The Pros and Cons of Hiring an In-Home Caregiver Directly

There are times in life when we all need a helping hand. It might be assistance with household chores after an illness or injury or support for an aging parent who is staying with you. Whatever the reason, an affordable solution is often to hire an in-home caregiver. While there are agencies you can work with, most are more expensive than hiring help directly.

Before you do so, there are a few factors to take into consideration. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of employing a caregiver directly.

Weighing the Pros and Cons of Hiring an In-Home Caregiver

• Conducting background and reference checks

When you hire someone to come into your home on a regular basis, conducting background and reference checks is a must. You’ll want to do that before you hire anyone, as well as once or twice a year if you employ them long term. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for people with a history of stealing from seniors to apply to ads posted by families in hopes of avoiding the background check that most home care agencies conduct. Remember, they’ll have access to your home and maybe even some of your personal information.

• Managing employer tax responsibilities

Another consideration not to overlook is all of the responsibilities that go along with being an employer. That means handling payroll, as well as collecting and submitting employee taxes. It’s also important to know that you’ll have tax responsibilities as an employer, such as contributing to social security and Medicare on the employee’s behalf. The IRS has an online guide, Family Caregivers and Self-Employment Tax, that addresses the financial issues you’ll need to learn more about.

• Matching your needs with caregiver skills

This is an area that can be a bit tricky for families if a senior loved one’s health is declining. But it’s important to know what kind of care your family member requires. If they need assistance with personal care or household tasks, you’ll likely be able to find an in-home caregiver on your own. But when you or a family member has complex care needs or requires a special type of care, working with a home care agency may be a safer option.

• Securing your home and private information

It’s an unfortunate reality that identity theft continues to be a serious cause for concern. While no one likes to think the worst, especially if they like the caregiver, these types of issues do arise. Finding a way to secure personal financial information as well as valuables is important. You’ll also need to check with your homeowner’s insurance to see if it covers any potential losses or if you’ll need to update your policy. It’s probably worth investing in a credit monitoring service, too. This review from Forbes might help you find one.

• Covering vacations and illness

This is one of the key challenges you’ll need to address. Caregivers need time off. They’ll take vacations and get sick. Or their kids will get sick. Are you or someone close to you able to step in during times the person you hire isn’t available? Or do you have the budget to hire two caregivers who can share the job? Home care agencies usually have additional staff who can cover for a sick or vacationing team member.

• Supervising the in-home caregiver

Like every employee, an in-home caregiver will require training, direction, and supervision on a regular basis. If you or the care recipient can provide this direction, hiring a person independently might be a viable solution, especially if you only need short-term help. For those who can’t provide this supervision, however, you’ll need to come up with a plan for how to handle this responsibility. It will probably be a lot of time up front, but less each week as the employee learns how to handle what is expected of them.

Supplement In-Home Care with an Emergency Alert Device

Whatever you decide, whether it’s hiring a caregiver directly or working with an agency, you can add an extra layer of security by purchasing an emergency alert device. These units allow the user to call for help with the press of a button. Call 1-844-203-5617 to get started!