{"id":3189,"date":"2022-05-16T08:00:47","date_gmt":"2022-05-16T12:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/designtheme1.wpengine.com\/?p=3189"},"modified":"2022-05-16T08:00:47","modified_gmt":"2022-05-16T12:00:47","slug":"professional-home-caregiver","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/assistinghands.com\/68\/bostonnw\/massachusetts\/blog\/professional-home-caregiver\/","title":{"rendered":"How Can I Find a Professional Home Caregiver?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Your elderly mother still lives alone in the house you grew up in. Mom\u2019s health hasn\u2019t been the greatest lately, so you\u2019ve been trying to help her out when you have time. But with your job and household to manage, burning the candle at both ends is starting to wear you down. After considering your options, you\u2019ve decided that it might be best to hire a mom as a professional home caregiver. But where do you start? Finding the right in-home caregiver for an aging loved one can be challenging. Taking these steps should help simplify your search.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Assess Your Loved One\u2019s Needs<\/h2>\n

You\u2019ll need to sit down and compile a list of your loved one\u2019s daily and weekly caregiving needs. Here are some points to consider:<\/p>\n

Mobility<\/h3>\n

How ambulatory are they? Do they need assistance negotiating stairs or getting up and down?<\/p>\n

Mental state<\/h3>\n

Do they have any type of cognitive impairment, like dementia or Alzheimer\u2019s, that places them at risk in the home?<\/p>\n

Transportation<\/h3>\n

Can they still safely operate a motor vehicle? During a typical week, where does your loved one need to go?<\/p>\n

Specific duties<\/h3>\n

What activities of daily living do they need assistance with? Those might include bathing, toileting, cooking, housework, dressing, exercising, medication management, and food shopping.<\/p>\n

Physical limitations<\/h3>\n

Do they have any other physical limitations, like a swallowing impairment, vision or hearing loss, or incontinence?<\/p>\n

Personality<\/h3>\n

Is your loved one stubborn and short-tempered, or are they easygoing and personable? Finding a professional caregiver with personality traits that compliment your senior is important.<\/p>\n

Language barriers<\/h3>\n

Is your loved one\u2019s primary language something other than English? Do they suffer from aphasia due to a stroke or other medical condition that makes communicating difficult?<\/p>\n

Insurance<\/h3>\n

Medicare and Medicaid typically don\u2019t cover home care services, but some long-term care and life insurance policies do. Find out if your loved one has an LTC insurance policy that will help cover the costs.<\/p>\n

Once your \u201claundry list\u201d is ready, it\u2019s time to explore your professional home caregiver options.<\/p>\n

Screen Potential Caregivers<\/h2>\n

Caregiver qualities you should look for include experience, trustworthiness, and compassion. You can use a home health registry to search for a private independent caregiver or work with a licensed home care agency instead. Here are some ways to get started:<\/p>\n