Hiring the Best Caregiver for Your Loved One

Posted on

Nov 28, 2018

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Aging in place becomes increasingly more important as your loved one ages and as their activities of daily living become more difficult. When this begins, home care is the best option. Finding a caregiver that fits your loved ones needs can seem like a daunting task. To know exactly what to look for in a caregiver, start with these steps. Know What You Need Before starting the search, you need to know what type of caregiver is right for your loved one.
First, determine if medical or non-medical care is needed. Medical home care will typically be short-term, while non-medical home care usually is long-term. Then, make a list of activities that require caregiver assistance, and decide how many days a week a caregiver will be needed. Know Your Budget Next, determine your budget. What type of care you need, for how long, and how often will factor into how much home care will cost. In PA, medical home care can be provided by agencies out-of-pocket for $35- $45 an hour. Non-medical home care can be covered by long term care insurance policies, Veterans benefits, or the Medicaid program. However, out-of-pocket agency care costs around $25-$30 an hour. To cut down costs, you can hire an independent caregiver online with Caregogi.com which averages caregiver rates at $12-$15 an hour. Set a Schedule Create a schedule. Choose the days your loved will need help and schedule select hours during those days that a caregiver will be needed. Balance this schedule out with the time that your loved ones family and friends can provide. Interview and Hire Caregivers Using your decisions from the previous steps, caregivers should be selected by matching their qualities with your loved ones needs, budget, and schedule. If you are hiring an independent caregiver, Caregogi.com can help you find the right caregiver with its custom algorithm. After you have found several matches, set up interviews to determine which one is right for your loved one. If using an agency, a caregiver will be chosen for you and not your choice. Editors Note: This article was submitted by Julie Powell. Julie is the marketing/blog specialist with Caregogi and may be reached at 412-708-1000 or by email at info@caregogi.com.

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