Hiring a Caregiver for In-Home Help? We’ve Simplified the Process for You

Hiring a caregiver for in-home help can be a daunting process. How does your aging parent know who to hire? How can families trust a caregiver is doing their best?

There are many factors to consider before hiring the right in-home caregiver. Outside help can be challenging because in-home care is personal and private. Paresh Vyas, the owner of Nurse Next York, even states that “unfortunately, in our line of business, we often hear horror stories from families about hiring in-home caregivers – negligence, abuse and simply not caring. With such experience, a gun-shy family member frequently asks how to ensure they make the right choice regarding who looks after their loved ones.”

That is why we’ve broken down the process of how to hire the right caregiver for your aging parent.

What Is an In-Home Caregiver?

Many seniors want to remain in their homes for as long as possible. Their homes are their place of refuge—a place where they’ve shared memories and lived for many years. 

The familiarity of their own home is comforting and sentimental. 

When individuals can no longer care for themselves independently, families search for alternative living accommodations to support the care they need.

One of the best alternatives to an assisted living facility is hiring a caregiver for in-home help. An in-home caregiver can come into an individual’s home as often as needed.

An in-home caregiver provides personal care to someone in their home. There isn’t a whole lot that an in-home caregiver can’t do. Depending on the level of care necessary, these caregivers can vary in scope of practice. An in-home caregiver can have varying levels of training, including nursing certifications, nursing diplomas, and degrees. 

Many possess one or more of these professional designations:

1. First Aid and CPR
2. Certified Nursing Assistant
3. Health Care Aide/Home Health Aide
4. Licensed Practical Nurse
5. Registered Nurse

Nurse Next Door in-home caregivers include Certified Nursing Aides (Home Health Aides), Licensed Practical Nurses, and Registered Nurses with years of medical experience and training.

What Are the Different Types of Caregivers?

There are many types of caregivers. How do you determine which is the best for you or your loved one?

In-Home caregivers can be employed by a home care agency or hired independently by individuals and their families. There are some differences between both and some significant benefits of hiring a caregiver from an agency. Determining the best caregiver for you or your loved one can be challenging. That is why it’s essential to know the different types of in-home care services and types of caregivers. 

1. Family Caregivers

Family caregivers are hardworking unpaid family members who care for their loved ones at home. These caregivers spend a lot of time looking after their loved ones on a full-time or part-time basis. Family caregivers can face some limitations, including caregiver burnout and inflexibility. There are many programs and services that can help family caregivers with these limitations and the workload, including respite care. Respite services are designed to support family caregivers so they can take a step back and recharge.

2. Independent Caregiver

An independent caregiver is a home care professional hired directly by the family rather than through an agency. An independent caregiver can offer a range of services depending on the client’s needs and level of training.

3. Hospice Caregivers

A hospice caregiver provides compassionate care that focuses on the quality of life for individuals experiencing life-limiting illnesses in the advanced stage or nearing the end of life.

4. Non-Medical Caregivers

Non-medical caregivers vary across North America. Those looking for non-medical care are typically looking to bring peace of mind to themselves and their family members while remaining at home. Non-medical caregivers typically provide companionship services or personal assistance to a client. They can help with daily self-care activities like bathing and dressing, meal preparation, transportation, and household tasks.

5. Private Duty Caregiver

Private duty caregivers may be your best option when hiring a caregiver for in-home help. Depending on their level of training, a private duty caregiver can provide a broad range of services, from medical and nursing care to assisting with personal and daily tasks. Private duty caregivers can work independently or for agencies like Nurse Next Door.

What Can In-Home Caregivers Help With?

Home care looks different to everyone. From personal care to medical assistance—home care helps clients remain independent at home for as long as possible. Home care services and caregiver duties can range depending on the client’s needs and requests. Hiring a caregiver for in-home help can significantly benefit families and their loved ones.

They can assist with bathing and grooming, dressing, toileting, exercise, meal preparation, shopping, housekeeping, laundry, and other errands. They can also provide general health care, including overseeing medication management, prescription usage, appointment reminders, and administering medicine.

