Benefits of Hiring a Caregiver through an Agency

The Decision to Hire a Caregiver

Every day, families face the decision of whether hiring a private individual as a caregiver, use a caregiver website, or work with a home care agency. And some families prefer the first two options, thinking that they could hire a caregiver on their own and cut costs.

But, what you don’t know about paying privately for a caregiver or just hiring from a popular caregiver website could cost you big. Would you risk the lives of your loved ones just to save a few bucks? Below, we outline the benefits of hiring a caregiver through a home care agency over an individual or caregiver website:

1. Peace of Mind:

Unless the client does a criminal background check at their own expense, the client does not fully know who is providing care in their home. Home care agencies are required to conduct thorough criminal background checks. This provides more comprehensive data than available to the public before any home care agency employee steps foot into a client’s home. The best home care agencies carefully interview, screen and background check their caregivers. With these processes in place, you’re sure to get someone who has been chosen to work with seniors based on verified qualifications.

2. Employer Obligations:

By hiring a home health aide or nurse directly, the individual consumer (You) and their family takes on the responsibilities as their employer. This includes paying for the employee’s payroll taxes, workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance, and liability. If the employee gets hurt during their time providing care or commuting to or from the individual’s home, it is the consumer (You) that is legally and financially liable. Working with a home care agency alleviates the client of these responsibilities. Also, home care agencies are bonded, licensed, and insured.

3. Ongoing Training and Supervision:

Private caregivers typically work for themselves. Caregivers working for a home care agency work for the agency as an employee. This ensures that the agency provides some level of supervision to their caregivers to ensure the needs of your loved ones are met. Home care agencies have the experience, knowledge, training, resources, and licensure to ensure that their employees are thoroughly trained in all services performed, including safe infection control, fall prevention, emergency preparation, and personal care tasks.

4. Flexibility, Security, and Contingency.

Home care agencies can provide a replacement caregiver without disruption of service. The employee sometimes gets sick, injured, or changes jobs. Also, caregivers hired by a home care agency need to undergo a probationary period. This is to ensure that their overall performance is satisfactory and ideal for the needs of the clients. Sometimes, the caregiver’s service fails to satisfy the client. The home care agency can find and send a replacement right away. Home care agencies ensure the satisfaction of their clients as a commitment.

These are just some of the many benefits associated with hiring caregivers from a home care agency. Home care is the most cost-effective health care delivery offered.  There are no room and board costs compared to nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, and other institutional care settings. It also promotes healing, as studies have shown that patients recover faster in the comfort of their homes. A Home Care agency offers individualized services tailored to the client’s health care needs and finances. And most of all, it gives you and your loved one’s peace of mind that money can’t buy.

Related Post: What is a Licensed Home Care Agency