A family can hire a caregiver independently or through a home care agency. Agencies handle everything from vetting to payroll taxes and worker’s compensation insurance for their employees.
Those costs play into the rates they charge. Agencies also have to advertise for caregivers and pay for background checks. This can take weeks.
Peace of Mind
Agencies have several direct costs to recruit, hire, train and manage caregivers that factor into the rates they charge. Family caregivers can save a lot of time by letting the agency do the heavy lifting when it comes to finding a dedicated and reliable caregiver.
Many agencies pay their caregivers payroll taxes and insurances, and they offer benefits that help increase employee retention. These benefits may include 401(k) matching, healthcare packages, and education reimbursement.
Some agencies also perform a national caregiver background check, fingerprinting and drug screening, as well as run criminal checks on drivers’ licenses. If a potential caregiver has a minor traffic violation, that is typically not enough to disqualify them, but some companies take credit histories into account as well. These steps give families peace of mind that their loved ones are being cared for by someone who is vetted, licensed, insured and bonded. This reduces a family’s stress levels and allows them to spend more quality time with their elderly loved one.
Time & Money
Using an agency for home caregivers saves time and money. Agencies have staff that vets and oversees the aides and usually has a registered nurse on hand. Additionally, agencies handle payroll taxes and provide professional liability insurance and worker’s compensation coverage for their caregivers. This is an important aspect that is not offered by registry services.
Families often believe they will save time by hiring an independent caregiver instead of using a home care agency. However, it takes time and money to manage payroll for an employee and handle insurance, taxes, and other administrative duties. Additionally, it can be expensive to find someone to cover shifts when a caregiver is sick or on vacation.
Caregiver agencies have a team of caregivers available that can cover last-minute emergencies or sudden needs for around-the-clock care. This gives families peace of mind and allows them to spend more time with their loved one. Also, they can rest assured that their loved ones are receiving quality care.
Safety
Many elderly people have no family nearby to call in the event of an emergency. Having a professional caregiver living in the home can provide peace of mind and safety for your loved one. Agencies run background checks, offer training and fire employees for wrongful behavior.
Most agencies require their live-in caregivers to work in smoke-free homes. This is for their health and to reduce the risk of respiratory problems.
Caregivers often conduct a risk assessment before and after they join the agency. They look for areas like tripping hazards, unlocked doors, and other security issues.
As the home care industry grows, so do the number of incidents and threats against caregivers. While it’s the client or client representative responsibility to ensure that the home is safe for a live-in caregiver, the agency must also have policies and procedures in place to protect their workers. These should be discussed in new employee orientation and provided during ongoing safety and violence-prevention training.Caregivers agency