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Has anyone ever hired a personal driver?

Sun, 02/06/2005 - 00:22
My fiancee was diagnosed w/ partial complex seizures approximately 8 mos ago. We are on medicine #3 and have made little progress. I know I don't have to tell you all how frustrated we are. Maybe our biggest problem at the moment is the driving. My fiancee is afraid he might lose his job. Has anyone ever hired a driver? If so, where do you find such a person? Any idea how much it may cost? Any info would be tremendously appreciated. Thanks so much.cp

Comments

RE: RE: Has anyone ever hired a personal driver?

Submitted by Gretchen on Sun, 2005-01-30 - 07:41
HelloI hired a driver when I had my knee replaced. I was a home health nurse at that time and had to drive to 6-8 homes a day and for about 6 weeks I couldn't drive. I hired a friend's retired father and paid him per trip. I got this idea because of my father who became a volunteer driver when he retired. On Social Security the retired can make a certain amount of money a month but let's face it unless you're claiming this on income tax, which I did BTW because it was business related, payment to the driver can be a cash basis which is more encouraging to many who might drive for you.However now not being able to drive due to epilepsy and I'm sure I never will be able to either, I've found that almost every community even the very small have some kind of service that is free to a nominal amount to drive you. I've lived now in several communities and found these services as a van that went to say Walmart on Thursdays for a buck. Another community had volunteers who drove people to a large city to medical areas and shopping if you callaed and arranged in advance. My present community does this. I'm about 45 minutes away from our little burg to a large city. I call "Volunteer Services" and they'll drive me anywhere in the city but I need to give them several days advanced warning. It's a free service but you are asked to pay for the gas of the volunteer if you can.I'd check with any volunteer clearing house type office, Social Security, the police often know, hospital social workers and for some reason the hospital operators are a plethora of information on all community services. I will give this caution though. The man I hired to drive me when I had my knee replaced was this very stately, mature man, calm, ex school teacher. HOWEVER. I think I lost half the enamel off of my teeth and put a hole through his floor trying to brake for him his driving was so atrocious. Example: he was talking to me, paying no attention to the road, hopped a curb and plowed through someone's privacy fence leaving a large hole. He marked that up as a little mishap, backed up and off we went again. That happened to be my LAST trip with him. So if you're going to hire a regular person? I'd "interview" with a test drive first. This man was the father, again, of a close friend plus I cared a lot for him myself and wouldn't have hurt his feelings sfor the world but the guy could NOT drive and he did NOT know it. It was a sticky wicket of a situation.

RE: Has anyone ever hired a personal driver?

Submitted by fjulian on Sun, 2005-01-30 - 11:59

I'm not sure if you have this company in your area but it might be worth a shot.  Home Instead is a company that you can contract non-medical personel to work in your home.  The minimum hire time is 1 hour in our area at 16.50/hr and they will drive a person to a location for an additional 0.36/mile.   I know it could be a steep cost for a long period of time but it might help in an pinch.  The main company started in Nebraska.   I don't work for them but I am using their services for my mother.

 

Peace,

 

FJulian

 

I'm not sure if you have this company in your area but it might be worth a shot.  Home Instead is a company that you can contract non-medical personel to work in your home.  The minimum hire time is 1 hour in our area at 16.50/hr and they will drive a person to a location for an additional 0.36/mile.   I know it could be a steep cost for a long period of time but it might help in an pinch.  The main company started in Nebraska.   I don't work for them but I am using their services for my mother.

 

Peace,

 

FJulian

 

RE: Has anyone ever hired a personal driver?

Submitted by pongosmommy on Sun, 2005-01-30 - 19:28
When I was informed that I could not drive and could not be left alone...I just about freaked. Then a friend and I discussed it, we thought about who do we know that is unemployed, single, and basically has NO life...we could only come up with one person who would be willing to become my personal slave. LOL This person is her cousin Jimmy. Since my hubby works out of town 4-5 days out of 7, and I need someone to be with me 24/7...well we needed someone that could stay with me when he is gone. Needless to say, my hubby had some requirements of his own. He would be leaving his 2 cherished women in this person's hands. And since Jimmy also fit his requirements...we asked Jimmy to come stay with us.Jimmy has a drivers license except he has no car. I have a car that was only 1 year old when I lost my driving privleges. So the deal is...Jimmy stays with me & my daughter...and has access to my car...only he has to remain avail to me when I need him. So I guess you could say he is my personal driver. He did have the Holiday season off and I sure missed him.Dayna

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