Caregiver Agency Vs Independent Caregiver
A caregiver agency is a home care business that hires, trains and manages home health aides to help seniors with non-medical needs. Agencies may also offer specialized services such as respite care. Caregiver agencies also handle billing and may accept long-term care insurance or Medicare to help pay for services.
A family member or senior may need help at home with bathing, grooming, meal preparation, medication reminders and transportation to doctors’ appointments, hair salons, social engagements and church events. A professional home health aide can provide these tasks and assist with other daily living activities such as light housekeeping, laundry, shopping and paying bills. Caregivers can also provide companionship and emotional support, read newspapers and books or watch TV, play games and take seniors on outings.
Caregivers often have a good work-life balance and enjoy their jobs. They may choose to stay with a client or family for many years. For a caregiver who has a job with an agency, benefits include worker’s compensation insurance, vacation time and paid sick days. Caregivers with a private employer may not have workers’ comp and are exposed to large financial liability for injuries that occur on the job.
Hiring a caregiver independently is more affordable than working with an agency but can lead to problems if the family or caregiver does not understand the caregiving industry and the obligations and responsibilities that come with the position. For example, it is important that a family understands that independent caregivers must be licensed and insured in order to provide care for their loved one. In addition, families should be aware that an independent caregiver will not have access to benefits such as sick leave and vacation time.
When hiring an independent caregiver, a family should be comfortable with their responsibilities as employer, such as providing insurance and taxes, managing the caregiver’s schedule, paying wages and overtime when applicable and responding to employee questions or concerns. This can be a huge responsibility and burden for a family that does not have the time or resources to manage these responsibilities.
While independent caregivers do not have the benefit of a back-office staff to manage administrative duties, they do have flexibility in scheduling and can be more adaptable to changing care needs. Families that prefer to deal with the administrative burden can save 20% – 30% by hiring an independent caregiver.
While both options can be suitable for different situations, choosing an agency may be best when caregiving needs are long-term or complex. Agencies typically have the resources to handle the details of hiring and payroll, which can save family members a great deal of stress. They also have a staff of caregivers that are pre-screened, bonded, insured and experienced in caring for seniors. This makes it easy for family members to find the right caregiving solution for their loved ones. Agencies are also able to provide back-up care in case a caregiver does not show up for their scheduled shift.caregiver agency montreal
