Hiring a Caregiver: Things You Should Know

In hiring an in-home caregiver you have to consider a lot of factors and there is a list of things you should know. Home care can be a rewarding experience for seniors mainly because it allows them to keep living in their own homes.

When hiring an in-home caregiver, some crucial questions need to be asked to ensure that your loved one is taken good care of at all times. The following are some of the important tips that you should know before hiring.

First, what is an In-Home Caregiver?

For those of you who aren’t familiar, in-home caregivers assist older adults with a wide array of daily tasks. By hiring such caregivers, older adults can receive high-quality care in the comfort of their homes, instead of relocating to an assisted living facility.

In-home caregivers are professionally trained and certified to carry out various tasks to assist in the living of seniors who are unable to carry out their daily activities without assistance.

Some of the assistance that an in-house caregiver provides includes, dressing, grooming, meal preparations, medications, light housekeeping, and can also act as a mediator between the senior in their care and the physician.

While in-home caregivers are trained to assist seniors, they are not required to perform any complex medical-related activities. Some in-home caregiver services are charged by the hour while others charge by shift or their duties.

Tips for Hiring an In-Home Caregiver

Hiring an in-home caregiver can be a tough nut to crack, which is why you need to be extra cautious when making a decision. The following are some of the tips that you can use to ensure you hire a well-trained in-home caregiver.

1. Be Clear in the Description

First off, you need to write a clear and concise job description that will inform the in-home caregiver about their job duties and responsibilities. Creating a clear job description of the specific tasks that the in-home caregiver will need to carry out will determine the hours of care that are needed. This description includes any daily tasks your aging loved one needs help with, such as cooking, bathing, or light housekeeping.

Having the agreement in writing will also prevent any misunderstanding between you and the in-home caregiver you hire. If you are going to hire an in-home caregiver from an agency, then you will need to inform them of the specific tasks that the in-home caregiver will be required to carry out while assisting the senior in their care.

2. Always Ask for References

Regardless of whether the interview went well or not, it is always best to ask for references. Both independent in-home caregivers and the ones working with an agency should provide details of some of their past clients so that you can obtain feedback about their services.

Asking for references is especially important if there are going to be some specific requirements for the senior in their care. Also, since seniors are at a greater risk of abuse or fraud, you should double-check if the caregiver you are about to hire does not have a criminal record.

3. Ask Lots of Questions

During the interview, it is important for you not to shy away from asking the questions that will give you a better idea of how responsible, compassionate, and trustworthy the caregiver is. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about their training, experience, certifications, and what they would do in certain situations to help the senior they’re looking after.

Also, interviewing a potential candidate for the job isn’t going to be enough to get you the information you need. A more thorough approach would be to carry out three interviews: the first one would be a brief interview by phone, an in-person interview, and another in-person interview of the top three candidates that you have selected for the job.

4. Get it in Writing

Before the in-home caregiver starts work, you should get your agreement in writing by signing an employment contract. Creating an employment contract is going to be the most important part of hiring an in-home caregiver.

The contract that you come up with does not have to be complex or complicated, but rather, should clearly outline the duties of the in-home caregiver that have been agreed upon. Important information such as the job details, hours, pay rate, and any other important detail that is relevant to the agreement.

Both the caregiver and you are required to sign the agreement to show that the two agree to the terms that have been mentioned in the contract. Getting an employment contract in writing is a smart way to avoid any misunderstanding in the future.

5. Insurance Woes

Insurance is not the first thing that comes to mind when most homeowners hire an in-home caregiver. It is important to note that the insurance policies of most homeowners do not carry liability or worker’s compensation. Even those that do have these included might not have the right level of compensation.

Since you are going to be the employer of the in-home caregiver, their safety is going to be your responsibility. In other words, you will be responsible if the caregiver hurts themselves while on the job.

This is why it is recommended that you contact your insurance provider to find out what needs to be included in your insurance policy before you hire an in-home caregiver. If you are hiring a caregiver from an agency, then ask them whether their employees are covered under an insurance policy or not.

5. Hire an Accountant (If Needed)

Just like hiring any other service, you must keep all transactions legal. You can easily fill your W-2 and tax forms, but if you can’t, you should hire the services of an accountant to make sure all of the transactions between you and the caregiver are legal.

You should also be fair with the amount you pay the caregiver. You should offer the going rate in your area so that you get more applicants and a better chance of hiring the right in-home caregiver for your loved one.