Although you and your parent may have made a pact years ago that he or she would never be dependent on you, life does not come with guarantees. Occasionally as the adult child, you need to make decisions for your mom or dad. Sometimes that includes working with a caregiver. Your parent might not want to move to a care facility and staying at home might be the best solution. Your loved one may be at a stage that they need assistance more regularly. At this point, you may want to start thinking about hiring a home care provider. One of the decisions you will make is to hire a Home Care Agency vs. direct caregiver.
Pros of Working with an Agency
Initially, the process seems cut and dry. Agencies advertise senior care for seniors like your mom or dad every day. Families often use these companies since they conduct the background checks on the caregivers and handle the payroll and scheduling. For some this hiring process seems a bit too impersonal. For others, the connection for Mom or Dad may not be appropriate. It is important to remember when hiring a home care provider if the fit is not right, you can request a different caregiver. It important that you will be involved to ensure the services required are met for their parent.
Agency vs Direct Caregiver
If you choose to hire direct and not go through an agency, choosing the right care may become more challenging. Some of the obstacles you may run into include checking and confirming immigration status as legal workers, payroll, workers compensation, worker’s comp and other employer-related tasks. If your choice is to have a licensed or certified caregiver, verifying credentials will be difficult as well. Agencies have the connections to confirm these details and make the process smoother. These details often account for the difference in cost between a direct hire and a company hire.
Contact Assisting Hands Home Care
When work with a home care agency like Assisting Hands, you can be sure your parents will be safe and comfortable at home. Our caregivers are screened, trained and CPR-certified to provide complete peace of mind. Whether it’s helping them bathe and get dressed in the morning or just having a good conversation during the week, our caregivers are available at any time of day to provide home care services.
For more information, or to schedule a free consultation regarding our senior home care services, give us a call at (239) 337-4263. We proudly serve Fort Myers, Estero, Cape Coral, Bonita Springs and the surrounding areas.
