There are many ways to find a caregiver for your elderly loved one. Most often, a family friend may know someone. This is usually a good way to find a caregiver–from a trusted source–however it’s not always the easiest or the fastest way because good caregivers are in high demand and usually are already working for someone else’s family. So, let’s discuss other ways to find caregivers beyond a referral from somebody you know.
Having another family member to be a caregiver is always a consideration and even today, oftentimes what many families do. However, finding a person who has the time and willingness to do this work can be a challenge. Can the family caregiver support himself or herself? Can the family pay for the caregiver’s work in lieu of not being able to have a job? Does it make sense to possibly interrupt one’s career to be a caregiver? It’s also important to keep in mind that family caregivers usually have no training and have no idea what they are about to get involved in, particularly if a loved one is frail or has a terminal illness. While having a family member stand-in as a caregiver, as you can imagine, this option is fraught with peril. Here is a good read on being a family caregiver: https://www.pillarcare.com/post/being-a-family-caregiver-the-toughest-job-you-ll-ever-have
If you’ve decided against a family caregiver and don’t have a good referral from a friend or other family members, then it’s time to consider a few other options. The other options have their pros and cons and let’s discuss some of them. First off, which many people do, is search the Internet–it’s also how most caregiving companies or agencies market themselves. There are an array of choices if you conduct a quick Google search. You’ll find professional caregiving companies and you can tell they are professional if they appear to have been in business for quite some time–more than three years is usually good, seem to have a professional staff, can provide references, and have an experienced team behind them. It really comes down to who you can trust after repeated enquiries and whether you agree that you’re getting good value for your money. Obviously, there are many questions to consider when hiring a caregiver from a professional company but this article should help: https://www.pillarcare.com/post/being-safe-hiring-a-caregiver-from-good-sources?fbclid=IwAR2HZFWqYwQCL0sMyAwR8WPyNoAfb_iOtmGkV4rHsJ1AC2BeXnfoZiw_Q1c
A lot of people also turn to social media, particularly Facebook, to find a caregiver. There are numerous pages promoting caregiving services on Facebook. Some pages are tied to professional companies but you will also find many small companies or independent contractors who offer caregivers. Being small isn’t necessarily a bad thing but you need to look out for these independent caregiving services or freelancers. Some of these are “fly by night” organizations that are simply one or two people who have a list of caregivers. In fact, some of the “leaders” of these organizations are living overseas! Therefore, their fees may be less (because they have less overhead and administrative costs) but they also can’t provide the support families need. For example, they likely won’t have replacement caregivers and most likely won’t have professional medical support that companies like Pillar have.
There are also agencies, usually maid agencies, that may offer home caregivers. However, keep in mind agencies do just that, they specialize in maids, not caregivers. Oftentimes with these agencies there are significant up-front costs, much of which goes into the agency’s pockets. Most professional caregiving companies do have these fees. Also, these agency `caregivers” are not usually very experienced or trained in home caregiving. Finally, it’s important to recognize that maids are not caregivers. Maids focus on physical home activities, mainly cleaning and keeping homes in order. Caregivers tend to humans. This article describes the differences: https://www.pillarcare.com/post/differences-between-a-maid-a-nurse-and-a-caregiver
We can help you find a qualified, professional and compassionate caregiver. Fill in this quick form and we’ll get right back to you: https://www.pillarcare.com/elderly-care or call to our Hot Line: +6015-48400160
