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Making the decision to bring a professional caregiver into a senior loved one’s home is a significant emotional and logistical step. To navigate this process with confidence, here are some of the most frequent inquiries families have when exploring in-home care options.
What Specific Services Can a Caregiver Provide?
One of the primary sources of confusion for families is understanding exactly what a caregiver is legally and professionally permitted to do. It’s important to distinguish between “home health care” (medical) and “in-home care” (nonmedical). Most families seeking assistance with daily life are looking for nonmedical care.
In-home caregivers typically focus on activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). While they generally cannot administer injections or perform wound care, they can assist with a wide variety of essential tasks, including:
- Personal care – Bathing, dressing, grooming, and toileting assistance
- Mobility assistance – Helping with transfers from bed to chair, walking, and fall prevention
- Nutrition – Meal planning, grocery shopping, cooking, and feeding assistance
- Household support – Light housekeeping, laundry, and changing linens
- Companionship – Social interaction, engaging in hobbies, and transportation to appointments
How Is In-Home Care Paid For?
Financing is often the most pressing concern for families. There’s a widespread misconception that Medicare covers all senior care needs. In reality, Medicare typically covers short-term, physician-prescribed home health services (like physical therapy after surgery), but it generally doesn’t pay for long-term custodial in-home care (like help with bathing or cooking).
Families usually fund in-home care through one of the following methods:
- Private pay – Paying out of pocket from savings or retirement income
- Long-term care insurance – Policies specifically purchased to cover custodial care
- Veterans benefits – The VA Aid and Attendance benefit can provide significant financial assistance to eligible veterans and their spouses.
- Medicaid – For those who meet specific income and asset requirements, state Medicaid programs may cover some home care services, though rules vary by state.
How Do You Vet and Select Caregivers?
Trust is paramount when allowing a stranger into a private residence. Families naturally worry about the safety of their loved ones and the security of their property. When hiring through a reputable agency, the burden of vetting is lifted from the family.
Professional agencies generally adhere to a rigorous screening process that includes:
- Background checks – Comprehensive local, state, and federal criminal background checks
- Driving records – Reviewing motor vehicle records to ensure safe transportation
- Reference checks – Verifying past employment and character references
- Drug screening – Initial and random drug testing
- Skills assessment – Verifying certifications and experience levels
If a family chooses to hire a private caregiver directly (outside of an agency), they become the employer and assume full responsibility for conducting these background checks, paying payroll taxes, and managing workers’ compensation.
If you have a senior loved one who needs help maintaining a high quality of life while aging in place, reach out to Assisting Hands Home Care, a leading provider of Columbia elderly home care. All of our caregivers are bonded, licensed, and insured, there are no hidden fees, and we never ask our clients to sign long-term contracts.
What Happens if the Regular Caregiver Is Sick?
Reliability is a major factor in the decision-making process. If an elderly relative relies on a caregiver for getting out of bed or taking medication, a missed shift can be a safety hazard.
This is a key area where agencies differ from private hires. If you hire a private individual and he or she falls ill, has a family emergency, or goes on vacation, you’re often responsible for finding a replacement or covering the shift yourself. Conversely, home care agencies typically have a roster of qualified caregivers. If the primary caregiver is unavailable, the agency is responsible for sending a qualified substitute to ensure there’s no lapse in care coverage.
Predictability and routine are especially important for older adults with dementia. Aging in place can present a few challenges for seniors living with dementia. However, with professional dementia care that offers Columbia families peace of mind, they can still live independently at home. Families can rely on Assisting Hands Home Care to provide their elderly loved ones with mental and social stimulation, timely medication reminders, assistance with meal prep, and much more. Our caregivers are available around the clock to help your loved one live a happier and healthier life.
Can We Choose Our Caregiver?
The success of in-home care often depends on the chemistry between the client and the caregiver. Families often ask if they can interview candidates or if they’re simply assigned someone.
Most high-quality care providers understand personality matching is just as important as skill matching. During the initial assessment, care managers usually ask about the senior’s interests, personality quirks, and preferences. For example, a chatty, energetic caregiver might overwhelm an introverted senior, while a quiet caregiver might bore a social butterfly. While agencies assign the staff, they typically allow families to meet caregivers beforehand and will honor requests to change caregivers if the fit isn’t right.
Whether you need respite from your caregiving duties or your aging loved one needs live-in care, Assisting Hands Home Care Columbia can meet your family’s care needs. Our dedicated caregivers are available around the clock to provide transportation to doctor’s appointments, ensure seniors take their prescribed medications, and help with a variety of tasks in and outside the home. To learn about our high-quality in-home care plans, call us today.
