<p>As much as we may wish to prolong it, there comes a time when senior loved ones struggle with caring for themselves the way they used to. This may mean that their hygiene has begun to slip away, they struggle to feed and hydrate themselves or they begin developing memory issues. In these instances, it may be time to consider hiring a caregiver to assist. The question is: should I hire privately at a lower cost, or use the services of a home health agency? What is the difference?</p>
<h2>What Is a Private Caregiver?</h2>
<p>Caregivers can be advantageous for a family and offer personal care services for loved ones, including companionship, assistance with ADLs, medication reminders, housekeeping, and meal preparation.</p>
<p>Private caregivers are hired directly by the family of the loved one, either from an advertisement, an online job site, an online marketplace for job seekers, and caregiver seekers, or from word of mouth. In contrast, when using a home health agency, the agency chooses and places the caregiver on the case. Caregivers are usually chosen and assigned according to personality and experience according to client needs.</p>
<p>While private caregivers can offer family members more control over who is looking after their loved one, since they are directly playing a role in the placement, there are some risks to consider.</p>
<h2>The Risks of Hiring a Private Caregiver</h2>
<h3>Unverifiable Qualifications</h3>
<p>When hiring a private caregiver, you are typically relying on their personal explanation of their background and training, and there is generally very little that can be done to verify this. This means that someone can embellish their qualifications to get the job, which could result in your hiring someone who is unqualified to care for your loved one.</p>
<p>In comparison, a caregiver hired through a home health agency has been through a thorough background check (criminal and employment), and the agency has also verified their certifications, experience, and work references, giving you peace of mind that an experienced and qualified caregiver is caring for your loved one.</p>
<h3>Greater Uncertainty</h3>
<p>When you hire a private caregiver, any problem they come across also becomes something you must account for and handle. For example, if they call out sick, there is no backup and the family must scramble to find someone to fill in until the caregiver is well enough to return, many times requiring a family member to take time off from their jobs and/or being away from their families.</p>
<p>With a home health agency, a substitute caregiver or home health aide is sent to cover the case until the regular caregiver returns.</p>
<h2>Why Use a Home Health Agency?</h2>
<p>For those looking for a caregiver, two options involve hiring privately or through a home health agency. While hiring private caregivers offers more control and the ability to interview your own caregivers before hiring, additional risks include the inability to conduct reliable background and reference checks, lack of insurance coverage for any theft or destruction of a client&rsquo;s property and replacing a caregiver when they cannot report to work.</p>
<p>Licensed Home Health agencies handle all of these services for families, helping to provide qualified and exceptional caregivers without any of the hassle.</p>
<p>Allcare Home Health is an ACHC Accredited agency employing trained, experienced, fully screened caregivers and Nurses. Our CNAs, Caregivers, and Nurses receive ongoing training throughout the year which includes adult and senior physical and behavioral health issues, like dementia, Parkinsons, Stroke care, much more. Allcare offers Skilled <a href="https://allcarehha.com/nursing-services/">Nursing services</a> in the home, which include, in-home wound care, IV and catheter care management, and more.<a href="https://allcarehha.com/contact-us/"> Call us</a> today to schedule a new client assessment.</p>
<h4>References</h4>
<p>Private Caregiver. (2020). Retrieved 17 March 2022, from <a href="https://privatehomecare.org/what-are-the-risks-of-hiring-a-private-caregiver-today/">https://privatehomecare.org/what-are-the-risks-of-hiring-a-private-caregiver-today/</a></p>
<p>Knerl, L. (2021). Top 11 caregiver duties to know. Retrieved 17 March 2022, from <a href="https://www.care.com/c/senior-caregiver-duties-definition/">https://www.care.com/c/senior-caregiver-duties-definition/</a></p>
<p>Hiring In-Home Help &ndash; Family Caregiver Alliance. (2022). Retrieved 17 March 2022, from <a href="https://www.caregiver.org/resource/hiring-home-help/">https://www.caregiver.org/resource/hiring-home-help/</a></p>

