In
the news recently were several stories of seniors who had
checks or other items of value stolen by their health-care
aides. While the majority of aides are hard-working, honest
and often underpaid for the demanding jobs they perform,
it is important to know how to find the right non-nursing
homecare.
Personal care (non-nursing
care) attendants may supervise but not give medications,
bathe, dress and lift, provide homemaking services and transportation.
Homemaker companion agencies
now must be registered with the state Department of Consumer
Protection and must do background checks. However, the best
background checks are a national criminal and national driver’s
license check, rather than merely state, only. Other pre-employment
screening done by agencies include proof of tuberculosis
testing, drug screening and proof the employee is in the
country legally.
Your first step should be
to decide what is needed. Is it:
- Assistance with eating,
walking, toileting?
- Health monitoring?
- Personal care?
- Nutritious meals or a special
diet?
- Exercise or social activities
and mental stimulation?
- Housekeeping and laundry?
- Errands and shopping?
- Transportation?
The next step is to find reputable
providers. Call your local agency on aging, your senior
center, the hospital or rehabilitation discharge planner
or Infoline at (800) 203-1234.
Call for brochures of several agencies. Check out the following:
- Owner or sponsoring agency
- Years of operation
- Bonding and professional
liability
- Hours and days of operation
- Cost, including extra fees
- Caregiver pay (sometimes
companies that charge the most, pay the least)
- How caregivers are screened
- How quickly care can be
provided
- How often caregivers will
change
If you decide to hire privately,
extra caution is necessary. You need to know if the individual
is licensed or certified, if they are insured for personal
injury or liability and what happens when they need time
off or have an emergency. Ask for copies of working papers,
license and Social Security card. Have they had hepatitis
vaccinations and testing for TB and drug screening? Be sure
to check references.
While a good company may
charge more, they take on all of the above responsibilities
and usually offer their employee additional benefits. They
will also provide alternative help in the event of an emergency.
No matter who you hire, don’t
provide temptations. Lock up cash, checkbooks and valuables.
Do not allow the aide to handle financial transactions,
give them large amounts of cash to purchase things for the
home or let them write out checks to themselves.
Your job when hiring is to
be organized and truthful about your needs, including any
physical and mental limitations of the person receiving
help. Home care is about relationships and a better match
is made if your situation is fully understood.
*Professional sources consulted
for this column include Barbara Katz, RN, MSN, Guilford
VNA, and Lesley Mills, director, Griswold Special Care.
Jean Cherni
is founder of Senior Living Solutions, a retirement advisory
service. Contact her at jeancherni@sbcglobal.net or
15 The Ponds, Branford 06405.
H. Pearce Company REALTORS®
is a full-service real estate company with more than 100
agents and branch offices in greater New Haven and the Shoreline.
Corporate and & Commercial offices are located in North
Haven, where the company was founded in 1958. All listings
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