Finding a Provider - A Brief Overview of Senior Home Care

A lot of people think that you just open the phonebook, pick up the phone, say what you want, and the senior homecare provider just shows up. If you're unhappy, the company replaces the person. That scenario doesn't necessarily work all the time. Figuring out who is actually on the other end of that phone is trickier than most people think. And what muddies the water even more is that you can unknowingly open yourself up to certain liabilities and responsibilities, depending on how you choose to find a senior care provider.I have learned the ins and outs of finding senior care and I want to simplify the process for you, because had I begun the process on my own, I would have encountered a great deal of frustration--much of which is avoidable and entirely unnecessary. Although I was surprised by the subtle nuances, there are some key differences that I can point out that will make you a more astute searcher when it comes time to find a senior care provider.Years of corresponding with National Private Duty Association members and speaking with the average consumer have helped prepare me for discussions on the primary issues that you will encounter when searching for, hiring, and working with the right senior home care agency. Use the following senior home care options as you would any road map to ensure that you find a senior care provider that's right for you and your loved one.Find a Senior Care Provider from Many OptionsThere are three types of senior home care options: full-service agencies, referral agencies, and private-hire caregivers. While the first two include necessary services such as pre-screening and reference checking, the third option leaves the door wide open when you want to find a senior care provider, meaning you are responsible for most, if not all, of the required duties of being an employer. Full-service agencies cover many of the important aspects in hiring a caregiver, such as pre-screening, checking references, providing worker's compensation, handling payroll taxes, and carefully monitoring and supervising caregivers that are placed in a home.

Referral agencies take care of the initial aspects of the in-home care process, but once you find a senior care provider through the agency, your business relationship ends there and you are responsible for the rest. The referral agency will pre-screen and check references but does not supervise a caregiver in the home. However, you will be required to insure and supervise the caregiver--as well as handle payroll, worker's compensation, and all applicable taxes.

You will have to conduct an interview, a criminal history background check, an elder abuse and sex offenders registry check, a reference check (request a minimum of three), a motor vehicle record check, communicable disease screening (it's recommended that caregivers receive a Hepatitis B vaccine prior to employment), as well as verify documentation of the caregiver's certification (4).Ideally, once you find a senior care provider you're happy with, you should provide the newly-hired caregiver with a detailed job description outlining job title, purpose, duties and responsibilities, necessary non-medical in-home care Dallas qualifications of caregivers, Americans with Disabilities job specifications, supervision of caregiver designation, and initial training requirements (5).