Companionship, outings and some assistance for an elderly lady with a close extended family in Auckland, New Zealand

Infos

• 

  Description

  Please note, the position is filled until March 2025.
  
  A minimum of 3 weeks stay is best. Up to 3 months, if it works out, is ideal.
  Vegetarian or vegan preferred.
  Please read to the very end of the profile to be sure to understand the position well.
  
  Companion needed for an elderly woman who turns 90 in December. Lois is a lover of conversation, travel, arts and life. My mum is fiercely independent but is too often on her own and struggles to do some tasks. Lois has reduced mobility and struggles with her speech due to a stoke she suffered over a decade ago. Being her companion would come with some practical requests and an extra eye for her safety, but mostly with finding ways of having fun together. Being a confident driver could be handy as we may have a vehicle available for outings together.
  Fluent English is important.

• 

  Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre

  Projets artistiques

  Compagnie pour pers. âgée

  Jardinage

  Cuisine/repas pour la famille

  Aide à la maison

  Entretien général
• 

  Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre

  A traveller would experience a NZ extended family, as my mother has visits from her 6 children over the course of the week all in various professions, but predominantly in the literary domain and creative arts.
  Lois is an artist and philosopher and a lover of the arts, so there would be opportunities to see NZ theatre, music and art whilst living with her as part of being her companion.
  Lois has compromised speech and movement, but is still keen to discuss the arts and the news of the day.

• 

  Aide

  Hi there, I am writing on behalf of my 90 year-old mother. She lives in a small apartment below our house on Auckland's North Shore. Her mobility and speech were affected by a stoke 17 years ago. She has remained fiercely independent but walks and speaks extremely slowly.
  Mainly Lois needs company when family and friends are not visiting as our house is difficult to get in and out of for someone who doesn't walk well.
  My mother Lois would appreciate someone who can share some meals with her, be in the house overnight and help her get to the local beach for a coffee or to go shopping from time to time.
  She would appreciate conversation, or gardening together and carrying out a few tasks around the house that her caregivers aren't able to do.
  She has care-givers who come and help her with showers and clean once a week and she eats with family 3-4 times a week, however there are a number of hours that she is on her own, and that is where a workaway would be great.
  So to summarise, we need a workaway:
  1. Who is compassionate and enjoys conversation with someone who speaks quite slowly
  2. Who will be available 4-5 hours a day 5 days a week with a schedule to be discussed/arranged, to be company for my mother. This would most likely include a split morning and early evening shift, perhaps (9.00am-11.00, and 7.00pm- 9.00, with possibly another hour either side). However this is flexible.
  3. Can accompany my mother to the beach, to art galleries, to community activities, to the shops
  4. Is happy to do some cooking and cleaning and assist with gentle gardening where required.
  5. Will assist with gentle exercise (walking on the deck/in the local village), maybe at a group physio session.
  6. Enjoy watching movies together or playing board games/cards.
  7. Appreciates a flexible schedule and range of activities.

• 

  Langues parlées

  Anglais: Courant

• 

  Hébergement

  We have just converted the lounge/dining into a shared space during the day, and an overnight studio for my mother. The workaway has a small double bedroom in the apartment that opens out onto the deck (so private entrance if required). The room has wardrobe, dresser and desk, heating and privacy. The bathroom is a shared bathroom off the communal space. The communal space is a separate but open kitchen and lounge dining, surrounded by windows, decks and french windows. The lounge, kitchen and dining looks out onto the shared property and a large sloping garden with fruit trees and lawns.
  The bathroom is a good size with toilet, shower and basin.
  The kitchen is small with an in-built washing machine and bench-top cookers and large fridge
  The studio apartment is beneath my house which has the upper floors. This is where my partner Graham and I live and at some times other family members who are visiting. I will be coordinating any workaway guests and there will be access to my mother's property through our part of the house when necessary. Guests will be invited to share meals with us when my mother dines with us.

• 

  Autres infos...

  We are 5 minutes drive to beautiful beaches and a lovely township. 15 minutes walk.
  Transport is mainly buses to town or further afield. Auckland transport isn't famous for public transport, however there are a lot of options getting to water sports, yoga classes, swimming, indoor skiing, golf, shopping and lots more.
  Lois is a vegan so this position suits a vegetarian or vegan. She has recently decided that she doesn’t want meat prepared or stored in her kitchen, this of course doesn’t stop you consuming meat or fish elsewhere if you wish.
  Anyone interested in the position needs to be resourceful, independent, able to initiate activity as well as be company and support to someone limited by age and her medical condition (stroke and partial paralysis).
  Ruth (daughter who lives upstairs), is an actor director and yoga teacher. she is in her early 60s. Her partner Graham works in a car business, buying and selling cars. He is in his late 60s. Other family members you will meet are travellers, teachers, editors, writers, journalists, nurse, doctors, engineers...
  Lois has 6 children and 15 grandchildren. her husband Robin was an editor of poetry and well known in the literary world of NZ.
  
  Non smokers only please.
  
  Excellent spoken English is very important so that we can communicate duties easily and there is not an additional barrier to talking with my mother.

• 

  Informations complémentaires

  • 

    Accès Internet

  • 

    Accès Internet limité

  • 

    Nous avons des animaux

  • 

    Nous sommes fumeurs

  • 

    Familles bienvenues

• 

  Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?

  Un

Sécurité du site

Feedback (4)