if you find yourself overwhelmed, reach out to local caregiver support groups. These support groups may assist with running errands or providing meals as well as temporary caregiving duties so you can take a break.
Some communities provide low-cost home care through special funding sources. These programs may have public registries to facilitate prescreened attendant referrals.
Background Checks
One in 10 seniors is at risk of abuse, and conducting background checks on prospective caregivers is key to helping prevent elder abuse. Home health agencies should verify all claimed education and credentials claimed by caregiver candidates as well as check criminal histories before conducting searches of national sex offender registries as well as any state abuse/neglect registries during pre-hire screening processes.
Caregiver-candidates who have been found guilty of violent or other serious offenses will be disqualified, while those on federal exclusion lists are typically banned from applying. Credit checks and driving records checks may also be conducted prior to applying.
Many states mandate healthcare agency employers conduct background checks for all their caregivers. An ethical background screening company will prioritize privacy and security during these searches to protect any confidential data from being shared with unintended parties, guaranteeing accurate and reliable reports as a result.
Reference Checks
As part of reference checks, pay close attention to the overall tone of an applicant’s response. Since applicants often provide references they believe will give them positive reviews, it is vital that more information than just an affirmative reply be gained from references.
Pitt suggests asking each reference how long they worked with and were responsible for, along with whether they would hire this candidate again and why or why not.
Establish a reference check template that all team members can utilize consistently to ensure all questions asked during reference checks are consistent and avoid discriminatory queries. Also be sure to take thorough notes during all reference checks in legible handwriting for use during the hiring process should an applicant give negative or unfavorable assessments during an interview. This may become especially crucial if an interviewee provides unfavorable assessments that contradict each other.
Interviews
Interviews should be two-way conversations; hiring managers must spend just as much time selling candidates on working at their agency as they spend asking questions. This is particularly relevant to caregivers as they interact directly with clients every day.
Homecare agencies should utilize situational questions designed to assess this competency in potential candidates by asking situational inquiries that test their empathy, communication, and problem-solving skills.
As an interviewer, it can be useful to ask candidates to describe an experience with an especially challenging client or family member so as to observe how they handle difficult circumstances and assess a caregiver’s level of compassion and empathy toward his/her client.
Interviewers should ask candidates how they keep abreast of best practices for home care and any updates to existing standards, in order to gain a sense of their commitment and desire to provide quality care for a homebound client.
Training
No matter who provides care for your loved one, whether family members or independent caregivers, training should take place so they can best meet his or her needs. Home health agencies typically provide this training; it may also be provided directly from an individual working directly for yourself or another loved one.
Licensed agencies usually impose rules and regulations upon their workers, and may have a standard contract which must be signed prior to starting work. Furthermore, licensed agencies tend to have greater access to candidates than independent workers can and can often find someone more easily fitting your requirements than an independent worker could.
Agencies provide peace of mind to families that are worried about employing inexperienced family members as paid caregivers, as they take care of payroll taxes and benefits while quickly providing backup solutions if your loved one’s needs or medical conditions change.