Housekeeping in a nursing home.
I’m a 24 year old woman in the Midwest and honestly I think I might need to go back to my roots, which is housekeeping/laundry work.
For about 5 years I helped with my aunt’s residential cleaning and laundry business, and lately I’ve been struggling trying to force myself into jobs that just haven’t been a good fit for me mentally or emotionally. I recently worked at USPS and while I respect people who do it long term, it was honestly exhausting for me.
Now I’m considering taking a laundry assistant/housekeeping job at a nursing home/assisted living facility because at this point I really just need something stable where I can go in, do my work, and leave without bringing stress home every day. It’s also really close to my apartment which is a huge plus.
The starting pay is $18+.
For people who’ve worked housekeeping/laundry in healthcare settings:
• Is it usually manageable mentally?
• Which shift is better: 5:30am–1pm or 7am–3:30pm?
• Is the work super overwhelming or pretty routine once you learn it?
• Do you feel drained after work or is it more peaceful than retail/warehouse jobs?
I know housekeeping isn’t glamorous but part of me feels like maybe I should stop trying to force myself into jobs that don’t fit me and just do honest work I already know I can handle. Should I negotiate pay or starting with $18 normal even though I have a lot of experience in healthcare environments and housekeeping. What should I expect day to day?