Hiring
a Caregiver Safety Tips
Finding a caregiver is a difficult and an emotional task. Operating
under stressful conditions causes many people to hire individuals or
acquaintances to help care for their loved one at home, rather than bringing in
a qualified agency. We understand that family budget is a major factor, yet cost
should not be the only consideration when hiring someone to work with, or
ultimately live-in with mom or dad. Safety and security should be paramount in
the decision-making process, particularly if your loved one has a critical
health condition or disability. Normally, professional caregivers are fabulous
additions to an overall care plan that permits a person to remain in their
home.
Sadly, not every caregiver has the best intentions. We recently had a
client who hired a caregiver to help her mom in the family home. This caregiver
turned out to be an unscrupulous person. On the surface the caregiver seemed
capable, helping mom with activities such as bathing, dressing meals, etc. What the family did not know was that the
caregiver used her smart phone to login to an app that transfers money, person
to person. She then copied the mom’s checking account information and stole
$17,000 in cash over a 2-month period. The daughter saw the bank statement and
immediately contacted the bank, police department, and Elderwerks. Unfortunately,
the app the caregiver used does not cooperate with law enforcement, so there was
no paper trail to track the activity. Essentially it is an app built for scammers,
not a safe, credible company like Zelle or Venmo. The takeaway from this story, keep all bank account information in a safe
place such as a locked safe.
Other Ways To Keep Your Caregiver
and Loved One Safe:
- Add a surveillance camera to the main living space. Inform all people
entering the home there are cameras. Easy to install Bluetooth Wi-Fi cameras
can be live in minutes without wiring. A handy app lets you observe and even
speak over the camera if necessary.
- Keep all valuables such as jewelry, cash, stocks, bonds, etc. locked in
a safety deposit box, home safe, or at your children’s homes.
- Remove all alcohol.
- Hire your caregiver through a professional agency that performs
background checks, offers training, fires, and prosecutes for illegal
activities.
- Don’t just hire an individual, because they are affordable. If you do,
make sure to run a background check. Also, you are now their employer, so you
must cover their taxes, insurance, and are liable for them while working in the
home.
- Discuss expectations and provide a written job description, so everyone
is clear about the caregiving responsibilities.
- If your loved one has special needs, cognitive impairment, etc. make
sure the agency can accommodate them and has training for these types of
impairments.
- A contract should be signed by both parties.
- A caregiver should never be allowed to bring friends to visit or help
them in the home setting.
- If your caregiver will be replaced by another person, make sure that
there is some overlap, providing time for the new caregiver to be trained and
become acquainted with their new client.
- Make sure you ask for a COVID-19 vaccinated caregiver. Agencies should
be requiring all caregivers to be vaccinated, but not all do. Do not hesitate,
ask to see the caregiver’s CDC COVID-19 vaccination card.
If you or your loved one
needs help in the home, or is living at home yet not feeling safe, isn’t
thriving, or can no longer navigate the home, it might be a good time to start
touring senior communities to find one that offers appropriate support for your
loved one. The team at Elderwerks interacts with senior service providers and
senior communities throughout the state, and is happy to provide you with
qualified referrals.