How to Hire the Right Caregiver

Article Submitted by Karrol Steeves of Comfort Keepers & a Certified Senior Advisor. She can be reached at 970-674-0800. Visit their website www.ComfortKeepers.com

The desire to stay in our own home as we age is one of the many reasons people hire caregivers. Because of the liability involved, I would never recommend hiring an independent caregiver. The initial cost may be lower but you bear all of the responsibility if the caregiver is injured or fails to pay their income taxes. The back end costs can be quite high when you have no screening processes and most homeowners insurance does not cover someone you are paying for services if they are injured on your property. Consider your predicament if the IRS discovers the caregiver didn't bother to pay their own income taxes, you are now responsible for paying those taxes.

It is illegal for independently contracted caregivers to work without workman's compensation yet very few bother to carry any. Does the caregiver have car insurance? They must have a valid driver's license. Is their vehicle safe and reliable? And what about their driving record? A criminal check must also be preformed. If they just moved to the area, the state or country they just arrived from should also be checked. A background check should go back at least 3 years. When you check their social security, or work visa, you are verifying that it is legal for them to work in the United States.

I recommend hiring a non-medical home care company to provide you with care. A good home care company is responsive, organized, and has a good tracking system. They always know when their caregivers arrive and leave a client's home. They treat their caregivers as the valued employees that they are. A good company hires pleasant, responsible people who like caring for others and respect the client's dignity and protect the client's health and well-being. They take care of all of the issues mentioned above and are there when you need them, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.