[Guide to Caring for the Elderly] Top 10 Tips for Hiring a Domestic Helper to Care for the Elderly: Comparing Indonesian and Filipino Helpers, Nursing Background, and Helpful Advice

As Hong Kong’s population ages, hiring foreign domestic helpers (“sisters”) to care for elderly family members has become a common choice for many households. However, caring for the elderly is very different from caring for children, as it involves complex issues such as lifestyle habits, language barriers, dignity, and health care. This article compiles the top 10 golden tips for hiring foreign domestic helpers to care for the elderly, helping you resolve common concerns and successfully find the right caregiver!

I. 10 Tips for Hiring a Foreign Domestic Worker to Care for the Elderly

Tip 1: Communicate in advance! Be sure to ask the elderly person first if they are truly willing to accept care.

Many children, out of a sense of filial piety, directly hire foreign domestic helpers for their parents, but overlook the elderly parents’ feelings. The elderly may feel they are “losing their independence” or find it “awkward to have a stranger in the house,” which can lead to resistance. It is recommended to communicate patiently with the elderly in advance, explaining that hiring a domestic helper is meant to “lighten the burden of household chores” or “provide someone to accompany them on walks,” rather than implying that “they are unable to care for themselves,” so that they feel respected.

Tip 2: Indonesian vs. Filipino Domestic Workers? Choose Based on the Elderly Person’s Language and Lifestyle

• Indonesian domestic helpers (Indonesian helpers): They generally have good Cantonese listening and speaking skills, are relatively gentle in temperament and highly obedient, and their diets primarily consist of rice, making it easier for them to adapt to the daily routines and traditional tastes of Hong Kong seniors. They are well-suited for seniors who do not speak English and have a more traditional or stubborn personality.
• Filipino domestic workers (Filipino maids): They have strong English skills and excellent learning and comprehension abilities. If there are English-speaking family members or if the elderly person can communicate in simple English, Filipino maids excel at carrying out complex medical instructions and performing household chores efficiently. They are suitable for families who know basic English, value efficient communication, or need assistance with more complex care procedures.

Tip 3: Is a background in nursing or caregiving required?

• General Caregiver: Suitable for healthy seniors who are still relatively mobile and only need assistance with daily household chores, cooking, accompanying them to medical appointments, or going for walks.
• Medical/Nursing Background: If the elderly person suffers from age-related conditions (such as stroke, Parkinson’s disease, dementia, or requires assistance with suctioning, tube feeding, or diaper changes), it is strongly recommended to give priority to foreign domestic workers who hold a nursing degree or have certified nursing assistant training. They possess professional lifting techniques and first-aid knowledge, which can significantly reduce the risk of falls among the elderly.

Tip 4: Should a foreign domestic worker sleep in the same room as the elderly person?

It depends on the elderly person's health:

• Sharing a Room: If an elderly person frequently gets up to use the restroom at night, is at risk of falling, has severe dementia, or needs to be turned every few hours, having a foreign caregiver share the room can provide immediate assistance.
• Important Note: Sharing a room can easily lead to frequent interruptions in the domestic worker’s sleep at night, and chronic fatigue can affect the quality of care provided during the day. If sharing a room is necessary, employers must ensure that the domestic worker has a separate bed and is given sufficient rest time during the day, or arrange for a family member to take over. If the elderly person is in good health, a separate room should be provided whenever possible to ensure privacy and rest.

Tip 5: Arrange for Professional Training on Lifting and Fall Prevention

Living spaces in Hong Kong are cramped, and falls are the biggest fear for the elderly. Once a foreign domestic worker begins employment, the employer should personally demonstrate or arrange for the worker to learn proper transfer techniques, how to use a wheelchair, and bathroom fall prevention guidelines to avoid injuries to either the elderly person or the worker caused by improper use of force.

Tip 6: Create a Medication Chart

Older adults often need to take multiple medications for chronic conditions. Employers should create a clear medication record (including the drug name, dosage, administration schedule, and a photo of what the pills look like) and sort the medications into separate pill organizers. When administering medication for the first time, the employer must supervise the process; under no circumstances should the domestic worker be allowed to administer medication based solely on memory.

Tip 7: Observe Eating Habits and Swallowing Safety

If an elderly person has poor dental health or difficulty swallowing, you should specifically instruct the domestic helper to cut food into small pieces or cook it until it is very soft, and to ensure meals are low in oil and salt. If the elderly person has specific dietary restrictions (such as diabetes or high blood pressure), you should clearly explain the meal plan to the domestic helper.

Tip 8: Caring for the Emotional Well-being of Older Adults and Coping with Dementia (Brain Health)

When caring for seniors with dementia, foreign domestic workers need a great deal of patience. Teach them not to argue directly with the seniors, and arrange simple daily activities (such as watching TV together, doing simple finger exercises, or listening to old songs) to keep the seniors’ minds active and their spirits high.

Tip 9: Set Up an Emergency Contact System and Create an Emergency Information Card

Post an emergency contact card next to the phone or on the refrigerator, including: your children’s phone numbers, neighbors, a nearby clinic, and the 999 emergency hotline. Teach your domestic helper the immediate steps to take if an elderly person falls, loses consciousness, or experiences chest pain.

Tip 10: Need help but don't know where to turn? Make good use of the HelperLibrary professional platform

Caring for the elderly is a long-term and challenging process. From selecting a domestic helper with the right background and completing the application procedures to communicating and coordinating once the helper starts work, first-time employers often find it overwhelming. HelperLibrary is currently the only platform on the market that provides comprehensive professional consultation and support services for first-time employers. Whether selecting a domestic helper with a nursing background or facing management challenges, it offers professional solutions.

II. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: The elderly person is very resistant to having a foreign domestic worker and frequently criticizes the worker once she starts working. How should the employer mediate this situation?

A: This is a common phenomenon during the adjustment period. Children should serve as a bridge: on the one hand, they should spend more time with the elderly family member and explain that the foreign domestic worker is there to help lighten the load; on the other hand, they should provide emotional support to the worker and teach her not to take the elderly family member’s emotional outbursts to heart. You can start by having the domestic helper handle household chores and then gradually transition to personal care.

Q2: Will the salary be higher if I hire a foreign domestic worker with a nursing background?

Answer: Yes. Foreign domestic workers with a nursing degree, a nursing license, or extensive experience caring for the elderly are in high demand in the market. Employers typically need to offer salaries higher than the statutory minimum wage (such as an additional allowance ranging from $500 to $2,000) to attract and retain talent with professional skills.

Q3: What does the law say if a foreign domestic worker suffers from sleep deprivation due to caring for the elderly at night?

Answer: Under Hong Kong labor laws, employers must provide domestic workers with reasonable rest periods. If a domestic worker is required to care for an elderly person at night, the employer must arrange for the worker to catch up on sleep during the day to ensure they get sufficient rest each day; otherwise, excessive fatigue may lead to accidents during care or labor-management disputes.