In home care services go above and beyond assistance with daily activities and can help your senior loved one thrive while ageing in place, even with a chronic disease or medical issue, all while providing you peace of mind.
Utilising in home care services can offer an alternative to an institutional setting like and aged care provider or aged care facility near me. Once it’s been determined that a loved one needs assistance at home, there will be questions about the process of hiring an in home care worker. Referrals for an in home care agency or individual care workers may come from doctors, friends, my aged care providers or the my aged care service finder, or other sources that may be useful in the search for an in home care agency. The best approach is to collect a list of potential in home care services to interview and find the one that best meets your loved one’s needs. In home care services typically fall in one of two categories: private hire or in home care agency. Let’s take a look at the look at the pros and cons for both services.
Private Hire
Private hire in home Care Workers may have extensive experience and credentials in in home nursing care or other in home health care work, though this is not guaranteed. Typically, private in home Care Workers are less expensive. If the person is someone who was referred to you by a friend or close colleague, this may make them seem reliable since we often trust word-of-mouth referrals. However, the client is required to become an employer when he or she hires a private in home Care Worker. The hiring person must take on the responsibility of conducting background checks, confirming the Care Worker is permitted to work by law, and performing bookkeeping functions by dispensing wages and paying taxes. The Care Worker must also be added as an insured person on appropriate insurance policies to be covered while they provide in home care services. Although the perceived savings are of significance, it is important to consider whether or not the gamble is worth the savings. For example, what happens if the Care Worker is unavailable or injures themselves in the home? Further concerns to take into account are the unskilled, even incompetent, in home Care Workers that families have entrusted. Sadly, there are stories where loved ones are left alone while the Care Worker is preoccupied on the phone or with a friend or family member in the home. While there is technology that allows the monitoring of in home Care Workers, the client’s time again is spent managing the Care Worker rather than performing other productive tasks. And, unless the Care Worker and your loved one are monitored daily, you’re never certain that the Care Worker is providing appropriate care. Home Care Assistance Founder, Kathy Johnson, had a similar experience with an unreliable Care Worker. One day, the Care Worker had the TV turned up so loud that she could not hear Kathy’s parents calling for help. This is especially stressful when adult children live far away from their loved ones and is important to take into consideration when considering a private hire.
In Home Care Agencies
In home care agencies like Home Care Assistance take on the leg work for you when you’re looking for an in home Care Worker by ensuring that each Care Worker is well-trained, screened, insured and more! Some of the in home care services provided by Home Care Assistance include:
- Running comprehensive background checks of all employees to clear any with criminal backgrounds, routine DMV checks, and legal work permission
- Confirming numerous previous position referrals and prior work experience
- Supplying worker’s compensation insurance
- Maintaining appropriate liability insurance policies
- Managing the collection and reporting of any necessary payroll taxes
- Providing ongoing training and continuing education
- Processing Long Term Insurance claims
In addition, a reputable in home care agency will perform surprise visits, provide ongoing supervision and the continual preparation and review of a care plan. The continuous development and implementation of a coherent care plan by in home care agency staff assures your loved one is receiving exceptional and dependable care. Home care agencies provide Care Workers who fulfill exactly what your loved one needs as they are safely ageing in place. While some people may feel shopping for the best price is the best option, ask yourself if saving a little bit of money is worth the price of a potential headache down the line. In home care agencies provide Care Workers who are pre-screened, experienced, and capable, but more than that, they are compassionate, dependable and friendly. In home care agency Care Workers are able to provide a safe and healthy environment for your loved one, which can give you and the rest of your family peace of mind.
