Before we move on to , we want to let you know that you have already taken the most important step that needed to be taken; you have understood the importance of the matter and are gathering the right information to make life easier for your beloved or an .
Finding the can make a wonderful difference to your loved one’s life as it helps them in many ways.
It can help your adult manage chores better, it can help them engage in activities they enjoy, it can help them get outside more, and will overall, brighten their lives on a daily basis.
Finding the right is like finding a friend and you can rest easy knowing your loved one is in good hands.
Of course, the reason why hiring a caregiver instead of looking for an assisted living facility is a bit scary is because you don’t really know who you are going to invite into your home.
You can feel better and have a better chance of making the right choice by being thoughtful, open-minded, and by paying attention to these tips.
By going through a couple of important factors, you’re already halfway toward choosing the for your older loved one.
Why the decision is important is because, if adequate research is not made, there is a high chance that you might end up with a who isn’t going to be the right fit for the .
This might simply be due to the fact that the working style of the newly recruited may not match the particular needs of the .
It might also turn out that the hired to look after an is abusive. The abuse can occur in many forms; physical, mental, sexual, or financial, and would be a terrifying ordeal for an older person to go through. This is why we stress the importance of finding the right fit for your beloved .
It is not just about hiring an experienced caregiver, it is about finding the right companion care for your family member.
More and more senior adults and their families who need help with their daily activities and more are now realizing the short-term and long-term benefits of hiring caregivers.
These caregivers make life easier as they enable the elderly adult to stay in their own homes longer without the need for moving to an assisted living facility.
A kind and can provide comfort and safety, and give families of the adult peace of mind.
Types of Caregivers
Primary caregivers are people who offer regular for the adult and make decisions that directly affect this -receiver. They provide hands-on assistance with chores, medical help, and may even represent the -receiver in legal matters.
- Respite caregivers provide temporary when the primary needs time away from .
- Secondary caregivers provide assistance to primary caregivers.
- Crisis caregivers provide only in emergencies.
- Family caregivers provide at no charge for a parent, sibling, or spouse who is chronically ill, disabled, or aged.
- Working caregivers hold part-time or full-time jobs and provide physical or financial support to individuals who depend upon their care.
- Agency caregivers are formal or paid caregivers employed by a or agency.
Now, we list out some factors that you need to think of while hiring a .
1. Take stock of your
Write down what are the kind of areas where you need help.
Evaluate the help that is needed in the areas of , personal , and household . Here are some questions to ask yourself:
- Will you require home health care, which includes physical therapy or medication management?
- Will you require non-medical personal , for instance, help with daily routine activities like bathing, dressing, toileting, and preparing food? Or, are you mostly independent and mainly looking for ?
- Will you need help with housecleaning, shopping, home maintenance, and other chores?
- Will you need to trust the caregiver with your finances for paying bills and managing your money?
2. Prepare a Job Description
Evaluating the need to hire a requires that you create a job description based on the help that is needed.
Here’s what to mull over:
- Level of training required (Type of : Certified Nursing Assistant, Licensed Practical Nurse, Registered Nurse)
- Driving License (Valid driver’s license for running errands, taking the patient to the hospital, etc.)
- Physical Fitness. Is the caregiver needed to lift the care recipient and/or operate special equipment?
- Unacceptable behavior (such as smoking, abusive language, tardiness, etc.)
- Terms of Termination (how much notice, reasons for termination without notice, etc.)
You might also like to read How to Help Elderly Parents From a Distance?
3. Research Candidate
Once you’ve identified the duties, then you’re ready to screen candidates by phone and begin scheduling interviews.
Let the know what is required of them. Let them know that you will need references and that you will be checking their references and performing a background check.
While fixing a date for the interview, ask them to bring a valid National Identity card, their driver’s license, proof of prior home addresses, and professional references, along with their resume.
4. Conduct Background Checks
There is no doubt that you should conduct thorough background verification on potential caregivers.
What to scrutinize while conducting a background check on a ?
Background checks can include credit reports, DMV records, and searching county/state/federal criminal records.
Note: You must have written consent from the in order to perform a background check.
Now, if you are crunched for time, we understand that this time-consuming process must be off-putting. In this case, hire a through an in-; the advantage is that the agency will perform all the background checks and match you with a who suits your .
5. Prepare for the interview.
Prepare a list of questions to ask. Have a list for any applicant, , referral source, or reference you may call during your search. If you don’t know what questions to ask a , call a .
In any case, here is a list of questions you can jot down for the interview:
- How long have you been working as a ?
- Do you have any specialized training or certifications?
- Walk me through your work experience.
- What makes you look forward to the day?
- Are you skilled and willing to perform the following duties? (List the you require at present plus any future needs that you can anticipate)
- How would you deal with someone who is uncooperative?
- How would you provide to the adult?
You might also like to read How to Get Guardianship of an Elderly Parent?
6. Conducting the Interview
Interviews are always tricky because they require you to assess a person in a short amount of time.
After you have screened applicants on the telephone, you should interview in person those who sound acceptable.
We suggest that you get a friend or family member to come over on the day of the interview so that you can get a second opinion from an unbiased person.
Also, don’t get too caught up in going through the list of questions; you need to observe interactions between the and the person who will be receiving .
This is especially important if you are interviewing a vouched for by a . You need to ask to interview the in-home caregivers yourself.
This is because most agency employees look good on paper, but will not be a good fit for you, for cultural, religious, social, or any number of reasons.
You may just not like the person the agency has assigned to you. So, interview them yourself, and get a good look at the engagements between the and the .
7. Check references
The person who comes in to help with senior care must be an honest worker and above all, a genuine, dependable person. There is no discounting the need to check references carefully. Talking to everyone who is given as a reference helps, also, try to communicate with the senior member who was being assisted at the time.
You are looking for someone who is honest, reliable, and qualified to provide elderly care services to your elderly parent.
8. Hiring the
The goal is to hire a who has experience in the specific areas in which you need help.
For example, if your adult is suffering from or Alzheimer’s disease, they will most often need help with chores like going to the toilet, bathing, and cooking. In this case, the will be someone who has experience in working with elders with this illness.
Try to hire a licensed and bonded . If the agency is not licensed or bonded, you may want to look somewhere else.
Now, this means that your next-door neighbor or churchgoing companion will be disqualified even though you may want to hire the person as this person meets all of your other requirements.
You might also like to read How to Help an Elderly Parent Who Refuses Help
9. Monitor the Change
Set up a schedule to discuss the with your adult. Use the feedback to assess the quality of the services the provides. You should also talk to the about the cooperation of the adult, what they find beneficial, etc.
You can do this by making personal contact with the and regular home visits with the elder, and getting periodic reports from the and the agency.
Finally, we think it’s best that you have a backup plan in case the or the agency fails to follow through or problems arise.
After all, everyone wants the best for their and if a is not able to take of the as well they should, you need to reevaluate your situation and take the necessary steps to ensure comfort for the .
We truly hope that our inputs have been useful to you in your search for the for your beloved person.
We would love to hear from you if you have any valid suggestions and tips to help us improve! Do chime and let us know what you think in the comments below.