In this blog post, we will take a deep dive into what you can expect from a Work From Home With Purpose opportunity with Restoring Hope! According to an article by Bankrank, in February 2024, Missourians had an average commute time of 23.8 minutes to work daily. Multiply that by five days a week for a year, and you're looking at 206 hours to and from work! What could you be doing that better serves you and your family in that amount of time? I can think of several! For parents of young children or grandparents responsible for helping with their grandchildren, working from home opens up, in many cases, your flexibility and availability to meet your family's needs.
The unique thing about Restoring Hope is that our caregivers have been successfully working from home even before COVID-19, which has increased the remote working options for many Americans. Working from home also allows many people to save money on gas, oil changes, lunch, and work attire. Based on an article published by the U.S. Career Institute, average people working from home save $12,000 annually. A hybrid worker who works half the time remotely can save up to $6,000 each year. Mental health also comes into play when working from home. According to the previously mentioned source, working from home can positively impact a person's mental and physical health. "Nearly all working professionals surveyed agreed that working from home was good for their health; 93% agree that working remotely has had a positive impact on their mental health, and 90% say that it has had a positive impact on their physical health."
The reality of being a Restoring Hope caregiver may not always provide you with a stress-free life - I would be amiss to state or even make that promise. However, according to the U.S. Career Institute, "48% of those surveyed said that less stress is one of the health benefits they experience from working remotely, followed by less burnout and healthier food choices to round out the three top health benefits of working from home." As I've spoken to many caregivers throughout my time with Restoring Hope, I've learned that what they get from this career far outweighs its challenges. It's their life's call to see that a child or an adult with a developmental or intellectual disability and, in many cases, abused and neglected in their past need someone in their life to advocate for and love them for who they are. Someone willing to walk alongside them in their journey to begin the healing process of their past trauma. And if nothing else, to be present with them in it. Caregivers also love that they can be more available to their families and grandchildren - the things in life that are most important to them. And you just can't put a price tag on that.
When considering what the most important aspects of a job are, U.S. Career Institute stated from their surveys those top seven aspects to be:
Having Remote Work (ability to work from home)
Salary
Having a Flexible Schedule
Work-Life Boundaries
Having a Good Boss
Meaningful Work
Healthy Company Culture
Restoring Hope offers many options for our caregivers to work from home. Those careers range from our contracted caregivers, who provide Host Home placement to a client, or Relief Homes who provide relief for clients in the care of a Host Home. Some of our caregivers are both a Host and a Relief Homes, so essentially, they have client(s) that are placed with them, and they also provide relief for other homes, which generates more income for them but more importantly it helps our Host Home caregivers and clients get a break. Not all, but many of our team members also work remotely, with some traveling for home checks and interagency meetings.
What sets Restoring Hope apart from other similar agencies?
Having Remote Work "Work From Home" - As a caregiver, you will likely spend the bulk of your time at home, with the exception of taking your clients to doctor appointments, school if they are school-age and do not ride a bus, and community events if stated within their ISP, for example.
Salary - As a caregiver, you're offered competitive compensation with our agency. Rates will always vary based on the client and their needs. Once a caregiver contractor has agreed to have a full-time client, they will receive an electronic client agreement. The client agreement will provide selectable options that best suit the contractor. The contractor will have three choices that range in compensation and the total number of relief days allotted per month. Based on the contractor's compensation preference, the amount of relief days will decrease or increase, allowing the contractor to choose what is most important to them. Prior to the above and just after you've applied to be a Host Home and/or Relief Home, our Host Home Coordinator can address your questions regarding pay and what you can expect on average to receive for compensation. The Host Home Coordinator will also discuss the extensive client matching process with pre-placement visits before commitment. Regardless of having a client contract agreement with us, we find it helpful if Host and Relief Homes to attend our inter-agency seasonal parties, r3 Conference and r3 SUMMITs, as these provide an excellent opportunity to not only build a solid network of friends to call upon in time of need or fun, but also to share with caregivers that you're open to do relief with their client for them, for example. Our events genuinely make you feel like you're part of something unmatched by other agencies; it's a supportive and family atmosphere for everyone! And our team is only a phone call or email away when you have questions.
