Caregivers Article
Hiring Help in the Home
Assess your needs
Do you simply need help with such daily activities as bathing, dressing and preparing meals? Or do you need medical or skilled nursing care as well? What resources do you have available to pay for such assistance?
Ask a lot of questions
Does the agency screen and train caregivers? Do caregivers undergo a criminal background check? (A certified home health aide, for example, must pass such scrutiny and cannot have certain convictions.) Does the agency handle all of the taxes and insurance? Are the agency and worker both bonded? Will Medicare, ALTCS or your private insurance cover any of the costs?
Find out your responsibilities
What taxes will you be required to pay if you hire the worker on your own?
Seek referrals from a trustworthy source
Avoid using a "help wanted" ad to hire a caregiver. You do not know the background—or motives—of those who respond. Be wary of ads seeking employment for an individual caregiver for the same reason. For lists of home care agencies and home health care agencies, contact your local Area Agency on Aging.
Consider taking some additional precautions if you do hire someone. It might be wise, for example, to move your valuables to another location for safekeeping—or at least lock them up. Unfortunately, seniors have lost many precious belongings to dishonest caregivers.
Comments:
QUESTIONS
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My father in law, who lives in Mesa, has asked me to be his power of attorney. I live in Oregon. Can I use Arizona's form to do this, and will it be valid even though I don't live in the same state?
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How do I begin to file probate if there is no will?
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I reading tutor and have a student who works as a caregiver. Is it true that as of Jan. 1, 2010 she will have to be certified as a caregiver?
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I need info pertaining to my rights power of attorney for my father and how to keep ex-stepmother from getting his pension.
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I live in another state, mother lives in AZ. are all POA's from state to state? Do I need to get a POA from AZ for her?
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I miss ssed my last court date and I want to know if I am able to refile for grandparents gaurdingship ship
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Can a sister who has power of attorney,request that the assistant living facility where our elderly mother resides, take my name(mother's son) off of the emergency / hospital notification list? What is the legal procedure to get this reversed?
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Is it legal for a caregiver to take funds from their patients and can you give case precedents? Also does this apply to power of attorney too?
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My mother passed away. She does have a will and I was nominated as the executer and trustee. I am the sole beneficiary. She only has a bank account but when the account was setup nobody was on the account but her. no payable unpon death. What is required by the bank for me to access the account to begin paying for her expences? Her will did state that I shoud have immediate access without going through the courts.
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Do I need long-term care insurance?
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