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How To Find Home Care for Alzheimer's
Patients
SHELTON, CT, April 28, 2008 – There
are four basic ways to hire quality caregivers for a
loved one who is suffering from Alzheimer's disease
or dementia: 1) through a home health care agency; 2)
through an employment or placement agency; 3) via a
work/life program; or 4) on your own. Here is some information
to help familiarize you with each option:
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Home health care agencies
place medical professionals (such as home health
aides, certified nurses' aides, respite caregivers,
therapists and registered nurses) on a part- or
full-time basis. These professionals often are bonded/insured
and supervised by a registered nurse. Home health
care agencies are state-licensed and serve as the
caregiver's employer, handling all compensation
and tax matters on behalf of their healthcare professionals.
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Employment/placement
agencies offer placement
services for adult care professionals but, unlike
home health care agencies, these professionals are
not typically supervised by registered nurses. Additionally,
an employment agency usually requires you to become
the “employer” of the caregiver—meaning you
are responsible for adhering to employment laws
and regulations, including state and federal tax
obligations.
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Work/life programs
(sometimes known as resource and referral programs)
are provided to many individuals through their employers.
These programs can help you better understand your
options and locate appropriate, affordable, and
reliable caregivers in your area. A work/life program
might, for example, recommend that an individual
contact a geriatric care manager to accurately identify
care needs and/or serve as the coordinator for a
home caregiver.
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Hiring a caregiver on
your own is also an
option. Contact your local hospital, the Alzheimer's
Association, senior centers or religious centers
for information and referrals, or place an advertisement
for a caregiver in your local paper. Carefully interview
and screen all candidates, and consider conducting
background checks on the finalists. (Some background-checking
agencies may be able to help for a fee.) Keep in
mind that if you hire a caregiver on your own, you
will be responsible for adhering to employment laws
and regulations, including state and federal tax
obligations. |
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LifeCare's Successful
Aging & Caregiving series was created for
reporters who write about aging, adult caregiving and
other challenges of mid-life. Reporters may reprint
the information presented here in whole or in part,
with attribution to LifeCare, Inc.
If you would like more information about a particular topic
or wish to speak to one of LifeCare's Successful AgingSM experts,
please contact Michael Civiello, manager—marketing and media relations,
at 203-291-4170 or pr1@lifecare.com.
About LifeCare®,
Inc.
LifeCare offers cost-saving benefits that help clients
reduce their most pervasive absenteeism and productivity
drains, including child and elder care, caregiving support,
health and wellness issues, and more. For more than
two decades, LifeCare has led the work/life industry
in the creation of high-quality, results-oriented programs
designed to improve our clients' bottom line. LifeCare
serves 1,500 client companies with 4.5 million individuals
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and unions. For more information, visit www.lifecare.com.
Media contact: Michael Civiello
LifeCare, Inc.
pr1@lifecare.com
203-291-4170
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