Travel Care Hawaii
Assistant
Hi there, how can I help you today?

Housing for the Caregiving Traveller

Rest is just as important as the grind and hustle. This is particularly true for caregiving travellers whose job involve a lot of moving around and assisting clients with their healthcare needs. At the beck and call of every demand, on some days, it can undeniably be both physically and emotionally exhausting.

A good housing should not just be a temporary shelter but also a place of retreat. Every caregiving traveller deserves a place where they can feel safe and comfortable throughout their journey. After all, travel assignments can last for weeks and with possibility of extension. This is the reason why for most caregiving travellers, housing arrangement is a major influence in either pursuing or letting go a sought after travel assignment.

The Travel Housing Blueprint

Choosing a temporary shelter is just as important as choosing your travel assignment location. Depending on the travel agency, one can be presented with housing options. Before embarking on the caregiving travel trail, every caregiver traveller should know housing arrangements in a nutshell.

Generally, there are two types of housing: company-provided and self-arranged housing. Both options have pros and cons and the best choice depends on the circumstances of the travel assignment and your preferences. It is worth trying both as you travel further!

Company-provided Housing

Most travel agencies, through their respective housing committees, provide arrangements for housing. This is chosen by most caregiving travellers and is recommended for those who will travel for the first time.  

These company-provided housing options can either be a one-bedroom apartment or a shared housing. A furnished, one-bedroom apartment is the most common type being offered. Some, on rare occasions, may offer shared housing but with stipend pay. Usually, they offer up to three housing options. You are free to express your preferences so both parties can arrive at a mutual decision.

There are several benefits in choosing this housing option. The one on the top of the list is the convenience it will provide you. Imagine not having to stress about finding available housing in a place you are not familiar with. It becomes more challenging if you will be assigned in smaller and remote cities too! With this convenience comes not having to work on furnishing the house and managing utilities as the agency, most of the time, will do it for you. In addition to this, company-provided housing has better quality at a cheaper price compared to that of what you can get using stipend pay. This should be considered if you will be assigned to a large, highly-urbanized area.  Lastly, you can avoid out-of-pocket expenses for advanced deposits if you choose this option. In contrast, living alone may be difficult for some and may affect comfort level. Policies on traveling with pets and significant others should be discussed with your agency.

Here in Travel Care Hawaii, we value both your work and respite. We provide studio-type or one-bedroom apartments for all our caregiving travellers. These housings are situated in the most desired areas of Waikiki for ultimate convenience! We provide linen and basic furnishing like dishes and silverware, ventilator, microwave, coffee machine, and television. You are free to arrange for your own internet connection with our assistance. Our recruiters are available 24/7 for your housing inquiries and concerns.

Self-provided Housing

This option can come in subsidy payment for self-arranged housing. Some travellers want it to become their responsibility how they facilitate living arrangements. Others may also know family members and friends in the location of their travel assignment that rooming in with them is easier and more cost-effective. Choosing this option requires thorough research and more work on the part of the caregiving traveller because this means taking charge for booking places and paying for all other expenses that go along with it.

Understand that subsidy varies from place to place. It can be higher if you’ll be in a place with higher cost of living. Generally, this has to be comparable to the cost obtained if the agency arranged it for you. It is also important to ask when the subsidy will be paid and how it will be taxed. If you find yourself not familiar with this, you may obtain professional accounting help.

This can be the better option for seasoned travellers who have discovered what works for them and what does not. In this option, you will have control of how you want to live. Some view it as part of the adventure: finding furnished vacation-type rentals with full furnishing that they only have to bring themselves and their clothes. However, it is worthy to note that short-term leases are scarce and the budget allotted may not cover for it fully. Agencies usually lease long-term and rotate their travellers to make it practical that’s why they get better value for it.

Another consideration is its proximity to the facility where you will be working. In some areas, traffic can vary throughout the day. As this is self-arranged, make sure also to ask for photos of the place. It can be a disaster arriving to your location without securing housing details meticulously.

Here in Travel Care Hawaii, we give you the freedom to choose where and how you want to live. A housing stipend will be provided should you choose this option. Our recruiters are more than happy to assist you with this aspect.

Some Notes for the Caregiving Traveller

Now you have a basic understanding of how housing arrangements are done for caregiving travels. By this time, you also have realized that both have their own advantages and disadvantages depending on your circumstances. One should have realistic expectations about travel housing: they are not luxury rooms, they are basic and trusty. However, your comfort and safety should not be compromised too.

Talk to your agency’s housing coordinator before arriving at your travel assignment location. You may ask for photos and talk more about taxation and subsidy payment terms, especially if you are choosing to arrange your own housing. Inquire about upgrades too. Most agencies set limit on utilities like gas, electric, and water so you should ask about this. Ask about policies on breaks and malfunctions in your company-provided housing. Most importantly, you may want to discuss the next course of actions when caregiving travel contracts get cancelled.

With all these in mind, we hope to match you with the perfect travel home here in Hawaii!

Photo credit: Cristian Guerrero (@internethostage) on Unsplash

4 Replies to “Housing for the Caregiving Traveller”

  1. Hi there. I discovered your site via Google at the same time as looking for a similar topic, your website came up. It appears great. I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks to visit then. Marcille Germayne Kilk

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *