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And it begins, a
nagging fear that we’re losing our independence. In
fact, loss of independence is the biggest fear among
seniors. So what is the typical senior response? Pull
ourselves up by the bootstraps and keep on going, of
course! Call in the kids to help out! Unfortunately, the
kids have spouses and children of their own. And they
have full time jobs, not to mention the fact that they
live out of town.
It’s time for a new
strategy.
Many seniors are finding that the solution to remaining
independent at home lies outside the family circle.
Increasingly, seniors are turning to professional
caregivers as a means to remaining independent. Steve
Everhart. President of The Senior’s Choice explains,
“Most seniors find caregivers in two ways. The old way
is to run a classified ad or hire through a temporary
service. The senior bears all the “employer”
responsibility when hiring this kind of caregiver. These
folks are usually less expensive but there’s a lot of
risk involved in hiring them,” Everhart says. The
downside is:
- It‘s difficult to
find the right person.
- You, as the
“employer”, are responsible for performing all
background checks, including criminal history,
driving history, and employment references.
- You are
responsible for finding a replacement if the
caregiver is absent.
- You bear the
burden for withholding payroll taxes, and providing
state mandated worker’s compensation coverage.
- You bear the
burden for liability problems like theft from or
damage to your property.
The new way is to
contract with a Companion Care Agency. These private
agencies provide “in-home, non-medical care.” The
number of agencies is growing quickly to meet the
demands of a fast-growing senior population. They
provide a wide range of services including light
housekeeping, meal preparation, laundry,
transportation, shopping & errands, and in many
states including California, assistance with
personal care. These one-on-one services can
continue should the senior move into assisted living
or even a nursing facility or hospital.
Companion Care is
usually available anywhere from a few hours up to 24
hours a day. Payment is private pay and may be
covered by long term care insurance policies.
Some questions Everhart suggests you ask a
Companion Care agency:
- Do they have
references from other clients?
- What services
do they provide?
- What
training/experience do the caregivers have?
- How do they
supervise their caregivers?
- Are the
caregivers bonded and covered by workers
compensation insurance?
- What is the
schedule for service?
- What if I have
a problem with a caregiver?
- Does the
agency have an emergency or after-hours phone
number?
- What are the
financial arrangements?
- Who owns the
agency? Is it part of a larger organization?
- Are the
caregivers employees held accountable by the
agency or are they independent contractors
accountable to no one?
- Does the
agency carry Professional Liability Insurance?
The Pros:
- Service is
easily customized for each client’s needs.
- Extensive
hours are available and are easily modified
for changes in the senior’s condition.
- Staff is
screened and supervised.
- The Agency
is responsible for all employer tasks like
payroll, taxes, liability insurance, workers
compensation, bonding.
- The Agency
is responsible for providing a replacement
should the assigned caregiver fail to arrive
or need a day off.
Everhart
says, “This service tends to be more
expensive than independent caregivers but
the right agency will provide the most
customizable, reliable, worry free, in- home
service available.”
The information in the article is not intended to
substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your
healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any
decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate
healthcare provider. |
