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How to Find the Best, Most Trustworthy Caregivers

You’re worried sick because you can’t find a good caregiver for your aging parent.

You want to keep your parent home and out of a nursing home as long as possible but your parent needs 24 hour  care and you’ve got a job and  a family.  To make matters worse,  you live out of state.

You’ve searched and searched for good caregivers but you’ve only  interviewed people that you don’t  really trust and you wouldn’t  leave with your helpless parent.   

What can you do?

Now real help is easily available on the Internet.  Here is a list of sites which will not only help you find the care you need, but also can give you a tremendous amount of extra information to help you get through this difficult time in your life.

 

1. Eldercarelink

This is a free eldercare matching service which can help you find qualified eldercare services in your area.  (It receives fees from participating providers, not the clients.)

All you have to do is fill out a brief survey form about your needs. 

For example, do you need non-medical home care, home health care, companionship, adult daycare, transportation, or household support services?

Eldercarelink can also find services for financial/investment advice, estate planning, long term care planning, care management and family counseling.

The survey will also ask you what other services you may need such as wheelchairs, canes, diabetic supplies, prescription services, and nebulizer treatments as well as meal preparation.

Go to Eldercarelink

 

 

2. AGIS Assist Guide Information Services

Founded in 1998 by Kevin Sypniewski because of his own family’s care giving needs, the service has grown to include massive resources for the challenges of aging.

AGIS also has a brief survey you can take based on your zip code.  This will help you find care giving services in your immediate area.

There is an added bonus of where to find local governmental help and community resources.

Some of the real gems of this site are the checklists for general care giving, home care support services, home safety and improvement, finding and assessing housing, help for family caregivers, health, legal and financial as well as end of life services.

For example Choosing a Geriatric Care Manager Checklist gives you the questions you should ask such as  "if providing routine monitoring, how frequently do you visit the care recipient? How long  are the visits?  How do you supervise others working for you?  Are you licensed by the state?"

 

There are also  an Adult Daycare  Center Checklist and an At Home Care Information Form.

Other sections such as Working with Doctors & Hospitals, Health Screening and Diagnostic Facilities, Needs Assessments, such as evaluating the older person’s driving skills are  information packed resources chocked full of quick step by step facts anyone caring for the elderly needs to know.

Last but not least, AGIS has a definition list of all the terms you should be familiar with such as "geriatrician", "respite care," and "elder rights & assistance".

Go to AGIS Assist Guide Information Services

 

AARP also provides a lot of helpful information about eldercare on its vast  website.

What is different here is the large library of  videos which are free and easy to use. 

There is a good video on the basics of how to find a good home care worker.  It covers how do to your own assessment if you don’t want to go through an agency, and what kind of person you will be looking for, plus the level of care you will need. 

The AARP checklist points out another vitally  important tip.  You will need to do a criminal background check of the caregiver.

You can’t leave your parent with anyone who does not have good references or has a troubled background.  There is too much at stake with your parent’s helplessness.

Another important tip from AARP is you are the boss of your parent’s care giving operation. Be prepared to let the caregiver go if your expectations are not met.  It is your responsibility as the boss of your parent’s care to hire, and if needed, to also fire.

 

Go to AARP

 

Years ago, when my grandmother needed 24/7 care for three years we had a lot of difficulty finding good caregivers.  It was as challenging as running a business and perhaps in many ways it was harder for my Dad, who was an only child.    But thanks  to the internet and  emerging websites such as Eldercarelink, AARP and AGIS  many of those problems have been solved.    

 

 

     

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  1. 21 Comment(s)

  2. By Debbie on Mar 28, 2008 | Reply

    This is such a great article.

    So many people are faced with being a caregiver and eventually passing that role on to someone else. Thanks for enlightening us and providing links to professional resources!

    Debbie

    Debbie’s last blog post..How To Eat The Food You Want And Never Gain Weight Again

  3. By Brennan Kingsland on Mar 28, 2008 | Reply

    Thank you for sharing this information. It’s so important to learn as much as possible prior to a need. Then you won’t be in a position of having to settle for whatever emergency arrangements you can make.
    Brennan

    Brennan Kingsland’s last blog post..Muslim Homeschooling Quandary

  4. By WebmasterBlog on Jun 3, 2008 | Reply

    Great article. I always love to read your articles. Keep them comming.

