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When people reach old age, everyday life may not be as easy as it was once before. For some seniors, this is a minor inconvenience. But, for other elderly individuals, regular care and assistance is needed to ensure they can live safe, healthy lives.
This care can be achieved by having seniors move to a nursing home or another type of assisted living facility, but it is an option that is becoming less preferable. Instead, elderly individuals want to stay within the comfort and familiar environment of their own homes. With the influx of in-home care services now available, seniors can stay home and receive the care they need.
In-home caregivers will provide any care and assistance that seniors need at the client’s home. However, home is a sacred, private place, so you may feel hesitant about having a stranger enter your loved one’s home. It is fair to feel that way, which is why it is important to exercise caution and care when hiring an in-home caregiver.
If you are considering getting an in-home caregiver for your elderly loved one, then use the following information as a guide to help you through the process.
1.Determine Your Loved One’s Care Needs
When you are looking into home care for your elderly relative, you first need to figure out what their care needs are so you can determine what kind of care they will need.
For example, some seniors only need part-time care, receiving help with things like meal preparation, errands, and transportation. Meanwhile, other elderly individuals will need full-time care, receiving help with things like bathing, toileting, dressing, and more. Certain seniors may have specific conditions that can even necessitate around-the-clock care.
Once you determine how much and what kind of care your elderly loved one needs, then you can start an accurate search for an in-home caregiver. There is no point in looking into caregivers who cannot provide seniors with the care they require.
2.Set a Budget
Everyone wants the best for their loved ones, but not everyone has the fortune to spend freely. So figure out your how much you can spend and create a budget. Be reasonable about what you can offer, but be fair about it, too. You will not be able to hire a qualified caregiver if they will not be paid fairly for their work. If you are unsure what a fair rate is, then do some research. Take a look at other similar job listings to see what the average pay for an in-home caregiver in your area is.
From there, you can provide salary expectations on your listing if you are independently hiring a caregiver, and you can start getting applications from candidates who meet the in-home care needs of your elderly relative.
3.Be Thorough During the Hiring Process
Knowing that the person you hire will be spending lots of time with your elderly loved one in their home, you should be as thorough with the process as you can. While there might be an urgent need for in-home care, you do not want to rush through the hiring process only to find out you did not hire a qualified caregiver or someone who is not a good fit.
When you are interviewing candidates, ask about their qualifications, their experience, and what they would do in hypothetical situations. You want to get an idea of what they have done and how they will care for seniors. For example, if your elderly loved one suffers with incontinence, then you may want to ask about how they would handle such a situation and any uncooperative behaviors that could arise.
Additionally, have a background check done, and get in touch with their references. Elderly individuals are at higher risk for financial abuse and fraud, so you want to ensure the hired in-home caregiver is trustworthy.
4.Work with a Home Care Agency
Independently hiring an in-home caregiver can be a lot of work, but home care agencies can be of great help.
Agencies handle the screening, hiring, and payment of the caregivers, so you do not need to worry about such matters. They can provide substitute caregivers should the primary one need to take time off for illness or vacation and they will work to provide a caregiver who is the best fit for the client. In the event the caregiver is not the right fit, the agency will work to find an alternative better suited to the client’s care needs.
Professional In-Home Care Services from Assisting Hands Home Care
If your elderly loved one is in need of in-home care services, Assisting Hands Home Care can help through the services we offer in Plainfield, Yorkville, Oswego, Bolingbrook, Romeoville, and Joliet IL and the neighboring areas. From elderly care to companion care services, we offer a range of in-home care services to meet seniors’ needs.
For example, within our companion care services, we provide a caregiver who will help around the house and be a companion for hobbies and other recreational activities to ensure clients have a person to spend time with.
Our licensed caregivers will provide care services that are specifically catered to meet the client’s needs. You can feel at ease knowing that your loved one has someone to help them out.
Call (815) 201-5445 to inquire about the in-home care, companion care, and other care services that Assisting Hands Home Care offers.
