I spoke to a prospective client today on the phone. She just hired a senior caregiver - a woman she calls "Mom's helper" - to come in daily to assist her mother around the house. Her mother has had a series of falls recently, none serious, and needs basic help and companionship at home during the day while her daughter is working. As a sandwich generation daughter of a mother with similar issues with aging, I completely understood why she took this step and the challenges she faces trying to balance her Mom's needs and her own professional and economic needs.

Topics: aging in place, household employer, senior care, Hiring Elder care, nanny tax case study

The Bracamonte family and their former "nanny" Diane Stretton put the term "Nightmare Nanny" into our vocabulary this summer. The Bracamonte family "hired" Ms. Stretton to care for their children in exchange for room and board, and when the relationship fell apart Stretton refused to move out. That is when the Bracamonte's nightmare nanny story began.

Topics: household employee background check, caregiver background screening, nanny background screening

Are you a nanny caring for young children or a senior caregiver caring for a frail adult? Do you employ a nanny or senior caregiver? Does this caregiver know how to reach important parties in an emergency? Every caregiver should be provided with an Emergency Contacts list at the start of employment.

Topics: senior care, nanny, emergency plans, caregiver, nanny tax case study

Quality senior care is a challenge millions of families are facing as our aging family members require increasing amounts of personal care services.

Topics: elder care, aging in place, senior care, companionship services

School is out, and families nationwide are turning to summer nannies to provide safe, individualized caregiving for their young children over the summer holidays.

Topics: nanny payroll, summer nanny, nanny taxes

Topics: minimum wage

The new 2014 Employee Benefit Research Institute survey found that 57 percent of workers have less than $25,000 in total household savings and investments. Two-thirds (68 percent) of those with annual household income of less than $35,000 report less than $1,000 in household savings.

Topics: nanny retirement, nanny savings

The Dr. Phil Show is no stranger to tackling contemporary relationship and mental health issues in a straight forward, no nonsense manner. This week a woman in the audience asked Dr. Phil "When is the right time to take Mom's car keys?"

Topics: aging in place, aging parents, Alzheimer's

We took a difficult call recently from an adult daughter of an elderly couple who employed two senior caregivers. The Smiths live in New York

Topics: eldercare, aging parents, senior care, payroll tax enforcement, nanny background screening