When it comes to side hustles or part-time work, being a driver or a food delivery rider may be the first options that come to mind.
To date, there have been numerous articles written about food delivery riders earning up to $8,000 per month, as riders hustle to do deliveries even through the weekends and public holidays.
While food delivery may be a lucrative side job, there are additional factors you’d have to consider before becoming a delivery rider – such as your preferred mode of transport, the cost of petrol and gas, and more.
That said, there are many high-paying freelance opportunities in Singapore that you can consider if you are looking for a job.
In the case of Alice* and Jun Hao*, they’ve chosen to take the unconventional path of being a professional caregiver with Homage.
Here’s a look at a day in the life of a professional caregiver with Homage, and how our Care Professionals maximise their earnings, all while having control over their time.
How much are professional caregivers in Singapore paid?
As a non-medical professional caregiver with Homage, you can expect to earn $17 to $19 per hour.
Rates differ depending on the time of day (day or night), and whether the visit is on a weekday, weekend, or public holiday.
You may receive additional incentives depending on the type of visits you carry out, as well as the number of such visits that you complete.
How much can you earn as a professional caregiver in Singapore?
Alice* has been a professional caregiver with Homage for 2 years. After taking a break from her previous job as an administrative assistant to take care of her ageing mother and children, she decided to re-enter the workforce as a Care Professional with Homage.
A few days ago, Alice was able to secure two care visits—a longer care visit in the morning from 8am–1pm and a shorter care visit in the afternoon from 2pm–3pm. At a base rate of $17/hour, she earns a base rate of $102 for the 6-hour visit to the above 2 locations.
For the short-hour visit, she was able to get a transport allowance of $5. As such, she was able to earn $107 during the day.
After a short break, she decides to take on a last-minute visit in the evening from 5pm–8pm, where she earns about $71 for the visit. By taking on 2-3 care visits a day, she earns about $200 a day.
| Time of day | Duration | Activity | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8:00am-1:00pm | 3h | Care visit #1 at Hougang | $105 |
| 1:00pm-2:00pm | 1h | Lunch + Transport | - |
| 2:00pm-3:00pm | 1h | Care visit #2 at Serangoon | $17 + $5 transport fee |
| 3:00pm-5:00pm | 2h | Break, pick up kids from school | - |
| 5:00pm-8:00pm | 3h | Care visit #3 at Kovan | $71 |
| Total Work Hours | 7h | Total | ~$200 |
Of course, each care visit is different, and your schedule may differ from day to day. As a Care Professional, you can opt for day or night visits, where you can earn ~$250 per visit for night care visits (9pm–6am).
As for Alice, earning about $200/day allows her to comfortably earn about $4,000/month if she chooses to work 5 days a week.
Taking control of your own time
As a freelance Care Professional, Alice is able to plan her work schedule around her free time. This means taking the morning off to take care of her mum, or taking on a night care visit so that she can spend the day with her children during the school holidays.
CP Jun Hao*, an undergraduate studying physiotherapy at a local university, prefers taking on the occasional nighttime care visits so that he can focus on his classes during the day. Being a Care Professional allows Jun Hao to gain experience in the healthcare sector, and applies his physiotherapy knowledge by doing simple exercises with the elderly during his caregiving visit.
Taking on only about 2 to 3 nighttime visits a week, Jun Hao earns an average of $500/week (~$2,000/month) as a freelance professional caregiver.
Tips from top-performing caregivers at Homage
Ensure that the care visit is something that you can manage
You will be exposed to a variety of care settings—this includes care recipients with different mobility and cognitive needs. For instance, certain visits may require the Care Professional to transfer bedridden patients to wheelchairs. In such cases, before you apply for the visit, it is important for you to ensure that you are able to carry and manage the weight of the patient without injuring yourself.
As such, it is important to read the detailed care report that comes with each visit prior to applying for the job. This allows you to know exactly what to expect during each care visit!
Build rapport with families
Some families prefer to get the service of a caregiver that they are familiar with rather than someone that they do not know. These caregivers often get repeat or regular visits, sometimes at fixed times on certain days of the week. With this, you can expect to receive a relatively regular weekly income.
To increase your chances of getting regular or repeat visits, it is important that you strive to provide quality care, build rapport with the seniors under your care and maintain a good relationship with their families.
Becoming more familiar with the people you care for can also help you find meaning in your work through the relationships you build. Satisfied families may also refer you to others who require similar services and help to increase the number of cases available to you.
Don’t restrict yourself by location
Some professional caregivers may choose to only take up cases that are near them due to convenience. However, doing so will restrict the number of cases available to you.
If you are willing to travel, you can take up cases all across the island and naturally earn more. If you are worried that your earnings may not cover your transport fees, fret not. Transportation fee is provided for short-hour cases.
Don’t underestimate short-hour cases
Some caregivers prefer long-hour cases over short-hour visits. However, doing so once again limits the number of cases available to them. Remember, earnings from short-hour cases can add up to a substantial amount, and you don’t have to worry about transport fees because as mentioned earlier, reimbursements are provided for short-hour cases.
You may also stand to earn additional incentives of up to $200 per month by fulfilling short-hour visits!
Consider working at night
Nighttime cases have a higher pay rate than daytime cases. You can be paid between $18 to $23 for taking up weekday night cases, compared to between $17 to $21 for weekday cases in the morning or afternoon.
This can be a good option for students who can take on some night cases for extra income after their classes finish in the day. However, night cases can be limited in numbers, so it’s best to take on night cases in addition to regular daytime cases, rather than to focus solely on night cases.
Is being a professional caregiver worth it?
There are a few considerations to consider prior to becoming a professional caregiver. You will need to take the time to attend a caregiver training course, and also consider factors such as travelling time, transportation costs, and whether you’re able to take on the nature of certain job scopes such as physically assisting a client with mobility issues.
That said, being a caregiver isn’t just about monetary gains. After all, home care is deeply personal to every care recipient and their family.
As a professional caregiver, you are meeting the people you care for during a time when they are in need of support. By helping them through a vulnerable period of their lives, you will more often than not form deep, meaningful relationships with those you care for. For instance, CP Christina’s patient and continued interactions with Mdm Ganesiah, a care recipient with dementia, allowed them to form a meaningful friendship over time.
Beyond providing care at homes, professional caregivers at Homage are also able to gain exposure across a variety of different care settings. Homage works with established hospitals and community care centres to provide interim caregiving solutions to those who need them.
As a professional caregiver with Homage, you will be able to apply for jobs across a variety of healthcare settings to broaden your exposure to the industry.
How to sign up to be a Homage professional caregiver
You do not need to have a medical background or healthcare experience to be a non-medical professional caregiver in Singapore. All you have to do is follow these 3 simple steps:
Step 1: Submit your application
Take one minute to fill up this form and let Homage know more about you and your availability.
Step 2: Schedule and attend a phone interview
The Homage team will call you for a short 30-minute interview. You may be required to submit some necessary documents after the call.
Step 3: Training and onboarding
Undergo training to obtain any necessary certifications. Once you’ve submitted your required certifications, you’ll be able to carry out your first home care visit as a Homage Care Professional!
Start your journey as a professional caregiver today!
Homage is always on the lookout for professional caregivers with a heart to help others. Being a Homage caregiver is not about having the right formal qualifications. What’s important is having the right heart and a dedicated attitude to help others with their daily living tasks and self-care needs.
Learn more about our careers as a Homage Caregiver and apply to be a Care Pro with us today!
*Names changed for privacy reasons.
