Caregiving is a demanding job. You may already have full- or part-time employment, children and volunteer commitments to juggle with your caregiving duties.
Hiring private caregivers through classified ads and forums is cheaper than using an agency, but you’ll have to handle the cost of payroll taxes, worker’s compensation and auto insurance.
Ask for Referrals
One of the best ways to how to find a caregiver is through word of mouth. Reach out to friends and family members, as well as acquaintances from church, club or community groups to see if they know of a good caregiver.
You can also find a caregiver through a home health agency. While working with a home care agency may be more expensive, they provide peace of mind by conducting background checks and interviews as well as covering worker’s compensation insurance and payroll taxes.
Home health agencies are able to nurture relationships with professional referral partners and can often offer a more reliable candidate pool than a registry. To help you make the right choice, make sure to consider the pros and cons of both options before hiring a caregiver. Regardless of how you choose to hire, it is important to interview applicants and, if possible, include your loved one in the process. Also, don’t forget to ask about language skills and other relevant factors like if the caregiver is a good fit for your family.
Look for a Reputation
A good caregiver recruitment process is beneficial for home care agencies and for families looking to hire in-home help for a loved one. Having a method in place to identify and hire quality caregivers helps to reduce staff turnover, save time and money and increase the overall quality of care provided by the agency.
A quality home care agency will conduct in-depth interviews and perform background checks to ensure they are hiring the right caregiver for each position. They also have experience with the initial rapport-building period and how to handle difficult situations that may arise between a family and their new caregiver.
It’s a good idea to ask for recommendations from healthcare professionals, your loved one’s doctor, or friends and family who have used the services of an in-home care provider. You should also visit the provider’s website to read reviews from past clients. Be wary of negative reviews, but don’t let them deter you from choosing a home care agency.
Conduct a Background Check
When searching for a caregiver, you’ll want to make sure the person you hire has a clean background check. Depending on your state’s laws, this might include criminal record checks, national sex offender registry checks, abuse and neglect registry checks, and more. These checks are often more extensive than those required by employers in other industries because of the nature of caregivers’ jobs and the vulnerability of the people they serve.
You can choose to conduct your own background checks, or rely on home health agencies that offer these services for their clients. Using a service or agency will save you time because they’ll perform the search for you and can provide you with references and background information on candidates. However, it’s important to interview your candidates personally. Ask them questions about their experiences, skills, and personality. You should also share your loved one’s pet peeves and other requirements for a caregiver with the candidate to be prepared.
Ask Questions
Many home care agencies provide specialized care for individuals suffering from dementia or specific health conditions. Asking caregiver interview questions about specialized experience will help you confirm that the agency is capable of meeting your loved one’s needs.
Also ask about how the agency manages client care plans. Ideally, these are drafted by nurses and vetted by managers with nursing experience. This step provides reassurance that the agency will address discrepancies in care and ensure your loved one’s medical needs are met.
Lastly, ask about the types of rewards and benefits the agency offers its caregivers. This includes time off, vacation, bonuses, free training and other perks. Caregivers that enjoy their job are often more likely to stay on staff longer. A good agency will offer a compensation package that will attract top talent.