This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Tammy Shanklin, who is in her 40s and lives in Illinois. It’s been edited for length and clarity.
I’ve been a licensed certified nursing assistant since the age of 18. About a year ago, I became a home caregiver for my grandfather, who lives with my mother.
I still work in an assisted living facility as a caregiver, and I take care of him. As a caregiver for my grandfather, I’m hired through a home health agency.
Since I’ve been doing nursing for so long, it was a smooth transition to become a caregiver for my grandfather. It wasn’t really difficult or different for me to make that change. I run errands, help with doctor appointments, and do anything that needs to be done at home, like housekeeping and making sure my grandfather gets his medicine. I basically watch him and make sure that he’s safe.
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I had three roles that I was juggling around the clock
I had a talk with my grandfather. I knew I wanted to go back to school for cosmetology. I told him my idea of being his home caregiver while attending school. It would help us both out.
I started the program in 2025 and graduated this past March. I’m going to stay in nursing while also doing hair and nails as a side business. I’ve been studying for my state boards.
I’m a licensed CNA in Illinois and Missouri. I went back to school over a decade ago to earn my certification as a medication tech. I’m licensed to give medication, administer insulin, and perform treatments.
I like my job as a certified medication tech at an assisted living facility. I love giving out medication and interacting with the residents. Sometimes I sit down and talk with them. We look at their pictures when they were younger. It’s pretty fun working in the nursing department.
While in cosmetology school, it was very difficult to balance everything because my schooling was 28 hours a week. I would go from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Before I started my caregiving role, I worked at the nursing home from 3 p.m. to 11:15 p.m. So, because of my school schedule, I had to completely revamp my job schedule. I would go to school at night, then after 10 p.m., take my books with me to work and work 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. I would then take care of my grandfather from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
There wasn’t much time for sleeping. Anything I had to do for myself, like errands and major school projects, I did from Friday evening to Sunday evening.
It was rewarding, though, because I was still able to keep up with my studies and work hours while also being a caregiver for my grandfather. I ended up finishing the program, so everything turned out to be OK.
Since school is done, I have gone back to working evening shifts at my job, and then I take care of my grandfather during the morning shift.
The cost of caregiving
My mom and I spend between $250 and $300 a month out of pocket on my grandfather’s expenses, including groceries and personal care items like shampoo and deodorant.
I also get paid by the state of Illinois for caring for my grandfather. I’ve known about the caregiving role already — since I was considering it when my grandmother needed care, but we ultimately went with an outside caregiver for her. I really didn’t dive deeper into it until some coworkers told me about how they take care of family members, and the state pays them. I learned what agencies were good to go through and the process of getting signed up.
I get paid a specific amount from the state. People think that caregivers make a lot of money, but sadly, we don’t, because for the simple fact, when you sign up to work through these agencies, they get their cut from the state, and then once the agency gets their money from the state, then the agency pays you what they want to pay you. Now, with the state of Illinois, I make $18.30 an hour. There are some agencies that pay higher than that, but it really depends on the region you live in, the state you live in, and how much money you’re going to make for helping to take care of a loved one.
I’ve heard stories from people that being a caregiver for a family member, from what they’ve seen, is easy and doesn’t require a lot of work, which is not true. I want people to know that being a caregiver for a family member is not always easy. There are stressful moments because, like, being a nurse means you’re responsible for someone. That person’s life is in your hands, and they depend on you to keep them safe and take care of them.
