointed out. Regular clients also get transportation services for that price; otherwise, it is $42 per hour. In either case, the driver gets reimbursed for the mileage driven. The company works with Eddy Alzheimer Services and also accepts payment from some long-term care insurance policies. Employees are paid on an hourly basis when they work.
For more information email Abele at Laurieabeledfh@gmail.com.