9
QUEENS WEEKLY, JAN. 20, 2019
When your loved one needs help at home!
When the responsibility falls on you to choose
a caregiver for your loved one, you should not
have to fear the process…although it does require
research and legwork. When you make an inquiry,
it is important to know what to look for, because
there is a lot to consider. Here are some tips to
guide you through the process to help alleviate
some of the stress.
First, clearly define what kind of care your loved
one will need. Are they relatively independent
but would need some supportive
services such as meal prep,
shopping, light housekeeping, safety
oversight, medication reminder,
transportation and emotional
support and companionship? Do
they need help with mobility and
personal hygiene like bathing and
grooming? Or they may even need
higher level skilled care by a licensed
nurse or therapist for tasks including
injection, infusion, wound care, or
physical therapy?
Second, decide your ideal approach
to find a reliable person with the right
skills to look after your loved one.
There are two basic options, hire an
independent caregiver or enlist the
services of a homecare agency.
One of the advantages for hiring a private
caregiver is the cost. In general, the hourly rate
for a private caregiver could be 20-30% lower
than one through a homecare agency. However,
there are quite some things to consider during
the hiring process:
• Do they have relevant training and experience?
• Do they have certification such as Home Health
Aide (HHA), Personal Care Aide (PCA) or Certified
Nursing Assistant (CNA)?
• Do they have CPR and first aid training and
certification?
• Do they have valid reference to provide?
• Are you able to get their background check?
• If they are absent, do you have a backup
caregiver option?
• Do you pay them through payroll services
company or cash?
If the hiring process becomes overwhelming
for you, or you were occupied by your loved
one as a primary caregiver, you could also
turn to a homecare agency who can do all the
above work for you. Just like hiring a private
caregiver, you also want to shop around for
agencies. You might want to ask your friends,
neighbors, churches, doctors for referrals. You
can check their Google reviews. And here are
some questions you might want to check when
you call or meet the agencies:
• Do they seem professional and compassionate
when taking your call?
• What’s their screening and hiring process? Do
they conduct complete background check, drug
screen, competency test, credential validation?
• Do they have a registered nurse (RN) to assess
your loved one, build a personalized care plan,
and oversee the case throughout
the time?
• Are they fully insured and
bonded?
• What’s their operation hours?
Do they have someone on call for
after hours and holidays in case
you need to talk to them?
• How do they track attendance?
What do they do if a caregiver
doesn’t show up?
• Are their caregivers employees
or contractors?
• Do they have caregivers with
training for a particular condition,
specific language skills, similar
interests, to make sure they are
compatible with your loved one?
“Whether to go with a private aide
or homecare agency, hiring a caregiver for a loved
one is a very personal decision. If you can get a
caregiver from a reliable source such as a family
member or friend, you can save a lot of research
effort. However, the process of screening and
hiring a caregiver on your own, may outweigh
the cost savings”.
– Xilin Zhang, Home Care Agency Owner
BrightStar Care is proud to be recognized as a home care provider
of choice and a “Leader in Excellence”.
• Federal and State background check and
drug screening of all caregivers
• Guaranteed Compatibility®
• Registered Nurse (RN) oversight of all
clientele
• 24/7 on call
• Light housekeeping, meal prep, laundry
• Transportation to appointments, activities,
and shopping
• Medication reminders and education, home
safety oversight
• Companion and emotional support
®
BrightStar Care of Fresh Meadows | 183-16 Horace Harding Expy., Suite 3B, Fresh Meadows, NY 11365
P: 718.886.1378 | E: freshmeadows@brightstarcare.com | W: brightstarcare.com/fresh-meadows
Free Consultation Available
Now hiring HHA, CNA, PCA, LPN, RN, and Nursing Students.
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