As our loved ones grow older, many of us are faced with the weighty decisions that come with managing their care. Even the most attentive family caregiver cannot do everything for a loved one, and there comes a time when a decision must be made about moving an older person to a care facility or hiring a caregiver. If you are faced with this decision, it may feel huge. It’s important to remember, though, that arrangements can be changed, and you can adjust the situation to meet your loved one’s needs. If you’re unsure, it’s probably best to go with a caregiver. Uprooting your loved one for a move to a care facility can be disruptive and upsetting, and if it isn’t a good fit, you’ll have to do it all over again. Hiring a caregiver can be easily undone if it doesn’t work out, but we have some tips to help you find the right caregiver so that won’t be necessary.
Why is it important to find a caregiver who is the right fit for your loved one? You would be amazed at the difference a good caregiver can make. The right caregiver can dramatically improve your loved one’s quality of life, providing activities and interactions that will make the world seem brighter. A good caregiver will allow you to take a break while knowing that your loved one is in good hands. So, how do you go about choosing that person?
1. First, assess your loved one’s needs.
Why do you want to hire a caregiver? Will the work be part time or full time? Does the caregiver need to be there around the clock or just during the day? Does your loved one need someone to help with appointments and activities? How about cooking, cleaning, and medicine? Are the needs deeper than that? If the care required is for a person with incontinence, dementia, or some other condition that requires specialized care, you will need to look for someone with the right skills to handle these things. Do you need a live-in caregiver or just someone to come by when needed? Is gender important? Are their specific requirements, like being able to speak two languages? Think carefully about how to find a person who is the right fit for your loved one.2. Make it a group decision.
If there are other relatives involved in your loved one’s care, they are all stakeholders in this process and need to be part of the decision. Ask for input, both about what they expect from a caregiver and what they are willing to contribute in terms of time, money, food, and so on, so that you can have as much information as possible before you hire someone. Knowing what your other relatives are prepared to put in should be part of your overall assessment of your loved one’s needs.3. Be realistic about your budget.
Take stock of what you can afford before you begin the hiring process. It is already overwhelming to bring a new person into your family situation, and you do not want to make it harder by suddenly facing prohibitive costs.4. Come up with a job description.
Your description needs to be very specific so there will be no doubt as to the caregiver’s responsibilities. In order to find the right person for the job, you need to be upfront about exactly what the job entails, so that you can find someone with the right qualifications.5. Determine where you’ll find a caregiver.
You can look for a caregiver by asking around for suggestions, or you can go through an agency. You can also hire someone directly, whether through a staffing service or on a friend’s referral. When you use an agency, you will get pre-screened workers with relevant experience, and the service will provide backup care if the original caregiver can’t make it for some reason. Of course, an agency-provided caregiver will likely be more expensive, and the agency will make the choice and do the negotiation, so you’ll have less flexibility. If you use a registry or a referral from a friend to connect you with an independent contractor, you may find a better fit, especially if you need someone to work an unusual schedule, speak a second language, or something else specific to your situation. Doing it this way might allow you to more easily find someone who shares your relative’s interests or fits in well with your family. Looking for a caregiver this way takes more time than going through an agency, though, and you won’t have the resources an agency haves in case of an emergency. You’ll also have to do the screening on your own, running a background check and verifying credentials, and you’ll need to obtain an employer identification number, withhold taxes, and pay Medicare, Social Security, and unemployment taxes. You may need to buy liability and workers' compensation insurance, because you won’t have the liability protection you’d have if you were working with an agency. Further, agencies train their caregivers, but if you hire on your own, it’s harder to assess the level of training.6. Conduct thorough interviews.
Put everything on the table in the interview, and don’t be afraid to ask a lot of questions. You need to be sure the caregiver knows what to expect and is qualified to provide it. Ask about the person’s comfort level, personal history, similar work that has been done before, and personalities with which the caregiver didn’t fit. Be polite, but make sure to ask questions that will demonstrate whether you have found the right fit for your loved one. Ask for references and check each one.7. Screen each applicant carefully.
Using an agency will make this easier, because you will just need to determine how the organization conducts background checks and what paperwork is used. If you are hiring on your own, you will need to run your own background check, taking care to look at credentials, criminal background, and residency status.8. Involve your loved one in the decision.
You can make lists, divide responsibilities between family members, and ask for references, but if you don’t include the person who will be receiving the care in the process, you will have a hard time knowing how the personalities will mesh. The caregiver’s personality is just as important as other qualifications, because the relationship that person will have with your loved one will be very personal.9. Be aware that there are different types of home care workers.
Personal care aides work as helpers and companions, and they are not required to be licensed. They provide things like bathing, dressing, light housekeeping, meals, neighborhood walks, and companionship. They can also pick up prescriptions and provide transportation to appointments. Home health aides can assist with the same activities as personal care aides, but they are also trained to check vital signs and monitor medical conditions. Certified nursing assistants (CNAs) and licensed nursing assistants (LNAs) can provide the additional services of setting up medical equipment, changing dressings, cleaning catheters, monitoring infections, and provide certain treatments, under the direction of a registered nurse (RN) or nurse practitioner. Skilled nursing providers, also called licensed practical nurses (LPNs) can provide direct medical care that aides with less training cannot. Registered nurses hold an associate degree in nursing or a nursing diploma and must pass the National Council Licensure Examination and meet other licensing requirements of the state’s nursing board. An RN can provide direct care, administer medications, offer advice, and assist with medical procedures.
When you are looking for a caregiver, trust an agency with a reputation for high standards and excellence in caregiving. At BrightStar Care of North Houston/The Woodlands, we know that caring for an aging loved one can be challenging. That’s why we work hard to deliver the right care for your relative and to be a partner you can turn to for support. Because we believe that caring is more than just a job, our nurses, therapists, CNAs, and caregivers offer the most professional compassionate care available. In the comforting, familiar surroundings of home, we offer a full range of care services to meet your loved one’s needs and help you when you need it most. Contact us or call 281-367-7827 to learn more about our services and let us know what we can do for you.