Having A Flexible Schedule - As a caregiver, you can take your client(s) with you to ball games, do laundry, clean your house with them, go on trips, and spend more quality time with those you love while generating a substantial income for yourself and your family. With access to other Relief Homes, Host Homes can utilize relief services to go on vacations, live a life of freedom of choice, and have a reasonably flexible lifestyle. However, depending on the level of need your client(s) may have, your flexibility will vary. Some of our clients have higher medical needs and require significant support. While others have part-time jobs and yearn to build independence, they just need your support along their journey. But again, you have the freedom to choose what type of client(s) you are willing to take on and how much relief time you require to suit your lifestyle and financial needs.
Work-Life Boundaries - I'm certain that some of our caregivers may struggle with some aspects of work-life balance - because your work follows you. However, they choose to do life with their client(s), and at many points in their journey, clients become like family. If you refer back to one of our previous blog posts, Restoring You - A Caregivers Guide, written by one of our veteran Host Homes, Kevin Styles, you'll pick up on some tips for work-life balance. Kevin speaks about self-care through finding time in your schedule, devoting time to improving yourself, not being rigid, and finally assessing what you allow to pour into you. Proper planning and taking care of yourself are essential. As caregivers, we must be full to pour out to others when others need us. And most importantly, utilizing the built in relief days in your caregiver contract will provide you with time off to get your bearings or to induldge in some much needed me-time!
Having A Good Boss - The neat thing about being a contracted caregiver of Restoring Hope is that you're essentially your own boss! Now, Missouri Department of Mental Health and Restoring Hope regulations and policies must be adhered to, and there are trainings and documents you must keep current and renew to remain compliant; however, you're the driver of your caregiver vessel. Another unique aspect of being a caregiver is that as a Host Home, Restoring Hope supplies you with a Program Manager assigned to the client living in your home. They provide 24-hour on-call support and monthly in-person visits and assist you with finding relief based on your contract relief days and in light of unexpected emergencies. Not only that, your Program Manager is your support partner in helping you provide the best care to your client(s). Based on feedback from our recent r3 Conference, caregivers were asked to tell us what they love about Restoring Hope, and the results were unanimous. The majority reported they loved the support they received and were treated like family. These statements are a direct result of the relationships built between our caregivers and Restoring Hope team.
Meaningful Work - Essentially, our work is in our name, who we are, and what we do - we restore hope! If you haven't had a chance, visit our Testimonials page. Here, you'll hear how Gary and Christina Oller have found their life's calling in caring for two young ladies. You'll listen to John Gueltzau Jr., a client headed down a rough path, who found hope with David and Brandy Fajen and wants to live with them for the rest of his life. You'll hear how Rick and Karen Ryals were able to help transition one of their foster kiddos to Restoring Hope, and as a result she received better care for her medical needs. These caregivers have all changed lives, impacted the people in their communities by their selflessness, fought for those in their care, supported their clients, and opened them up to their personal families. Caregivers take their clients on vacations, giving them new and better memories to carry with them for the rest of their lives. Many clients enter our services coming from painful pasts that some of us probably wouldn't want to believe they've been through. But positive life experiences, love, and belonging are what our caregivers provide to our clients - it's most definitely meaningful work, I can assure you!
Healthy Company Culture - Restoring Hope is nearly 16 years old; we will hit this incredible milestone in October 2024. Our mission has remained the same. We were designed to restore hope in others. For our clients who deserve love and care, to our caregivers who want to work from home, spend more time with their family, have the flexibility to live the lifestyle they desire, and still have a substantial income. To our team members who live this mission and give all, they strive to be the best for our state. Restoring Hope also provides leadership programs to its team members to help equip and develop them to become better supporters of their clients, caregivers, communities, family, and friends. Restoring Hope embodies a company culture that is for its people!
So, if you're interested in becoming a Host Home and opening your home to take in and care for a child or adult with a developmental or intellectual disability and are willing to assist your client(s) in maintaining a healthy, happy, and safe life within the home and community environment, this could be a perfect "Work From Home With Purpose" opportunity for your life! And if you just want to get your feet wet and see if you like it, become a Relief Home. Doing relief for other Host Homes is a perfect opportunity to meet a client, provide care, receive compensation, build relationships with other like-minded people, and do something with purpose! Or if you know someone who might benefit or make a great caregiver, tell them about Restoring Hope! The more caregivers we have, the more individuals we can serve and provide safe, loving homes to. We love what we do!! Find out more and apply today, below.
Let's stir up HOPE for every person we can, in the state of Missouri!
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