Surrey Hills family says search is on to find dad-sitter for elderly father

You’ve heard of babysitters but have you ever come across a dad-sitter? A Surrey Hills woman is looking for someone to look after her elderly father when she and her mum go on holidays. Do you fit the bill?

Babysitters are commonplace, but have you heard of a dad-sitter?

Surrey Hills woman Amanda Kimmitt admits it sounds strange, but she and her mum are searching for someone to look after her elderly Italian-born father when they go on holidays in September.

The successful applicant will need to live in the house 24 hours a day to provide company and emergency assistance in case of any trips or falls.

They should also be about 79-year-old Joe Sterpin’s age and Italian language skills will be viewed favourably, she said.

Mr Sterpin said he was looking forward to sharing his house with a stranger and didn’t think he’d miss his wife or daughter while they were out of town.

His one condition was that the applicant be a woman — he’s worried he may butt heads with another man in the house — and she must be able-bodied.

“I don’t want an old lady who can’t walk. Otherwise what am I supposed to do? She’s supposed to look after me, not me look after her,” he said.

Joe Sterpin says he can get along with anyone and he’s looking forward to interviewing applicants for the daddysitter role. Picture: Andy Brownbill

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Ms Kimmitt said hiring a professional live-in carer was cost prohibitive for the family, but they were willing to negotiate a salary with the right person.

She recently put a post on Facebook advertising the role, and she’d already received a couple of inquiries, she said.

“I thought it would be nice to have someone from the community come in,” she said.

“We’re going away for three weeks in September to the United States. He had a stroke a few years ago and we just want to get someone in because mum is really worried about him,” Ms Kimmitt said.

She said her father could cook, clean, dress himself and drive to appointments.

Inquiries should be sent to the Leader to be passed on to the family.