Personal Caregiver & Recreational Companion
Fort Collins, CO | $20–$30/hour
I'm James. I'm a nutrition professor at Colorado State University, and I've lived with a C5 spinal cord injury since 1999. I live independently in Old Town Fort Collins with the help of a small care team, and I'm looking to add one or two people to that team.
The core of this role is personal care. Morning and evening routines, transfers, catheter and colostomy care, meals, transportation. That's the foundation, and I need people who can do it confidently and calmly. But I'm also looking for people who want to be part of something more than shift work. People who notice that something needs cleaning and take the initiative to clean it.
Some weeks are more fun. Sometimes we'll grab dinner or catch live music in Old Town. Other weeks, it's more about keeping everything on track. The constant is that I need people I can count on.
This is a personal care position, and it's personal. We get to know each other. We share meals, go to live music, hit a restaurant or trivia night, and build something real. The people who thrive here aren't just clinically skilled. They care about people. They're invested in making someone else's life better, and they let that investment go both ways.
The Role
You'd be trained across all areas of my daily care and able to step into any shift confidently. Morning routines, evening routines, healthcare tasks, meals, transportation, errands, and everything in between. If you've worked at a busy facility or handled complex care before, you know the pace.
I'm hiring one or two people who can cross-train on everything and fill in where the team needs coverage. The clinical foundation is essential. So is the ability to just hang out, share meals, and be someone I actually enjoy spending time with. This isn't a role you can do well by only showing up for one side of it.
You don't need to arrive knowing every aspect of SCI care. The right person will be trained thoroughly and given time to grow into the full role.
Hours and Pay
I'm looking for 10 to 40 hours a week, depending on the arrangement, with flexibility to fill in when other team members are unavailable. Regular weekend availability is critical. I'm looking for people who can start training this summer and have increased availability over time. Your schedule should not be dictated by an academic calendar or holiday breaks.
Starting pay is typically $20 to $25/hour depending on experience and credentials, and moves toward the top of the range as you take on more hours and demonstrate consistent reliability and efficiency over six months. After that, the conversation opens up to more hours, pay increases beyond the starting range, and benefits.
What you'd handle:
Bathing, dressing, grooming, and hygiene
Transfers using a Hoyer lift (no manual lifting required)
Catheter irrigation and urinary care
Colostomy care, including appliance changes and skin checks
Medication setup and management
Monitoring for skin integrity, blood pressure, and autonomic dysreflexia
Meal preparation and assistance
Transportation to CSU and appointments
Groceries, errands, and household tasks
Joining me for meals out, live music, trivia, happy hour, community events, and travel
What Works Here
Calm. Things can escalate quickly with a spinal cord injury. Autonomic dysreflexia, equipment issues, unexpected medical situations. The people who do well here stay steady when things go sideways, think clearly, and act.
Flexible. This works best for someone easygoing who takes direction well and is up for whatever the day brings. Plans shift. Schedules move. The people who do best here roll with it.
Communicative. If something isn't working or your situation is shifting, I want to know early. Mistakes happen. What helps is hearing about them when they're still small.
Self-motivated. This works best for people who notice what needs doing and just handle it. My best team members might prep food for the next day or tidy up the kitchen while I catch up on work without being asked. That kind of initiative is what makes this role feel like a partnership.
Reliable. When you commit, I'm counting on you to be there. That's the foundation.
Physical Endurance. This isn't sit-down work. A typical day involves transfers, repositioning, kitchen work, errands, and being actively engaged for hours at a stretch. Some days are heavier than others, but this role asks for real stamina to do well over time. The people who last here already live active lives and have the capacity to take this on fully.
Travel. From time to time, I would like to visit family or take a trip, usually for a few days at a time. Traveling with me means being able to handle all of my care independently while we're away, from morning routines to medical tasks to whatever comes up. If you can do all of that and still be fun to road trip with, that's a real plus. For the right person, travel can become one of the most meaningful parts of the work.
Growing Into More
For someone who demonstrates consistent reliability, clinical skill, and strong communication over six months, there is room to grow into a full-time or near-full-time role. That includes more hours, pay increases beyond the starting range, and a real conversation about benefits. I've learned the hard way that commitment has to be proven, not promised. But once someone shows me they're in it for real, I'm willing to invest seriously in return. That means more hours, better pay, and a genuine partnership.
Who This Is For
You might be a CNA, home health aide, or experienced caregiver who's tired of the agency grind and wants to work with one person long-term. Maybe you're a rehab professional, nursing student, or someone with a clinical background looking for something more personal. Or maybe you're organized, self-motivated, and exploring whether healthcare is the right path for you.
You should love food. I'm a nutrition professor, and food is a big part of my life. We'll cook meals together, eat together, and go out together. I'm also not afraid of a burger, taco, or slice of pizza. Somewhere in the middle is a person who appreciates a great meal, takes care of themselves, and can keep up with an active life that includes getting out into Fort Collins and enjoying it.
You should love music and people. Empathy matters here. Mental strength matters. I want someone who's invested in making the world a little better and who sees this work as part of that. Someone genuinely interested in other people, not just going through the motions.
Required
Direct experience with hands-on physical care, preferably with complex medical needs like spinal cord injury or similar
Valid driver's license, clean driving record, and ability to drive a wheelchair-accessible vehicle
CPR and First Aid certification (or willingness to obtain)
Ability to pass a background check
Authorization to work in the United States
Regular weekend availability
Preferred
Experience with spinal cord injury care
Familiarity with catheter and ostomy care
Background or coursework in a health-related field
A Note for Students
I've worked with a lot of students over the years, and some have been incredible. The pattern I've also seen is this: someone takes on this role alongside a full course load and other commitments, trains for weeks, gets comfortable, and then midterms hit or life gets busy. Hours shrink. Communication drops off. And I'm left scrambling to cover shifts that were supposed to be handled.
If you're a student, I'm not ruling you out. But I need you to be honest with yourself about whether you can actually commit to this. If school is your priority and this would be your third or fourth obligation, this probably isn't the right time. If you can genuinely make this a priority and communicate when things get complicated, I'd love to hear from you.
See What a Typical Day Looks Like
Visit A Day in the Life to walk through my daily schedule before you apply.
How to Apply
I read every application personally. Visit the application page to tell me about your experience and why this role speaks to you.