Making the Home Care Choice

Most people prefer to receive care at home, and there are many reasons why in-home care is the best way for a person to receive care, including:

• Care in the home promotes the client’s independence
• Home care allows both the client and his or her family to be more intimately involved in his or her treatment
• Clients feel more comfortable at home, in their own bed, with their own things
• Research shows that home care promotes speedier recovery

Paying for Home Care

Paying for home care is one of the most challenging obstacles for many families. Non-medical in-home care services are paid for primarily out-of-pocket or through long-term care insurance policies, not through Medicare, as many people think. In addition to Social Security benefits and private pensions, drawing on savings is sometimes the most immediate means of covering the expense of in-home care. However, home care can be a much more affordable and cost-effective form of care than nursing homes or other institutions.

Agency Care Is the Best Care

Unfortunately, not all home care is created equal. To assist with understanding the differences between a professional home care agency and a registry or independent hire, Home & About has put together the following list of differences.

Home Care Agencies Provide:

• An assessment and detailed plan of care which is developed by a qualified individual.
• Liability Insurance.
• Backup for a regular caregiver when the caregiver is ill, on vacation, or has an emergency.
• Coverage for worker’s compensation and unemployment insurance if a worker is injured on the job, or is suddenly unable to work due to medical reasons.
• Supervision of caregivers by a qualified individual.
• Payment of Social Security and payroll taxes.

Hiring Caregivers Independently or via a Registry Means:

• A laborious search for the right caregiver falls on your shoulders.
• No plan of care development.
• No liability insurance coverage.
• No backup plan when the caregiver is sick or cannot report to work.
• You are responsible for not only the medical bills and potential disability payments, but the unemployment payments as well if a caregiver is injured on the job.
• No caregiver supervision.
• As the caregiver’s employer, you are responsible for the caregiver’s mandated payroll taxes and reporting.

At Home & About, we want to help you make the right care decisions for your family. For further information on the differences between a professional home care agency, such as Home & About, and a registry or independent hire, feel free to contact us.

We are available for hourly, overnight or live-in care.
For immediate assistance or to schedule a FREE assessment,
call us at 1-888-8SENIOR.

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