Types of in-home care services:

• Non-medical care and personal care
• Post-operative care
• Around-the-clock care
• Nursing care
• Alzheimer’s and dementia care
• Specialty care (depending on the caregiver’s level of training)
• End-of-life care
• Transportation
• Grocery shopping
• Meal preparation
• Light housekeeping, including cleaning and laundry
• Pet care
• Wound care
• Personal care, including bathing, toileting, dressing, etc.
• Companionship

What Is the Process of Hiring an In-Home Caregiver?

Finding a local caregiver can be challenging, especially when you want the perfect caregiver. That is why Nurse Next Door created the FREE Caring Consult. The FREE Caring Consult pairs you with a Care Designer to determine what your loved one needs help with, what their passions are, what their daily routines look like, and what level of support they require. This consultation has simplified hiring a caregiver for in-home help and matches you with a caregiver suited for you.

Our caregivers or nurses are matched based on their personality, languages, and hobbies shared with each senior for ongoing companionship that makes a difference.

All Nurse Next Door caregivers are licensed and insured. 

We run criminal record checks, Tuberculosis tests, and reference checks. Our caregivers and nurses are qualified, attentive, and willing to go above and beyond. Nurse Next Door has an extensive roster of professional certified caregivers across the U.S.A and Canada in various cities and communities, so you don’t have to worry about hiring on your own.

We’ve simplified the process, so you don’t have to worry:

1. Determine What Your Loved One Needs Help With

Hiring a caregiver doesn’t need to be complicated. The best way to begin the process is to determine what your loved one needs help with on a daily or weekly basis. Consider your loved one’s daily care requirements and a detailed account of what kind of support they need. List all daily activities, tasks, self-care requirements, chores, appointments, maintenance, etc., to better understand what type of in-home care service will benefit.

Once you have a good idea of the basics, one of our Care Designers can craft the perfect plan tailored to your in-home care needs. Our Care Designers are either nurses themselves or experts with healthcare backgrounds. If you, or one of your family members, are having difficulty with breaking down what your loved one needs help with, Nurse Next Door can assist.

Our Care Designers offer one-on-one FREE Caring Consults to help determine daily care necessities, address concerns, and design a tailored plan for your loved one.

2. Assess Your Family’s Finances and Funding Options

Costs are a significant factor when hiring a caregiver and can vary by type of service, how many hours, frequency, and experience level of the caregiver. Many individuals can get by with part-time care and still have their needs met at home [01]. However, if your loved one is in need of long-term care or more comprehensive care, in-home caregiving can be the perfect alternative to assisted living facilities which can far exceed the costs of in-home care. 

Looking into other options for paying for in-home care is also worthwhile. Examples of alternative funding options could be: 

• Government funding
• Private insurance
• Employee Benefits
• Grants from disease-specific agencies
• Savings accounts

Read Nurse Next Door’s recent blog post that breaks down home care costs.

3. Book a Consultation

When looking for an in-home caregiver, it’s no surprise that you or a family member have many questions. Nurse Next Door will address your questions and make everybody feel at ease during the FREE Caring Consults. One of our Care Designers can meet virtually or in the comfort of your home to discuss care needs, address concerns, and create a tailored care plan. From a few hours to many—our Care Designers consider the frequency of care and many factors to tailor a plan that suits your schedule, care requirements, budget, and personal wishes. All of Nurse Next Door’s Care Designers have extensive healthcare backgrounds and can facilitate the perfect match with a caregiver.

For more information on the Caring Consult, we’ve listed the top 8 Questions To Ask During A Caring Consult.

Naturally, navigating the types of care and in-home caregiver options can be overwhelming. Hiring a caregiver for in-home help doesn’t need to be complicated. At Nurse Next Door, we’re here every step to ensure you and your loved one are getting the best possible care they deserve.

Get Started with Nurse Next Door and visit our senior home care services here or

call 1-877-588-8609 today!