How To Select A Senior Caregiver Agency
If an elderly parent's needs exceed what you are equipped to provide and you are unable or unwilling to consider a nursing home facility, choosing a senior caregiver agency may be a prudent step for you to take. The agency will be able to assign a senior caregiver to attend to your aging parent. Generally, this aide lives with the patient and the patient's family for five-six days a week. She addresses the hygienic and personal needs of the patient and acts as a companion. The home health aide may act as a lifeline for your elderly parent since she offers personalized care and consistent human interaction.
In order to make an appropriate match, you need to know what type of agency to seek out, whether it is a placement agency, care giver agency, or a home care agency. A placement agency diligently chooses and screens the candidates to serve as home health aides. It should conduct an in-depth interview process with potential employees. The agency should do a detailed review of the applicant's experience, a series of comprehensive interviews and follow-up interviews, a professional background check, a complete check of references, driving and credit checks, and a full personality assessment. You need to act as advocate for your parent, yourself, and your family; do not hesitate to inquire about the agency's hiring practices; you need to be your own champion.
A reputable placement agency will consider the needs of you, your family, and your elderly parent and assign a senior caregiver based on those criteria. You should have a meeting with the senior caregiver before you officially hire her to negotiate and agree upon the terms of employment and approve the contract together. This agency provides the patient with general care. A caregiver agency may work in the same manner as a placement agency or it may hire the senior caregiver and collect a fee from either you or the caregiver for its services; it functions like an employment agency. A homecare agency is usually certified or licensed by the Department of Health to provide skilled care.
Selecting the appropriate agency is both an emotional and financial undertaking. In-home care is not always covered by insurance and some insurance companies will only pay for a portion of it. Home healthcare's expense depends on the number of hours required per week and the duration of the senior care. Choosing the right senior caregiver may feel like an exhausting undertaking, but it is ultimately a rewarding process, at the end of which, you may feel secure that your loved one is in capable hands.
About the Author
http://www.Penelopespeople.com, A NYC based household staffing agency that specializes in matching qualified, experienced staff with the right households.
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