Hiring a caregiver for in-home help is possibly the best and most important decision which you can make for your elderly loved one. The reason for this is because in-home care is becoming a much more popular and preferred form of care as opposed to placing your loved one in a nursing home or having freelance, independent individuals looking after them. An in-home caregiver is capable of providing tailored care and support that will revolve around your and your loved one’s needs. However, if you’re in the early stages of looking for elderly parent care, there are a couple of things you should consider as you embark on the process of appointing an individual or agency to look after your loved one.
How to hire a caregiver for the elderly
Hiring an in-home caregiver is a big decision and it requires thorough preparation. Because the carer will spend so much time with your elderly parent, it’s advisable to have the best match for them. But finding the right match means doing your research beforehand. This is why we’ve prepared five steps to help you on your journey ahead. Take a look below.
Be clear about the services you require and your expectations: Different in-home care agencies offer different services. And in addition to this, you also have your loved one’s particular needs to consider. This is why you should first sit down and, where possible, have a talk with your elderly parent to see what gaps need to be filled, what their essential needs are and what they desire from a caregiver. In-home care services vary from provider to provider. They can be as short as a half hour visit or as long as 24-hour live-in care. There is also specialist care offered for dementia and Alzheimer’s patients.
And even more, the services offered can range from bathing, grooming and dressing to administering medication, cooking and preparing meals, cleaning, taking your loved one to doctor’s appointments, socialising and providing comfort and friendship and a whole series of tasks that will be unique to your particular situation and case. Therefore, you need to be clear about what exactly your loved one needs and what your expectations from your service provider are.
Decide between a freelancer, nursing home or an agency-appointed carer: Research has shown that nursing home care is not the preferred option for many elderly people because they prefer to age in dignity in familiar surroundings and in the comfort of their own homes. As a result, agency-appointed carers are the preferred route to take. However, you should also avoid hiring independent freelancers because they typically do not have insurance in the event that an accident or mishap occurs. They are also not supervised and you may not have full access to their experience and qualifications. An agency’s track record, on the other hand, is much easier to examine and make a sound decision based on facts and previous client testimonials. Therefore, it’s highly recommended that you opt for an agency-appointed carer, even though there are other options available to you.
Check the carer’s previous experience: With an agency appointed to look after your loved one’s needs, you’ll be better able to get a better insight into the carer’s particular skills, knowledge and experience. Agency-approved carers also come with previous references and background checks and are much more reliable and trustworthy as sources of support for your elderly parent. With these in-home carers, you’ll always have peace of mind and security that they adhere to all quality standards as set out in the industry and provide a professional and helpful service in terms of your particular needs.
Make the most of the interview process: Of course, you will want to interview the caregiver to see if they are a right fit for your parent. Many agencies will match an individual caregiver’s personality traits to those of your loved one so that there is a smooth and sound relationship being established. However, you also may wonder what questions should I ask a caregiver? Some of the most important ones include asking how long they’ve been caregivers for, what type of services they’ve provided, if they have background checks, if they can provide references, what their strengths and weaknesses are, how they’ve handled difficult situations with patients in the past and others. The answers to these questions should help give you a better overview of whether the caregiver will be the right fit for your parent.
Establish clear expectations and scheduling: Finally, once all of the above has been taken care of, it’s time to get down to the details. The details will involve setting very clear expectations right from the get go and this will include aspects related to the carer’s duties, the duration of each service, the frequency of the service as well as scheduling of tasks, time management, task management and more.
Contact a professional in-home caregiver today!
Elderly home care is quickly becoming the go-to option for many adults looking to give their loved ones more comfort as they enter their golden years, while also providing them with peace of mind that their parents are well taken care of. When choosing a carer for your parent, it’s always wise to follow the five steps mentioned above so that you do a thorough due diligence and know that your loved one will be in good and secure hands.