What keeps your parents or even your family from signing up for home care services?
If you’re like many families, it’s the fear that independence and privacy get lost when caregivers are helping out. Those common myths shouldn’t keep you from signing up if these services are needed. Here are the facts about home care.
The Realities of Home Care
You’ve likely heard many myths about home care. The caregiver steal from families. They’re bossy and do what they want instead of what your parents need. They’re not trained and don’t undergo any background checks. It’s better for sons and daughters to provide the care their parents require.
The reality is that caregivers do go through background checks and training when you hire a home care agency. If you set out to find a caregiver on your own and save money by hiring a private caregiver, you’ll have to do the background checks on your own. That can be costly and time-consuming. You’re also required to pay for employment taxes and, possibly, the insurance a private caregiver needs.
Hire an agency to find the perfect caregivers for your mom and dad and all worries are eased.
Your mom and dad have someone trained to help them with meals, housework, laundry, and more. They’re not going to become dependent. The goal of a caregiver is to offer support so that independence is maintained while aging at home.
Sons and daughters can make excellent family caregivers for their aging parents. There are also downsides to this. If you’re being asked to care for your parents every day, can you still work? Can you afford to quit your job? If you do quit your job, how will you afford health and dental insurance?
Some family members decide to save money and move in with their parents or move their parents in with them. If that happens, will you have a way to have time alone? Everyone will need time for themselves. If you arrange to have home care aides stopping by, you can take those much-needed breaks.
How Do You Get Started?
How do you get started? First, call a home care agency and talk to a representative. The specialist will ask you questions to start narrowing down the home care services that will help the most. After that, pricing and final arrangements are made.
You arrange home care services on the days and at the times your parents need help. They might want help once a week, once a month, or every day. It’s up to your family to decide the best schedule and talk to the agency to set up care plans.
