If you are exploring the possibility of bringing in home help for your elderly loved one or in your own home, how do you go about it? Do you put a “household help wanted” ad in the paper? Do you find a referral service or listing online? Will an agency be expensive or impersonal?
Read more in our articles: Florida Home Care Options & Regulations & Home Health Terminology and consider the following questions:
- What type of liability am I exposing myself and my belongings to with different options? If you hire an independent caregiver (someone out of the newspaper or recommended, or most likely even via a referral service, also known as a nursing registry), you will potentially be liable for any accidents or injury suffered on the job. Most homeowners policies do not cover employment relationships. An umbrella policy may help, but remember if you are not properly handling payroll taxes, etc. that there may be unemployment and disability issues as well.
- How is supervision, hiring, firing, etc. handled? If you chose to do this as a private employer then you and your family will essentially be the HR staff. This can be awkward, especially as you develop a relationship with those working in your home (and your elderly loved one develops a fondness and dependency). If you work with an agency, ensure they are the employers of the caregivers and ask how they hire, train and supervise as well as how they will respond to any concerns or questions you have.
- If my situation changes or something happens to the caregiver, what happens?
- What kind of experience and training does the individual(s) have?
- How is the professional licensed, regulated by the state? What recourse do I have if I have a complaint, concern, or am worried that my loved one has been stolen from, abused or neglected?
We also share advice in our article Five Tips to Finding a Quality Home Care Provider and we are here to answer your questions and help you get the right type of care for your elderly loved ones in Florida. Contact us at 727-447-5845 for home care questions and eldercare advice.
EasyLiving: your Florida home care resource and partner in high-quality care and eldercare advice in Pinellas County/Clearwater and beyond!
