Need somebody to sub. for me 4/22-4/27

Hi- I know this is a long shot, but I work for an elderly couple in Evanston. I primarily cook for them, but I also shop for them, and run errands. I am going to be out of town starting 4/22. I will be coming back on 4/27. The couple live 2 blocks from Evanston hospital, and the wife is 89, and the husband is soon to be 94. The husband works mornings at the company in the loop that he started 50 years ago. He is CEO emeritus of the company.

Here is the catch. I cook breakfast for them, and then return and cook lunch for them, and finally return in the evening and cook dinner for them. Most of the time I am there for 1 1/2-hours for each of the shifts. Because the husband works in the loop most weekday mornings you have to be there at 6:00am to fix breakfast. On Saturday you do not have to be there until 7:30am. There is a possibility that we can work something out if you can not come for all three meals. I have an ad posted on craigslist under domestic, but I've only had three responses so far, and the one person that would be ideal can only come for the dinner shift on the weekdays, but can do all three shifts on the weekend days.

They are into comfort food, and they are not looking for a gourmet professional chef. It is more important that they find a mature person with at least average cooking skills, who has had experience working with the elderly. Some of the dishes they like are spaghetti, hamburgers, scalloped potatoes, soup, egg salad, and tuna fish sandwiches. I found this chicken and pasta dish on the back of a can of campbell's cream of mushroom sop that they love.

I am hoping that somebody that visits the board might know somebody that might be interested in filling in for me during those days I will be gone. I am going to be at jazzfest down in New Orleans. One of my sister's lives down there, and so I don't have to pay for an expensive hotel room.

For anybody who has never been there, I highly recommend it. Tickets only cost $45 per day, for 7 hours of music. They have 10 stages going on simultaneously, and they always have some big name acts, but 80% of the performers there are local. There are also over 100 food booths there, and the food is really reasonable. The majority of the food is Cajun.

PM me if you know someone that might be interested in the job. I would prefer to find somebody that lives in the Evanston area. Thanks, Nancy

Couldn't you cook ahead some things that they could eat cold or just warm up for the few days you'll be gone? Quiche or something like that for breakfast or breakfast pastries, yogurt and cereal. Casseroles and one-pot meals for lunch and dinner. Maybe a cold-cut spread for a couple of the lunches.

You could make everything ahead and package it per meal with instructions. Or maybe since you have somebody who can come in to cook the dinners, you could just do make-ahead meals for the breakfast and lunches, or he or she can.

Hi- Thanks for the suggestions, but the husband is very set in his ways, and he is used to being the boss. I've worked for the family for over a year and a half, and last year when I went to jazzfest, they fended for themselves while I was gone, but the wife has had some health setbacks this winter, and two weeks ago, she fell in her house, and they don't know why. She fell backwards, and hit her head and bruised a few ribs. Thank god she did not break anything, but she is still sore, and she uses a walker sometimes.

For lunch and dinner they could get by with leftovers, but for breakfast the husband has to have Quaker oatmeal with Sunmaid raisins, a poached egg, a small pancake, milk, and orange juice. He will not eat instant oatmeal. I bought them some frozen pancakes that they can just stick in the toaster a few days ago, but I have not fixed them yet. I tried frozen waffles on them and he did not care for it.

I have gotten 4 responses to my ad on craigslist, but only one person has specifically mentioned that she has had lots of experience with the elderly, and that is the person that can only do a partial schedule. I've told them that if they try to find someone through an agency for those days, that no agency will send out anybody for less than a single four hour shift, let alone for three short shifts, and the agency would charge them a ton of money.

I really need somebody that has the patience to deal with the husband, as opposed to somebody that is a great cook. Thanks anyway, Nancy

Hello Nancy,
I don't know if this will help but 10 years ago some friends of mine opened up a small private chef/catering company in Skokie which is just around the corner from Evanston. I worked with them when they got started but the drive was just too long from where I lived. They are super nice people and one part of their business is taking care and serving elderly/people just discharged from a hospital meals along with corporate catering and many other ventures. It doesn't hurt to give them a call and see if they can work with you. Contact Lynda or Chef Daniel Hope this helps!

John

http://rent-a-chef-inc.com/

Check www.chicagopersonalchefs.com. Many members have a lot of experience with elderly clients.