Home Care Agency Vs. Hiring Directly: What’s the difference?
Most seniors would prefer to live in their own home, with their familiar surroundings, rather than have to move to a care facility. However many of these seniors are no longer able to stay safely in their homes by themselves. A home health care agency like Assisting Hands® can provide your senior loved one with the option of living independently, but having someone there to help them with the tasks they can no longer perform themselves.
Hiring a caregiver agency provides many benefits you cannot get if you hire a caregiver directly
People may think they will save money by trying to find a caregiver directly instead of going through a home care agency like Assisting Hands. If they cut out the ‘middle man,’ they should save money, right?
Here are 6 reasons why you should hire Assisting Hands instead of hiring a caregiver directly:
- Employer Paperwork/Taxes. When you hire Assisting Hands, the caregiver is our employee and we are responsible for all the paperwork. If you hire a caregiver directly, you become their employer. That means you are responsible for filing payroll taxes, tax forms, and verifying that the employee can legally work in the U.S. Do you want that extra stress and paperwork?
- All of our caregivers go through several training programs so we are sure that they are well-equipped to work with our clients. If you hire a caregiver directly, you are responsible for training them, as well as any disciplinary action or termination, if necessary. Do you know what kind of training a caregiver needs and are you equipped to train them?
- Our caregivers are bonded (protection against theft for our clients). Independent caregivers cannot be bonded.
- Accidents/Other Incidents. A caregiver agency will have liability insurance and worker’s compensation for their caregivers. An independent caregiver will not have this insurance or worker’s compensation. If the independent caregiver has an accident or other incident while on the job, you, as the employer, will be responsible for them. This could cost you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. In addition, your caregiver might not be able to work, leaving your senior loved one without a caregiver. Are you equipped to handle that expense?
- Replacement Caregivers. If one of our caregivers is sick, hurt or cannot work, we will find a replacement so your senior loved one is not left alone. When you hire your own caregiver, if that person cannot come in, you will be responsible for finding a replacement. Are you ready to take off of work because your caregiver could not come in?
- Skill Level. A quality home care agency like Assisting Hands trains and tests their caregivers, and can attest to their skill levels. If you hire a caregiver directly, you will be responsible for assessing the quality and skill level of the caregiver. A caregiver’s skill level becomes especially important if your senior loved one requires hands-on personal care, has limited mobility, dementia or Alzheimer’s. Do you want to take that chance?
At Assisting Hands, we carefully screen each caregiver to assess their skill level and personality as well as do extensive background checks. All of our caregivers are certified in CPR and First Aid, and have advanced training in Hospice and Fall Prevention. They are bonded, insured and our clients are protected if a caregiver is injured on the job.
Families want to spend their resources wisely, but they should also carefully consider the risks of hiring a caregiver directly instead of working with a home care agency.
