When your loved ones begin to get to a point where they need help meeting their basic needs, some difficult choices often need to be made by the family. Depending on the health of your loved one, an in-patient facility, such as a nursing home or a retirement home, may not be necessary. Many times, you can get just enough help from a hired home caregiver. The primary benefit of this type of situation is the fact that your family member is allowed to stay in his or her own home, which is crucial for their mental health. However, you need to take care when hiring a caregiver. Always consider the following:
Licensing
When you are interviewing caregivers, you will often see applicants list a litany of experience they have had when taking care of the elderly. However, you should strongly consider hiring someone that is licensed to provide this type of care. Licensing ensures that the caregiver is certified in first aid, including CPR. You may even want to hire someone with a medical license that was earned through an educational program, such as a medical assistant. Be sure to ask to see their credentials during the interview.
Mandatory Background Check
It is crucial to be very smart when you are hiring someone to come into your loved ones home to care for him or her when no one else is there. A background check should be a mandatory component to the hiring process. You can do this on your own, but it is often more effective to pay a fee to an agency to ensure you thoroughly check the candidates.
Talk to References
Another important aspect of the process is following up with references provided by the caregiver. You may want to ask for more than what is typically requested in a job interview to help determine their work history. When you are speaking with references, remember that they are not legally permitted to answer questions about the person applying for the job. They are only meant to verify the applicant worked there. However, if the reference voluntarily provides information about the person you are considering, you can certainly use that to help make a determination.
When you begin your search for a caregiver, start researching home health and assisted living agencies. While this can be a trying transition for your loved one, the relationship they have with their caregiver can turn into a long friendship when you find the right person.