VigorBuddy | How to Hire a Private Caregiver | It can be hard when you have a loved one that you are no longer able to care for by yourself. Perhaps their needs have exceeded your capabilities, but there should be no shame in that, no doubt you have given your all to making them comfortable. At the end of the day, you do not have professional training in caregiving and so inevitably there are going to be certain limitations to the help you can give. When you reach that point, it’s probably time to start looking for a private caregiver to step in and take the lead.
Your first priority should be understanding the level of care you require. You will need to assess the needs of the person receiving the care before you can find the right carer to match. There are a few things you should consider: mobility, medications, mental health, and meals.
Mobility means, assess how easily the patient can move around their home. Do they need things like a stair lift, a hospital chair or bed, handrails, and do they need assistance to stand up or access a toilet?
With medication, it’s good to understand what medications they are taking and what it’s treating? Also, it is important to know how often they need their medication, this could determine how frequently a professional caregiver will visit.
In terms of mental health, think about how that person has had to adapt, think about potential depression, think about a sense of loneliness. Does the person feel ok about the changes happening in their life? You want to be sure that they have a carer that understands their emotional needs as well as their physical ones.
And the last one to consider is meals. You want to make sure the person in need of care has easy access to food and are able to eat cooked meals to maintain a healthy diet. It may be worth thinking about a carer that is able to cater meals as part of their contract.
So now you have your criteria of patient needs you can start to look at private care givers and what they have to offer. You can try word of mouth or writing an advert, but a great place to start is finding a reliable website with carers that are NDIS providers.
Then you will need to consider cost. Although it can be more expensive to hire a private caregiver than using an agency, most of the time you will get better quality for your money as these people tend to be genuinely dedicated to helping others- it’s not just about the pay cheque.
At the end of the day, it’s really about finding a carer that suits you and your family, so don’t rush the process and don’t go with the first you see. Knowing your needs will make fining the right person a lot easier and going for private care will allow you to be specific in your requirements.
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio