How to Find a Good Caregiver for Elderly Parents
Written by:
Jeffrey Grossman
Published:
November 21th, 2022
With the aging population living longer, home health and personal care aide jobs are expected to increase by 25% in the next 10 years. If you want to explore caregiving careers, now is the time. But if you’re an adult child seeking an in-home caregiver for your aging parent, you’re likely searching everywhere for the right fit. It’s an emotional decision to begin seeking in-home caregivers. And you don’t want just anyone in your or your parent’s home. You need to find someone you can trust. But how? Where do you start? Who do you trust? In this blog, we define what a caregiver is and explain where to find caregivers for seniors.
In-home elder care solutions in Charlottesville, Richmond, Williamsburg, VA and Charleston, SC.
What Is a Caregiver?
A caregiver or home health aide tends to the needs of the elderly, disabled, injured, and those with chronic illnesses who cannot fully care for themselves. Caregivers enable clients to be more independent by supporting them with activities of daily living (ADLs):
Bathing
Dressing
Toileting
Feeding
Caregivers improve their client's quality of life and may also help with:
Light housekeeping
Transportation
Meal prep
Bill pay
We’re hiring caregivers in Charlottesville, Richmond, Williamsburg, VA and Charleston, SC.
Some caregivers are trained professionals, while family members and friends are known as informal caregivers. Professional caregivers relieve the burden of care from family caregivers so adult children can return to being family members. If you are a family caregiver looking for a replacement or notice that your elderly parent needs daily assistance that you can’t provide, it’s time to search for a caregiver. At this point, you may be asking, “Where can I find a caregiver?” Keep reading.In this next section, we explain how to find a good caregiver for the elderly.
Where to Find Caregivers for Seniors
1. Referrals
One of the easiest ways to begin finding a caregiver for elderly parents is by asking your community for referrals. Given the aging population’s size, someone in your social circle likely has an elderly family member receiving home care. Ask about their experience working with the home care provider to learn more.Referrals are a safe option because you get a trustworthy recommendation from a friend. The caregiver didn’t pay your friend to say nice things about them. Your friend will hopefully give you their honest opinion, and if the caregiver has the bandwidth, they may be able to help you, too.
2. Registries
Another place where to find caregivers for seniors is on a registry. Registries are essentially staffing services that act as the middleman between families and caregivers. These online registries help families find caregivers and dual function as caregiver job websites where caregivers can find work. Registries have an extensive list of independent caregivers that you can search through using various criteria. For example, you can search for a caregiver who lives in your city and has experience working with elderly dementia patients. However, once hired, you assume the full responsibility of employing a healthcare provider.
3. Agencies
Home care agencies are one of the most common, fastest ways to find caregivers in your area. Agencies have caregivers readily available to help your aging loved one, so you can begin care immediately. Although hiring from an agency may be more expensive, they relieve you of all the HR work and liability that comes with hiring an independent caregiver. Plus, you have built-in backup care. If your parent’s caregiver can’t make their shift, the agency will send a comparable replacement, preventing you from having to step in inconveniently. As your parent’s needs change, the agency will also have higher levels of care that it can provide, such as 24/7 in-home care. Looking for caregivers can take a considerable amount of time, especially when you’re the one doing all the searching, interviewing, and vetting. When you rely on a home care agency, you have more peace of mind because they handle the logistics.
Looking for Home Care? Contact Commonwise Home Care
Stop searching Google to find caregivers in your area or posting ads on caregiver job websites. If you want to know how to find caretakers, look no further than Commonwise Home Care (Commonwise).
“The care was superb and worth the slightly higher hourly cost, and the staff had a much higher emotional intelligence than other groups. I would not look any further than Commonwise.”
—Valeria Niehaus
Nearly 9 in 10 older adults want to remain in their current homes as they age. If you live in Charlottesville, Williamsburg, Richmond, VA, or Charleston, NC, our care team can safely help your senior loved one age in place. At Commonwise, we take a sympathetic approach to in-home care, aiming to serve our clients with wisdom and compassion. We are devoted to serving seniors and their families by providing reliable and intuitive elder care at home. Speak to a Care Advisor today to learn more about how in-home care could be a perfect fit for you and your aging loved one.
In-home elder care solutions in Charlottesville, Richmond, Williamsburg, VA and Charleston, SC.