    WebmasterBlog’s last blog post..Nyerj prémium wordpress témát

  5. By Rose on Jun 7, 2008 | Reply

    Great Links! I’m glad I found your site. It’s nice to know that the topic of eldercare is being focused on now instead of brushed under the rug. My sister and I found our wonderful caregiver through a board and care home that we had our parents in last year. She is an ex-employee and one of the best I’ve ever seen in my parents’ several stays at various facilities. We finally have her at home with them and she’s part of the family now!

  6. By Cactii on Jun 17, 2008 | Reply

    My grandfather had Alzheimer’s and it was really terrible. Finding good care is really important.

    Cactii’s last blog post..GPS Tracking Systems for Cars, Pets and People

  7. By Aidan on Jun 26, 2008 | Reply

    There are some fairly nice assisted living communities in our area… that’s the way to go, if you can afford it.

    Aidan’s last blog post..North Korean trade rights to return after nuclear declaration

  8. By kelly on Jul 17, 2008 | Reply

    we have nice communities in our area , you can afford here

  9. By Bungie on Aug 26, 2008 | Reply

    Very nice tips. Thanks for sharing!

  10. By Kyle on Aug 29, 2008 | Reply

    Excellent article. Readers should also consider my website. http://www.thehomecaredirectory.com

    It is a free and comprehensive search tool.
    Directory Includes:
    Home Care
    Assisted Living Facilities
    Hospice
    Nursing Homes
    Hospitals
    Geriatric Care Managers
    Job Board
    Marketplace

    Thanks!
    Kyle

  11. By zulsdesign on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply

    great link! :D

  12. By Loren on Sep 4, 2008 | Reply

    I am getting close to the point where I may have one or two parents that will need some kind of care. This post was helpful.

    Lorens last blog post..IBS and My Experiences

  13. By John on Sep 17, 2008 | Reply

    Great post thanks for sharing!

    Johns last blog post..Getting Into DMoz - An Insight from a DMoz Editor

  14. By Daniil on Sep 21, 2008 | Reply

    Very interesting.

    Daniils last blog post..Креативная реклама

  15. By bartolomo on Sep 28, 2008 | Reply

    Very relevant information for many of us. Thank you for the links. Another perspective is the need for personal health. Many times our generation has family both older and younger needing our support.

    bartolomos last blog post..First Mile

  16. By Life Insurance Monkey on Oct 3, 2008 | Reply

    This is a great article, the links are really useful. My auntie has Alzheimers and our family is going through a hard time deciding how best to care for me. Will point them in the direction of this piece. Thanks, LIM :-)

  17. By Adi on Oct 13, 2008 | Reply

    Thanks for the tips ;)
    Adis last blog post..Hitamku

  18. By Hijau on Oct 28, 2008 | Reply

    Thank for useful information

  19. By Suzanne on Nov 5, 2008 | Reply

    Hello,

    I am wondering if my article on How to help a family with a relative in a medical center might be useful for your readers.

    Best,

    Suzanne

    Suzannes last blog post..Foreshadowing: Michelle Obama’s Black Widow Dress

  20. By Trent on Nov 7, 2008 | Reply

    Be careful of the caregivers! Some are actually great people that do this job because they care. However, I work in probate & more times than not, the caregivers hustle every penny and credit from the one that is supposed to be cared for. Forward all mail to yourself!!! Credit card applications are the worst & can ruin an estate.

    Trents last blog post..How’d He Pull That?! - Marilyn Manson & Evan Rachel Wood

  21. By Laurence Harmon on Nov 20, 2008 | Reply

    Thanks for this excellent article! The Internet is a rich source of information, but, particularly in the case of caregiving, there’s a real need for informed, professional advice. The websites you cite are all outstanding; I’d like to add mine: http://www.greatplacesinc.com, which is specifically targeted to respond to the needs of Baby Boomers who are faced with the challenges of helping their aging parents.

  22. By Stop Snoring Tips on Nov 22, 2008 | Reply

    Thanks for this article
    It’s funny that the older we get, the closer we are to having to face the responsibility of having aging parents

    A lot to be said for the old days when families i.e extended fsmilies lived togethrer in one community

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