Hiring An Elder Care Help From An Agency

You must be contemplating on engaging extra help to care for your elder at home; one of the best ways to do so is to employ an agency because they offer a number of advantages. The first advantage of hiring from an agency is that the saving of time in looking for and interviewing eldercare help. Next you need not worry about tax and insurance liabilities. Thirdly, you will have a backup of a caregiver if your regular one is unavailable. It would be prudent to ask several questions and get right answers before engaging a particular agency.  

Some of the questions that need to be asked before hiring a homecare agency: 

How many years has the company been in business? 

It is best to look for an agency that has at least been in the business for 3 years, preferably 5. This will weed out the new companies that are destined to fail because they are inexperienced and don’t have the financial resources to do it right.

Whether the agency is licensed?

It is best to choose a homecare agency that is licensed; they are monitored by the licensing agency and have to adhere to strict guidelines regarding how they carry on business and who they hire to provide care.

What is the insurance that the eldercare agency carries?

Never choose an agency that provides services at real low fees; they may not be paying insurance. A good agency would show you proof of professional and general liability insurance, workers' compensation insurance and dishonesty bonding for their care workers. If the agency you hire doesn't have this insurance, you will be assuming liability if an employee is injured in your home or if valuables come up missing.

Does the agency provide an annual W2 to every worker?

This form that is given every year for income tax purposes verifies that the workers are actually employees of the agency and that the agency is properly managing tax withholding and mandatory Social Security payments. In its absence you as an employer are assuming responsibility for payroll taxes as the worker will be your employee and not of the agency.

How are the employees screened by the agency?

It is necessary to conduct a criminal background check in a place where the prospective caregiver has spent at least 5 years; the agency should also conduct drug checks routinely and also verify that the caregiver has the skills she says she has. Also the agency needs to check about the caregivers from a number of people.

What are the fees charged by the agency? 

What is the hourly rate for the kind of help you need; it could include services like bathing, cooking, feeding, incontinence care, helping with walking and transferring, driving, housekeeping, laundry as well as animal care. Also the minimum number of hours that you require to use per week as well as if there is a discount for using the services beyond certain number of years in a week is to be discussed. Also reasons why the fees can go up and the notice to be given to discontinue the services also need to be discussed.

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