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As your loved one grows much older, sooner or later they will come to a point when they’re no longer able to live on their own. When signs that your aging parents need help become obvious, it’s time to decide for their future.
Nursing home care is a common option. Although seniors receive round the clock coverage in nursing homes, they also know that is often the final place they will ever stay. Just the thought of leaving their homes depresses many seniors, and this can further deteriorate the condition of their health. This is why it is important to understand that not all seniors have to go to nursing homes. A nursing home may be a great option for seniors with serious dementia who might hurt themselves when left alone. However, majority of our seniors does not need such radical changes. Many seniors only need some help with the chores that they can no longer do on their own and have someone to visit them and make sure they’re doing fine.
Elderly home care is a good option for senior loved ones who are not in need of round the clock monitoring and care. Perhaps your senior loved one is not ill but he is not able to do some tasks without the help of another person. Or maybe he is recovering from an illness or from an operation and only needs someone to help him with personal care, light nursing, medication and even some light mental or physical therapy.
Then nurses and other high level medical professionals will visit him only periodically based on how much care he needs, while still maintaining his freedom and independence in his own home. With elderly home care, your senior parent can stay in familiar surroundings which could be the best place for him to recover more quickly. Elderly people who are able to remain in their own home have more self-esteem. In contrast, those who are placed in nursing homes often feel depressed realizing that they can no longer do the things they used to do.
Studies show that elderly home care is the best option for the over-all well-being of seniors. When it comes to hiring elderly home care you have at least two options. Either you get a provider through an agency or you hire a provider directly. Both of them have their own pros and cons. Here’s a detailed discussion of them.
Home Care Agency
The advantages to hiring an elderly home care provider through an agency is that the agency handles all the processes related to screening, hiring or firing, pay and taxes, which you need to do yourself once you choose to hire a caregiver on your own. Another advantage is that the agency can send a substitute anytime your care provider is sick. Also, agencies can provide workers with various skills to meet different needs.
Disadvantage to hiring a caregiver through an agency is that because several care givers are used it could be distressing or confusing for the care recipient. Other disadvantages are that your choices of workers are limited and it is usually more expensive than when hiring an individual directly.
Hiring Elderly Home Care Giver Directly
By hiring an elderly home caregiver directly, there is a greater chance of developing a strong one-on-one relationship between the care giver and the care recipient. Also, with this method you have the freedom to choose the person you think can best provide the needs required by your senior loved one. This is also often less expensive than hiring someone from an agency.
Disadvantages include not having to get a ready substitute anytime the home care worker can’t be available and you have to directly handle the processes of screening, hiring or firing, pay and taxes.
Interviewing the Applicant
Should you decide the second option, here are some tips you need to keep in mind during the interview process:
A face-to-face interview with all job applicants is not necessary. You may screen them over the telephone. When doing the initial telephone interview, ask the applicants to give a full description of the job, including the number of hours and days they’re available. It is also important that you ask the candidate’s job history and whether or not she has some preferences. If a candidate sounds suitable for the job, schedule for a personal interview with him. Ask another family member or the care recipient himself, if possible, to participate in the interview. If you think a candidate has the qualities and skills that you require, ask him to sign a work contract for your mutual protection.
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Source by Peter Mangiola
