More and more Americans are choosing to remain in their homes as
they age. Eventually, home care in the form of aides, services,
companion care or nursing is needed within the home. Finding the
right kind of home care can be difficult. While hiring a private
caregiver might be easier on your wallet, do you really know what
you are paying for? What kind of background and screening
checks can you do on your own for a caregiver? If the caregiver
gets sick, who is going to fill in? Is the caregiver bonded and
insured? If not, can you afford the liability? Who handles payroll
and taxes for the caregiver? How are you going to recruit the
caregiver? How does hiring through an employment agency compare?
These are the questions you should ask yourself before taking the
leap into hiring privately or through a placement agency or
registry.
Feeling overwhelmed? Does it all seem too complicated?
Fortunately, the National Private Duty Association (NPDA) is an
organization dedicated to providing reliable in-home care for the
elderly. There are over 1,200 member organizations and 250,000
employees of the NPDA. These organizations employ, train and
supervise caregivers, who provide care on a variety of levels. The
NPDA organizations screen and select caregivers, adhere to state
and federal guidelines in employment practices (worker's
compensations, tax withholding, background and reference checks),
manage payroll, have 24/7 on-call availability, and supervise the
caregiver services-all so you don't have to. At the heart of the
NPDA and their member organizations is their mission of serving the
elderly and providing families with peace of mind, which is why
they also develop an individualized plan of care with the client
and family.
Proud to be a member of NPDA since 2002, The Methodist Senior
Home Care (MSHC) takes a responsive, teamwork approach to senior
home care. Offering a variety of services such as live-in
caregivers, overnight care, meal preparation, grocery shopping,
respite care, medication reminders, personal hygiene, housekeeping,
companionship and accompaniment to doctor visits, MSHC is a
mission-based, nonprofit provider with a fee structure set to cover
only the cost of the operation.
If you are struggling with the decision of hiring a private
caregiver versus going through an established organization, think
twice about what you are really up against and what you are willing
to deal with. The NPDA website offers cost comparison charts as
well as additional information that might help you make an informed
decision.
To find NPDA members in your area, visit:
http://www.privatedutyhomecare.org/sections/consumers/locator.php
To learn more about the Methodist Senior Home Care Services,
visit:
/programs--services/home-care.aspx
Carrie Robertson
Research & Community Education
Chicago Skilled Nursing
Chicago Senior
Living