Where to find live in caregivers

Live-in elder care is a hour service that focuses on keeping an elder in their home. This level of service is often provided by a nursing service which places a Home Health Aid or another type of caregiver in patients home in shifts that range from 12 or 24 hours to several days or even a full week. The nursing care provided ranges from housecleaning and grocery shopping to bathing, dressing, and meal preparation.

A live-in caregiver is present 24 hours per day, but they do not actually live at the seniors home. What that means is that they have their own home and they work in hour shifts.

The general premise is that the elder is able to sleep through the night and does not need care after they go to bed. In this way, live-in care differs from hour care, in that the live-in caregiver is allowed to sleep undisturbed through the night. When hour care is needed, the caregiver must be awake and available every minute of their shift.

For that reason, hour care is usually broken into eight- or hour shifts. Care is usually provided by two or more caregivers over the course of a week. Other options include hospice, volunteers, and of course family members. There are governmental agencies that also help with live-in care or who help with certain aspects of elder care.

A good example is Meals on Wheels, which delivers meals to elders. The primary benefit is that the elder remains in their home. This, of course, is balanced with improved safety and improved quality of life. Even when the elder faces extreme illnesses, remaining in their home is a benefit to them.

Live-in care is based on a personalized plan of care which outlines the goals set forth by the care team, which may include the elder, family, doctor, or social worker and generally whoever has the legal right to approve these sorts of decisions. Tasks can range from meal preparation, assistance with eating, housework, running errands, and personal care.

In general, the plan of care should address all of the deficits that decrease the quality of life of the elder. The kinds of services provided will depend on the agency and the individual caregiver. Each state has different laws on what attendants can and cannot do, such as dressing changes on a wound or giving medications. However, there might be rules on who can set up the medi-set with the pills in it, and whether or not the care receiver must take them out of the medi-set on their own.

Once you have identified the types of help you need, write a job description. In addition to including the tasks you have identified, also be specific about:. If you are hiring through an agency, you can shorten this process. If you need help right away, always go through an agency, as hiring privately takes time and energy to secure the right person or team of people. Often an agency representative will come to the house and interview you to find out what type of help you are seeking and will try to match you with the person in their employee pool who best meets your needs.

However, having your job description will still be helpful in working with the agency. Ask for a resume and references. If appropriate, the care receiver should be present at the interview, as their input is important. Other family members or concerned individuals may also be present. Their input can help you make a good decision. The job description can be emailed to the applicant as a way to start the conversation.

Here are some initial questions for the interview:. If the care receiver is present, watch the interactions between the attendant and the care receiver. Do they only respond to you, or do they include the care receiver in their answers? If the care receiver is not present, you might want to invite a top candidate back to meet the care receiver before making a final job offer.

Immediately after the interview, write down your impressions. Check your gut. How you feel about someone can go a long way in your finding the right person. Check the references. Have a list of questions to ask about their experience in working with this attendant. If someone is looking for work, they are probably interviewing with others.

Do not wait too long to make a job offer, as the person may have taken a different job. Arrange to meet to sign the contract and establish a start date. If hiring privately, you will need to develop a contract. Use the job description as the basis of the contract. Alternatively, contact an attorney to help draft a simple agreement. The contract formalizes the agreement between you, the employer, and the attendant, the employee.

It is signed by both of you. If problems should arise, either party can refer back to the written agreement to help negotiate solutions. In addition to the job description, the contract should have the following:. Wages: see job description. What kind of paperwork do you want the attendant to keep? Expectations for behavior: Use of phone, smoking, being late. Date and sign the contract: You and the attendant. Significant legal and financial considerations exist for employers.

See also Resources at the end of this fact sheet. Be informed about your tax responsibilities if you have a hired employee. All U. This form verifies that the person is legally entitled to work in the United States.

A W-9 form is also completed by the employee to set up payroll. You will also have to apply for an employer ID number. Local services are often available to seniors who need assistance in filing tax statements for household employees, as well as help with doing the payroll.

Check with your local Area Agency on Aging to find out what is available in in your area. Good communication is essential for a good relationship.

Changes in care needs are to be expected. If there are added responsibilities or changes in who is living in the house, for example, these need to be discussed with the attendant.

