Hiring a Live-In Caregiver for the First Time? Here’s What You Need to Know
As much as it pains your heart, there comes a time when you can no longer take care of your loved one. Since you’re stuck between professional matters and personal obligations, it’s best to let someone else take care of those who can’t do it themselves.
But the question arises, how do you find a kind live-in caregiver who will look after your beloved as well as you do – or even better?
Although you’ll find many companies who claim to have qualified professionals, you can’t take a chance. What you can do, however, is keep a few things in mind before hiring a live-in caregiver. And we’re writing this blog to let you know what they are.
And we’re writing this blog to let you know what they are.
Once you’re done reading, you’ll be in a better position to hire an in-home caregiver.
What Is a Live-In Caregiver?
A live-in caregiver is a fully trained and qualified individual hired to look after a patient. They live in the employer’s home and perform assistance with daily tasks, such as:
- Bathing
- Dressing
- Grooming
- Laundry
- Grocery shopping
- Traveling
- Cleaning
- Meal preparation
Although live-in caregivers are primarily hired for senior citizens, there’s no hard and fast rule that states you have to belong to a particular age group to employ them.
What Are the Qualifications of a Caregiver?
Caregivers must have received formal education from a reputable institution. It can be a diploma, degree, or certificate. And if not that, they must go through 6-12 months of training.
The primary objective of any training is to develop the following skills in the caregivers:
- Communication
- Patience
- Empathy
- Stamina
- Time management
- Problem-solving
Taking care of someone as if they’re your family is a mentally and physically taxing job. Therefore, those planning to advance in this field must be prepared for the accompanying challenges.
(Also Read: 6 Duties a Caregiver Should be Proficient in)
Things to Do Before Hiring an In-Home Caregiver
- Assess Your Needs
Every patient has different requirements; some want physical assistance, while others need moral support – a companion of sorts. Because of this, it’s crucial that you evaluate what your loved one needs a helping hand with.
Once you narrow it down, things will be much easier down the road.
- 2. Talk to Everyone About It
Hiring a live-in caregiver should always be a mutual decision, especially if more than one person will bear the expenses. So, talk to everyone in your family about it.
And not just the costs, but the responsibilities as well.
Since the caregiver will be living with you, someone would need to feed them, wash their clothes, and perform other tasks.
- 3. Set A Budget
In-home caregivers charge differently depending on their level, qualification, experience, and the patient’s condition and requirements. It can range anywhere between S$600 to S$1300 per month.
Whether you will be paying it alone or sharing the amount with someone else, it’s better to set a budget first. By doing so, you won’t be overburdened with the costs later on.
- 4. Perform Background Checks
Before hiring a live-in caregiver, make sure to run a background check.
Some people might say you’re being unreasonable, but when it’s about caring for your loved one, you shouldn’t compromise on anything.
If you’re using an agency, ask them about the vetting process. This would put your mind at ease and assure you that you’re doing the right thing.
- 5. Meet with Your Caregiver
Analyzing an in-home caregiver’s online profile is a lot different than meeting them in person. As you conduct a one-on-one meeting, you learn more about their skills and process.
Keeping this in mind, don’t hesitate to ask if you could meet the caregiver. And if possible, include the patient in the session. This way, you’ll figure out if they’re a good match for each other.
- 6. Check for Reviews
These days, reading reviews about an individual or a company has become quite easy. With just a click, you can find out what others had to say about their experiences.
Implement this strategy on the live-in caregiver you’re going to employ. It’s highly possible that those who worked with them left a positive or negative comment. Based on that, you can decide whether the caregiver is worth hiring or not.
- 7. Ask About a Care Plan
A qualified in-home caregiver develops an in-depth care plan beforehand. It has all the information related to the patient, including:
- The patient’s emergency contact
- The patient’s allergies
- Duties that need to be performed
- Dietary requirements of the patient
- The daily tasks of the patient
Ready to Hire a Live-In Caregiver?
As you can tell, hiring an in-home caregiver can be exhausting, even more so if it’s your first time. But there’s no need to panic. Just let the pointers of this blog serve as guidelines, and you’ll be good to go.
And if that sounds like too much, consider talking to Top Faith. We have employed kind, qualified, and compassionate caregivers passionate about making a difference in your life.
We will take proper care of your loved one, leaving you free to attend that birthday party or watch a movie.
