At some point, there’s a strong possibility that you, your spouse or a parent will need some extra help in maintaining a desired quality of life. This assistance may be needed for a short period of time—for example, during the recovery period after a medical procedure. Or it may need to last for months or years.
That’s when you’ll need to face the daunting task of finding a caregiver. Someone who can help people deal with everyday activities that become too difficult for to handle on their own.
There are plenty of caregivers who can provide these and other services. But the most important criteria will be whether the person receiving the care feels comfortable and safe with them.
Defining expectations
You may want to create a kind of job description that lists the kinds of services a caregiver will need to provide. For example, you may want to hire one who can help your loved one:
- Get out of bed, bathe and get dressed.
- Prepare meals.
- Clean their residence and take care of their laundry.
- Manage their prescription regimen.
- Get to medical and other appointments.
- Buy food and supplies and pick up prescriptions.
If you’re not exactly sure which services your loved one will need, ask their primary care physician to conduct a geriatric assessment.
This comprehensive process can evaluate their physical and mental health and functional ability, resulting in a list of possible medical treatments or caregiving help they may need.
What kind of caregiver should you choose?
That depends on whether the caregiver will need to provide medical assistance in addition to quality-of-life-enhancing services. If they will, you may want to limit your search to home health aides. These specialized caregivers undergo hands-on healthcare training and are awarded certain medical certifications after they complete the coursework and pass exams. Many of them are registered nurses (RN) or certified nursing assistants (CNA).
Finding them
Once you’ve created your caregiver’s job description, you can move on to looking for potential candidates. Most people find them by using agencies or by hiring independent caregivers directly.
The advantage of hiring one directly is that the costs may be less, since you’re not paying for agency overhead. However, you’ll want to rely on your own network of friends, family members, coworkers and other people you know for recommendations or use an online matching service.
Once you identify one or more potential candidates you’d like to interview, you’ll want to conduct some background research on their:
- Licenses, if your state requires them.
- Healthcare certifications, such as RN or CNA, if want to hire a home health aide.
- Residency status.
- Criminal background.
You’ll also want to get reliable references from people who have used them.
One potential issue you may need to consider: In some cases, the IRS and your state may require the person receiving and paying for these services to treat independent caregivers as part-time employees, rather than independent contractors. This could require the recipient to institute a formal payroll process that includes payment and withholding of federal and state taxes.
Alternatively, recipients can hire a caregiver through a local home care agency. While they may pay higher hourly wages to cover agency overhead costs, they won’t have to act as employers. And the agency will handle the vetting process for any caregivers who work for them.
Of course, you’ll also want to conduct background checks on any home care agency you’re considering to identify any legal or other issues.
Interviewing them
Whether you’re hiring a caregiver on your own or using an agency, you’ll want to interview potential caregivers before you hire them. If possible, make sure the person who will be receiving the care attends the initial meeting, since they’ll need to feel comfortable with any candidates.
Remember—the decision doesn't have to be permanent
Even if a caregiver seems perfect on paper or after you’ve met them, you may run into issues once you hire them. Fortunately, you’re never locked into the relationship. If you or your loved one isn’t satisfied with the services they provide you can terminate their services and find another one.
For further information
Consider visiting the website for the Family Caregiver Alliance, a nonprofit organization that provides information, support, and resources related to family caregiving.
This article was authored by Chris Gullotti and Jeffrey Briskin. Chris is a financial advisor and Partner with Canby Financial Advisors, a SEC-registered investment adviser. SEC registration does not constitute an endorsement by the SEC nor a statement about any skill or training. Chris can be reached at 508.598.1082 or cgullotti@canbyfinancial.com. Jeffrey Briskin is Director of Marketing at Canby Financial Advisors.
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