In Home Care Worker

Job Description

Job Description

Companion Care / Respite Care Provider

Madison, WI | Part-Time | $16.32–$25.00/hour, based on experience.

About the Opportunity:

A warm, imaginative woman is looking for a Companion Care/Respite Care Provider to share meaningful time with her each week. Now retired, she built her career across state government, nonprofits, and political work centered on equality. She’s also a lifelong artist, a devoted reader, a Harvard alum, and — to this day — a genuinely curious person who loves good conversation and a good laugh.

She’s easygoing and pleasant to spend time with, though she occasionally needs a gentle nudge to transition into an activity. She’s a strong listener who connects ideas across subjects and can talk in depth about art, politics, gardening, and more — even though she sometimes forgets she just washed her hair. She takes real pleasure in teaching and advising, roles that echo the administrative work she once did. Once she’s comfortable with you, expect a witty remark here and there.

This position suits someone who enjoys engaged, verbally rich companionship paired with hands-on caregiving — someone equally at home discussing abstract art and gently steering the day back on track.

Who We’re Looking For:

The ideal candidate:

• Has training and experience working with individuals living with dementia.
• Knows how to communicate effectively with people experiencing dementia and its variations.
• Is articulate and enjoys thoughtful, higher-level conversation.
• Picks up on subtle shifts in mood or energy, and is patient and respectful of boundaries.
• Brings natural warmth and a good sense of humor.
• Adapts easily to changing needs, routines, and reactions, staying calm when plans need to pivot unexpectedly.
• Understands how to encourage independence while still offering the right level of support.
• Brings ease, curiosity, and a bit of playfulness to everyday moments.
• Pays close attention to detail: shows up and leaves on time, manages shift time so required and optional tasks get done, completes the daily activity and food log, and communicates clearly and promptly with the family member managing her care.
• Works collaboratively and with an open mind alongside the family member managing her care — responding promptly to texts or emails, problem-solving creatively, flagging issues early, and asking questions or offering feedback when unsure how to approach something.
• Is responsible and reliable. You, along with one or two others, are among the only support people for a family member who oversees every aspect of this person’s life and provides 24/7 care while also working a professional job from home. Time off should be requested in advance, and last-minute cancellations should be reserved for true emergencies or illness.
• Follows standard health care worker precautions — notifying the point of contact promptly about illness and staying home when sick and contagious, in consultation with the point of contact.

A Day in This Role:

Each shift combines required tasks with activities planned together. You’ll come to know her wide-ranging interests — art, writing and editing, social systems and change, politics, feminism, gardening, and more — while bringing your own interests into the mix.

Required each shift:

• A half-hour neighborhood walk.
• Physical therapy stretches and exercises that you lead.
• Time spent with her reading aloud to you.
• Light meal and snack prep, with prompts to eat and drink water as needed.
• Light housekeeping.
• Personal care as needed.
• Completing the daily log and food log.

Woven throughout the shift:

• Conversation about her life and yours, shared interests, and new ideas.
• Virtual museum tours and planning future art outings — shows, galleries, exhibits, the library, flower gardens, garden shows, parks.
• Art-making with markers or watercolors on subjects you choose together; she loves teaching drawing and watercolor technique and welcomes your project ideas too.
• Help with your written or spoken English, if that’s useful or enjoyable for you — she genuinely delights in language, writing, and editing despite some dementia-related limits, and has previously helped a provider brainstorm and draft grad school application material.
• Baking, typically from “healthier” box mixes.
• Errands like grocery runs or a haircut.

You’ll use your own vehicle for outings in the community (mileage reimbursed).

Schedule:

• Part-time: 2 to 18.5 hours per week, with room to grow over time.
• Shift window: Noon–6:00 PM, seven days a week.
• Typical shift: 4 hours (e.g., 1:00–5:00, noon–4:00, 12:30–4:30).
• Minimum shift: 2 hours.
• Occasional requests to cover for another provider or work a longer shift — always optional.
• The aim is a steady weekly schedule as part of a small, consistent care team; the family works to accommodate your availability, with the understanding that flexibility runs both ways.

Requirements:

• Age 18+ with a high school diploma or GED.
• At least one year of experience working with people with dementia; formal dementia-care education/training preferred; CNA or related credentials a plus.
• Verifiable references (professional and personal).
• Valid driver’s license, reliable vehicle, full auto insurance, and a clean driving record, with enough trunk or cargo space for a collapsible walker on some outings.
• Willingness to complete a background check.

Why This Role?

This is a rare chance to build a real relationship with someone who has lived a rich, purpose-filled life and still finds joy in art, ideas, and good company. If you’re drawn to meaningful, one-on-one companion care where your intellect and warmth are just as valued as your caregiving skills, we’d love to hear from you.