Question: When it comes to hiring a senior caregiver, what questions should I be asking to ensure that I am putting the right person to be in my home and caring for me? I’ve heard stories of in-home care providers stealing or abusing their clients and that really scares me.
Answer: Hiring a senior caregiver can be one of the most rewarding ways to help seniors stay in their own home for many years after they begin to need some assistance from others. However, there are many questions that need to be answered to make sure that you are hiring the best person to care for you in your home.
What are In-Home Caregivers?
In-home caregivers are there to allow you to continue living independently in your own home when you begin to need some extra care in your daily life. The roles of in-home caregivers can range from helping you with your daily chores, assisting you with daily grooming, or to provide you full-time nursing care. This would depend on what your current needs are, and their job responsibilities could change over time to adjust to your needs in the future.
6 Tips on Finding the Best In-Home Caregiver
Background Check – Ideally, anyone that you allow into your home to take care of you or another member of your family, should be able to pass a background check. If you are hiring through a respectable in-home care service provider, this is usually done for you. However, don’t assume that it is. You should check with an in-home care service provider and ask them what kind of background checks do they run on their personnel?
There are criminals out there, who prey on seniors. They might be out to steal your money, and there are some that sexually assault seniors. For this reason, a background check is very important.
If you are hiring a senior caregiver privately, then this responsibility will be up to you. Unless you understand about how to run background checks on someone, it’s best to have it done through companies that specialize in background checks for employers. It might cost you a little bit upfront, but it is well worth the money to know that you are safe and secure while someone you don’t know is in your home.
Medical Qualifications – A qualified senior caregiver should at least have basic CPR training. They should also have the knowledge of what to do in case you need a doctor, and be experienced to call 911 and get you taken care of in case of an emergency.
Check References – Make sure that you check all references given by your senior caregiver if you are hiring one privately. Some might lie about, who they worked for, or under what circumstances they left or were fired. You can find out from other families if your senior caregiver worked well around other seniors. If the references are from the same city, it might be a good idea to have a family member actually visit them and ask questions in person.
Ask Your Physician – Many physicians are connected with networks of senior caregivers. They know about reputable services, and might have received references from other patients.
Clearly Define Their Job Responsibilities – Oftentimes, seniors are not clear about what responsibilities their senior caregivers are going to have. This can be confusing for both of you, and it’s not fair for them. Do you need housecleaning? Are you looking for someone to make sure you take your daily medication, run errands, or cook your meals? Spell it out for them when you hire them, and if possible, put it in writing so there aren’t any legal issues later.
What is Your Backup Plan? – What would happen if your senior caregiver is sick and cannot assist you? What happens when they go on holiday, or have other business and cannot assist you? For this reason, it is good to have a backup plan in case. If you hire through a senior caregiver service provider, this will be taken care of for you.6 Tips for Hiring a
Senior Caregiver – Conclusion
Keeping most of your independence as a senior is very important. It’s just as important to do your homework when hiring a senior caregiver. It takes a lot to trust a stranger in your home, so make sure they are properly vetted.
I like the idea of talking with getting a recommendation from your physician. Even if there’s no recommendation, I’m pretty sure you’ll at least walk away with knowledge of what types of caregiver you should look for. Personally, I like checking with friends and family first.