It is important to make expectations clear and to provide adequate training to meet those expectations. If there are problems, write out what is not working and come together on solutions that both of you sign. Keep communication current; address problems as soon as they arise. If you hire an attendant privately, it is important you feel comfortable both providing training and firing the worker if necessary.

The higher the trust, the better the relationship. Trust comes through honest and open communication. If the attendant is doing a great job, be sure to tell them. A smile and well-deserved praise can make a big difference. None of us likes to feel our work is not appreciated.

When you find the right person for your caregiving needs, they are worth their weight in gold. Wishing you success in finding the best help to match your caregiving situation and make your journey as a caregiver more manageable and fulfilling. Family Caregiver Alliance FCA seeks to improve the quality of life for caregivers through education, services, research, and advocacy.

Through its National Center on Caregiving, FCA offers information on current social, public policy, and caregiving issues and provides assistance in the development of public and private programs for caregivers. A listing of all facts and tips is available online at www. Eldercare Locator Resources for older adults and their families eldercare. Aging Life Care Association Provides help in locating a professional care manager www.

Elder Financial Protection Network Works to prevent financial abuse of elders and dependent adults www. California Background Check Process State of California resource; check your state government for a similar resource. This fact sheet was prerepared by Family Caregiver Alliance. All rights reserved. Skip to main content Skip to sidebar options. Quick Read. Share on:. Hiring In-Home Help By Family Caregiver Alliance It is easy for family and friends, as well as professionals, to suggest finding someone to help with housekeeping tasks and care responsibilities.

Do I Need Assistance? Hiring help might not only be a necessity but a gift you can give yourself. How Do I Find Help? Anyone who needs palliative care and would like to remain in the comfort of their home can opt for live in caregivers. These groups of people, however, are most suited for Live-in care: Note that Live-in care can either be long term or short term, depending on the cause for specialized care :.

Note, however, that live in caregiver is not available in the state of California, which means that residents of California would have to go for our hour live in caregivers program. Olivia had been having a hard time taking care of her mother who was chronically ill and whose condition had been deteriorating.

Having to balance work and looking after her mom, she had tried getting fa, I'll members to take care of her mum until frustrations made her give us a call for personal care and home health.

Get the best health care available. The interview was so professional, but what impressed me the most was the determination to find the perfect fit for my mom. From her medical details, her personality traits and interests, a lot of details went into finding the right caregiver for her.

Today, Mary, our caregiver, is actually like a sister to me, and most of all a daughter to my mom. She has so much love for her, and nothing gives me joy than knowing that mom is happy and comfortable despite nearing her end days.

There are many reasons why people opt for live-in care for their loved ones. Here are the benefits that you stand to gain: 1. It reduces the risk of exposure to communicable diseases. Most seniors have underlying health complications and exposing them to the world outside increases their chances of contracting communicable diseases and collecting disease-causing organisms.

This is life-threatening, having in mind that their immune systems are weakened with age, not to mention the pre-existing illness. Take the pandemic, for example. The CDC recommends social distancing for all persons, and advice that people over 65 be under complete lockdown to reduce the chances of exposure.

With live in caregivers, this is made possible, and since the live in caregivers is constant, chances of contracting the virus are minimized by an impeccable margin. You can support your loved one fully, and be assured that they're safe.

Remaining at home is not just about safety. It about comfort. East or west, home is best. Your loved one is surrounded by familiar territory, their belongings, and even memories. To top it all of, they get to see you, and the members of the family throughout. The family also gets the advantage of being with their loved ones and being more involved in caring for them. People who are chronically ill suffer from a lot of anxiety, particularly people with mental issues like dementia.

Living at home helps create a safe space, and gives many more benefits than being in a nursing home. While dementia can be confusing, remaining at home will prove worth every penny spent on live-in care.

They maintain their dignity from the freedom to be allowed to make decisions that make them happy. Maintaining the lifestyle of your loved one is a vital part of making your loved one comfortable, and ensures that they are mentally and physically healthy. Whatever you are paying for, will manifest itself right before you. Your loved one will be attended to at all times, and all their needs are taken care of.

From domestic needs to dietary, medical, and even offering emotional support, our live-in care services give you value for your money.

Our packages are specially designed to suit every client's needs, including those with special medical needs.