Are these private hire or staff in a facility? If these are people you hired cash or gift cards would be appropriate. If this is staff in a facility or ones that work for an agency those places of employment may have very strict regulations on what the employees can accept. Most will limit a cash or gift card to $25.00. All caregivers would appreciate a very nice letter thanking them for the kind work they do. If the person is with an agency or working in a facility another letter to their supervisor or HR for their employee file would be appreciated. And just a side thought.. If you do not thank them daily for what they do…start. If you do not greet them each day with a smile and a good morning ..start. If you walk through a facility and see ANY employee..greet them, smile and say good day.
How about a great big hug and sincere thank you. Add to that a homemade Christmas card with sincere best prayers. Why not complete it with a batch of fresh home made cookies. It is not how much you spend that is important but the love that goes into the gift you give that is important. Joseph- Anthony a son of Jehovah I give home made cards that bring tears to the eyes and huge hugs. That is the best.
I finally have a wonderful caregiver through an agency who has been with us 4 hours a day for six months now. Is there an appropriate percentage? Is $500 enough? I pay the agency about $3000 a month and I think his salary is half that.
If you're giving your agency-employed caregiver a $500 Christmas bonus, make sure to give it to him in cash. If the agency he works for finds out about it, they take it themselves or he gets fired for accepting a gift. Keep it cash between you and him.
I am on a very limited income and yet love to do something nice for those who care for me and help me. I assume the caretaker is aware of that and would be grateful for some gift. I personally would take them out to a wonderful dinner of their choosing as to where to go. Or I would buy a gift card from Visa or Master Card. I love to be able to take such a credit card and get what I personally really want. Or their are gourmet food packages such as from Swiss Colony. None will break the bank but do show appreciation.
If you are talking about an unpaid family caregiver, the gift of your time for respite would be PRICELESS! Offer to give them a break by taking on care/supervision for the afternoon, or do a specific task for them. Free up some of their time.
For agency staff, I made up a box of breakroom treats: cookies, hard candy, chocolates, brownies, clementines - everything in individual wrapping of course! I put it all in a red box that I got from the dollar store (it's one their stock comes in; they set them aside for people to take/use.) It cost me $20-25.
A good caregiver is priceless. Try to be as generous with a cash gift as you can. Caregivers themselves are usually living on limited income, and many are as valuable - or more - than family. If this is out of the question, I suggest baked goods, a bottle of wine and a heartfelt, personal note of gratitude.
We plan to buy Dollar Tree bag candy {like Dove} …add ribbons and give a lovely boxed card with it..Moms money is so limited and going fast at $5000 a month. A token of appreciation. Lets hope it is the thought that counts! In my experience..most families baked cookies or took a big box of chocolates to the facility…with Covid…individual bags make better sense..
If you're a good cook, baked goods. If that's not your thing - even a $5 Subway gift card will pay a good part of a lunch....every little bit helps. Pay attention to foods caregiver might have brought to your house - go from there. Pretty coffee cup, if they drink coffee. Stores like Ross often have a few that are better china and really pretty for a few bucks. Even thrift stores are great places to find quality china cups. (My grandmother told me a good china cup makes the coffee taste better - and I think about that every time I pour a cup) Walmart or dollar stores have some cute kitchen towels and hot pads - amount to about a buck each...everyone uses them. Put a pretty bow on it and ta-dah. Cheap enough.
I was never a hired caregiver but I cleaned houses for years and I can tell you that I appreciated cash over any other holiday bonus, I didn't need any tchotchkes or gift cards from shops I normally would never enter. And if I knew someone had a limited income (seniors) I was happy with something like homemade cookies or snack mix.
Our PSW has two kids, is pregnant, and has a low income, so we’re giving her cash. I will probably give her a small something just for her like body cream from Bath & Bodyworks, but I’m sure she could use the extra cash.
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If these are people you hired cash or gift cards would be appropriate.
If this is staff in a facility or ones that work for an agency those places of employment may have very strict regulations on what the employees can accept.
Most will limit a cash or gift card to $25.00.
All caregivers would appreciate a very nice letter thanking them for the kind work they do. If the person is with an agency or working in a facility another letter to their supervisor or HR for their employee file would be appreciated.
And just a side thought..
If you do not thank them daily for what they do…start.
If you do not greet them each day with a smile and a good morning ..start.
If you walk through a facility and see ANY employee..greet them, smile and say good day.
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Add to that a homemade Christmas card with sincere best prayers. Why not complete it with a batch of fresh home made cookies.
It is not how much you spend that is important but the love that goes into the gift you give that is important. Joseph- Anthony a son of Jehovah
I give home made cards that bring tears to the eyes and huge hugs. That is the best.
If you're giving your agency-employed caregiver a $500 Christmas bonus, make sure to give it to him in cash.
If the agency he works for finds out about it, they take it themselves or he gets fired for accepting a gift.
Keep it cash between you and him.
For agency staff, I made up a box of breakroom treats: cookies, hard candy, chocolates, brownies, clementines - everything in individual wrapping of course!
I put it all in a red box that I got from the dollar store (it's one their stock comes in; they set them aside for people to take/use.) It cost me $20-25.
And if I knew someone had a limited income (seniors) I was happy with something like homemade cookies or snack mix.