It's 2:00 pm, and your phone is ringing. It’s your private caregiver calling to say they can’t be there today for the regularly scheduled 4 o’clock shift. You have two hours to find someone else. What do you do?
It’s 4:15 on a different afternoon. Your private caregiver still hasn’t shown up for that 4 o’clock shift. What do you do now?
What would you do if theft, abuse, neglect, or personal or property damage took place in your home during the caregiver’s work hours? Or if the caregiver claimed to have fallen on the job, in your home, sustaining personal injury as a result?
Over decades years of working in senior care management, I’ve heard over and over again of each of those things happening.
I’ve also heard many clients ask, ““Why should I choose a home care agency when just hiring someone privately would cost less? ” It might. But money isn’t the only cost to consider. For example:
Agencies have multiple caregivers in multiple specialties, so they can fill in gaps if a caregiver is unable to provide services that day.
Agencies screen caregivers. They do interviews, check credentials, conduct background checks, and verify caregivers’ qualifications. Senior Insights also checks caregivers’ track records for reliability; over 11 years in existence, we’ve had exactly one no-show.
Agencies can usually match caregivers to clients, so that all are happy with services.
Agencies supervise their workers.
Agencies can handle withholding and filing taxes and Social Security.
Agencies carry liability, workers compensation, and bonding insurances for protection of the families they serve.
Agencies have nursing oversight. Many times, the family is unaware of all of a potential client’s true needs. Nurses are trained to evaluate clients’ needs as well as their home environment. The nurse will develop the plan of care personalized for the client and can make sure that the caregiver is qualified to provide the services needed.
Here at Senior Insights, we take that a step further. Instead of presenting ready-made, off-the-shelf “solutions,” during our thorough three-part needs assessment, we ask questions. Of the older parents, of their caregiving children, of the rest of the family. About everything from physical, psychosocial and mental status to mobility issues and nutritional needs to legal wishes. What we learn becomes the basis of a holistic, coordinated care plan – one that your mother, your father and your whole family can happily live with.
To learn what a difference that can make, please contact us for a consultation.