As they age, caring for your loved one at home can transition into a full-time task. For families that need extra support and assistance when it comes to caring for elderly family members, hiring a private sitter can help carry some of your burdens and give you added peace of mind. This can come in handy during unexpected issues and events that may take you away from home.
There are many benefits of paying an experienced sitter for senior care. As long as they come from a qualified home care agency or are certified, they can provide key aid for day-to-day chores that some seniors may have difficulty with. Because of this, keeping retirement in mind and the increasing number of home tasks that a senior has to complete are essential during the hiring process.
Before hiring a caregiver for your loved one, here are a few things you should keep in mind.
It's important to note that a private caregiver can only fulfill a combination of non-medical duties, including housework, basic hygiene maintenance, running errands, and companion care.
This makes them a good option for residents that don't need highly specialized care. Ideally, they can look after your loved one when you have to work or take a holiday from home.
The good news is that senior sitters from a home care agency can give you flexible care for your family member when and where you need it. They can range from part-time, or full-time, and work in locations including hospitals, nursing homes, and senior communities. However, they commonly provide home care for your loved ones.
Overall, a senior sitter's role typically consists of providing supervision and care for residents such as housekeeping and errands depending on the items stipulated in the contract. Remember that they do not usually provide medical care or physically demanding duties.
For family members, there are numerous benefits when it comes to hiring a private caretaker. You can be content with the idea that your loved one is being cared for by a qualified individual, especially if they are recovering from an illness or surgery. They can also provide much-needed company and assistance in daily life.
They can do the following and more:
Having a person living at home can make life much easier for those who need it. They can also provide transportation to and from medical appointments if needed.
While they do have many benefits, private sitters do have some limitations as well. They do not provide the same set of services as certified health workers or medical caregivers. They do not help family members brush their teeth, bathe, dress, or provide toilet assistance, which may be essential for certain elders who have mobility issues.
In addition, the majority of senior sitter services expect individuals to be able to get in and out of a vehicle without assistance while providing transportation. Keep in mind that not all private sitters have the same level of experience and qualifications, especially if they do not come from a reputable home care agency.
One of the major challenges when it comes to hiring senior sitters for family members is that it can be difficult to find a person you trust to provide a high quality of care for your loved ones. It can be time-consuming to go through different applications, but knowing what you're after and seeking local assistance can help you speed through the process.
Different people will have different budgets, requirements, and duties for senior sitters. You should also take into account a senior's level of independence, personality traits, and daily schedule to find a caregiver that's right for your home. Typically, you'd want to find a person with prior caregiving experience in terms of personal care.
The next step is to prepare a list of duties for your prospective hire, including things like companionship, walking assistance, meal preparation, and more. This can help you find an individual who fits your job criteria and figure out what will go into your contract.
Often, you'll know of reputable sitters who have taken care of seniors in your area. A trusted friend or relative can help you distinguish the best of the best—but if not, you can also ask people from your community if they know of anyone who can help. Think about places like your local club, organization, church, or support group.
Another great place to find caregivers is a health organization in your area. For instance, if they have been hospitalized recently or are living in a nursing home, you can ask the health care workers if they know of anyone who knows how to care for elderly individuals.
Lastly, you can also consult local senior resources online and in your area to direct you to a qualified elderly caregiver or find financial aid if you need it. This includes your Area on Aging, local social services, as well as Medicaidfor seniors with limited incomes.
If you have difficulty paying for a caregiver, you could potentially qualify for free or low-cost assistance that is subsidized by the state. If this is not the case, you may also benefit from other similar services such as aid with home repair, transportation access, and more.
The average income for an elderly caregiver in the United States is $14.31 per hour, which means that they are earning about half of what a high school graduate makes every year ($30,000).
Medicare will pay for up to 35 hours of house-based care from nursing and home health aides on a weekly basis if the patient is clinically diagnosed as being unable to leave their home.
For long-term care to be tax-deductible, there are three requirements that generally need to be met: the individual receiving the care must have a chronic illness; it needs to prescribed by a licensed healthcare professional and it has to be approved to be tax deducted.
Personal care is a specialized profession that requires training and formal qualifications. Unlike companion caregivers, personal or private duty nurses are required to have both of these things in order to provide hands-on nursing services like bathing assistance, dressing assistance as well as skin treatment for wounds and ulcers.
Hiring a qualified caregiver can help families care for their aging loved ones at home, especially if they would rather not enter assisted living. Doing your research and finding a senior caregiver can help your loved ones complete everyday activities, such as running errands, and more.
For additional ideas on how to cope with the challenges of aging in place, feel free to read our other articles on Senior Strong.
