If your organization has many employees who are of a certain age, you may well be dealing with issues caused by the necessity of workers having to take time off from work to care for elderly relatives. Providing home care for seniors is an issue that requires a great deal of research and attention. As an employer, you can take steps to make research and education for your employees a more streamlined process.
You Can Hire a Caregiver for Your Relative Directly
Your first option may be to consider hiring a caregiver for your relative directly. You may enlist a trusted friend or family member who has the necessary qualifications to perform this important function. You can also place an ad for possible employment on a number of sites. Please keep in mind that there could be liabilities involved, not to mention labor laws to follow and taxes that have to be paid from hiring directly. You will be considered the employer.
You Will Need to Fully Interview and Vet All Candidates
Once you have found a candidate who you believe is suitable for the task, you will need to investigate their background and fully vet the qualifications they claim to possess. If your initial interview with them has gone well, you should then follow up on it by making sure to call all of the references they have listed. Make sure that you inquire fully about every detail of the skills and experiences that they claim to have. A former employer can provide valuable insight into the personality and skills that your candidate displayed while on the job.
Always Run a Complete Background Check on a Prospective Caregiver
The next logical step is to run a complete background check on all of the people that you have interviewed for the position of caregiver. This is an absolute necessity step for establishing the groundwork of trust for the person who will be at home with your aged relative. It’s better to find any red flags before giving them access to your loved one’s home. Paying for a national background check is important as caregivers could move around. This will provide an offense history, sentences and more. Doing a sex offender registry search is a must. SSN Validation should be done since you are now responsible for paying this as an employer (not to mention their taxes “state and federal”). This step could also reveal more about the potential caregiver’s experience and skill level, as well as how they react to unforeseen mishaps or emergencies that may occur. A background check will reveal any special commendations or demerits they may have received while serving as a caregiver in the past.
You Can Hire a Caregiver Through an In-Home Placement Agency
Perhaps the best way to get the proper level of in-home care for aged relatives is to hire a specially qualified caregiver through an in-home placement agency. A caregiving agency will have a specially vetted roster of qualified employees who are able to enter your home and provide quality care for your relative. This is the best way for your employees to make sure that they are getting a professional caregiver who has been properly trained to manage the specific health circumstances for your elder. Agencies are required to carry workman’s comp and liability on their employees (W-2). By not going with an agency, having these in-place are critical. Some agencies however have 1099 employees, so please verify with each agency on their hiring process.
Call on Senior Providers Network for Home Care Education
Senior Providers Network (SPN) is a prime source of senior home care education, particularly with regard to researching and hiring home care for seniors. Our platform will educate your employees on the services they need based on their situation. It will then connect them directly to fully qualified and vetted home care professionals, saving them time and money.
If you desire more information on home care for seniors, please read the Senior Providers Network FAQ page. Please contact SPN with any additional questions, comments, or concerns that you may have regarding home care for seniors.
If you’re a family caregiver or know someone that is and would you like to learn more about Senior Providers Network Family Caregiver Plan? Click below. It’s available to the public…