The Risks of Hiring a Private Caregiver vs Home Health Agency

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<p>Seniors are at a higher risk of being injured in falls due to age-related changes, both mental and physical. These changes make it harder for them to retain balance. New studies indicate that many of these falls can be caused by medications.</p>
<p>According to a study conducted by the Korolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, up to half of the prescribed drugs that seniors take increase fall risk significantly. Many of the most commonly prescribed medications, for example, pain medications and antidepressants, were the biggest culprits in increasing the risk of a fall. A large percentage of these prescription drugs that were studied were the cause of severe injuries.</p>
<p>In addition to pain medications and antidepressants, analgesics and other medications that have a direct impact on the central nervous system were found to have a high risk of causing a fall.</p>
<p>Currently, there are close to 50 million seniors over the age of 65 in the United States, and the majority of them are on prescription medications of some kind. Most of these are on multiple medications. According to the National Center For Biotechnology Information, approximately 33% of these seniors are taking at least eight or more medications each day.</p>
<p>It is important for physicians to use extreme caution in prescribing medications and take into consideration the fall and injury risks associated with some of them.</p>
<p>It is extremely important for the caregiver or home health aide of a senior citizen to monitor the intake of prescribed medications. It is also equally important for physicians to be aware of any changes made to the medications of a senior.</p>
<p>Our <a href="https://allcarehha.com/certified-nursing-aides/">CNAs </a>and <a href="https://allcarehha.com/personal-care-assistant/">Personal Care Aides</a> receive ongoing training throughout the year and can help monitor your loved one&rsquo;s medication program. They can watch for signs or side effects or drug interactions that may increase drowsiness, dizziness, and other fall risks. Regular communication with the senior&rsquo;s physician can also help to identify dangerous reactions to medications.</p>
<p>Allcare&rsquo;s <a href="https://allcarehha.com/home-care/">home care team</a> is here to assist with activities of daily living which includes monitoring for any changes in behavior that might be a sign of drug interaction. <a href="https://allcarehha.com/contact-us/">Call us</a> to schedule an in-home assessment with one of our experienced RNs.</p>
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Prescription Medications and Falls

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<p>Deciding to care for a loved one as their health declines can be a big decision. 21% of Americans act as a caregiver to a loved one, but many do not plan for the many challenges that can arise when providing home care. Often, bringing in a CNA or a personal care assistant can alleviate some or all of these struggles.</p>
<p>This article includes some of the common challenges many familial caregivers face, although each situation will have its own individual set of challenges.</p>
<h2>Physical and Emotional Stress</h2>
<p>Caring for an aging loved one is a feat of physical stress. You have to complete all the tasks your loved one requires which may potentially include lifting and standby-assist if your loved one is not as mobile as general daily tasks require someone to be.</p>
<p>In addition to that, caregiving can also be emotionally stressful. It can be difficult to be around a loved one every day as you realize that they cannot do everything they once did. It is also common for frustrations to arise if you have difficulty communicating as their memory and mental state decline.</p>
<h2>Depression</h2>
<p>As a caregiver, you spend most of your time with one person. In some cases, caregivers are unable to leave the house with their loved one very often, so they must rely on visits from others for social interaction.</p>
<p>This scenario can often lead to depression, especially as caregivers go longer and longer without social interactions from friends and family. In fact, 40% to 70% of people who care for a loved one have clinically significant symptoms of depression.</p>
<h2>Finding Time for Themselves</h2>
<p>When caring for a loved one, it can be challenging to find time to care for oneself. Many family caregivers may find that they do not have as much time to enjoy their favorite hobbies or activities, whether from the large workload required as a caregiver or because they feel guilty for taking time for themself.</p>
<h2>Sleep Deprivation</h2>
<p>It is common for your loved one&rsquo;s sleep-wake cycle to be mixed up, which can cause sleep deprivation for the family caregiver. Not only does sleep deprivation result in a lack of energy, but it can also cause other health problems.</p>
<p>One such problem is a lack of concentration, which can be dangerous for someone who is in charge of caring for another. Not to mention, sleep deprivation can also make someone more irritable, especially when they work hard all day and then cannot get a full night&rsquo;s sleep.</p>
<h3>The Shame Associated With Asking for Help</h3>
<p>Many family caregivers feel as though asking for any form of help is a sign of weakness, and so they continue to take on the extreme workload and stress that comes along with being a family caregiver.</p>
<p>No one should ever be ashamed of asking for help, and sometimes asking for help is the best thing a family caregiver can do for their loved one. At Allcare Home Health, our experienced CNAs function as personal care assistants that can help to alleviate the stress and frustration that some family caregivers experience. By trusting us to provide<a href="https://allcarehha.com/home-care/"> home health care</a> for your loved one, we can help you eliminate the challenges that many family caregivers face, allowing you to simply enjoy your loved one&rsquo;s company.</p>
<p><a href="https://allcarehha.com/contact-us/">Call us </a>today to schedule an in-home assessment with one of our experienced, knowledgeable RNs. You&rsquo;ll be so glad that you did!</p>
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The Challenges of Being a Family Caregiver

<h2>What is Personal Care Assistance?</h2>
<p>Personal Care Services is designed to provide personal one-on-one care to individuals residing in their private homes who need assistance with activities of daily living.</p>
<p>These services such as assisting individuals with bathing, grooming, personal hygiene, meal preparation, light housekeeping are available to individuals who have a medical condition, disability, or cognitive impairment. Individuals who have recently undergone surgery can request in-home personal care services.</p>
<p>Allcare Home Health Agency can provide you with qualified <strong>Certified Nursing Assistants or Personal Care Assistants </strong>who are ready to visit you at your home or even if you are at the hospital and bring you personal and customize care to alleviate your needs. Whether you are experiencing chronic pain or mobility difficulties our services will ease such challenges as:</p>
<ul>
<li>Bathing, Dressing and other Personal Hygiene tasks</li>
<li>Life Enhancing &nbsp;Activities</li>
<li>Incontinence Care</li>
<li>Meal Preparation</li>
<li>Feeding Assistance</li>
<li>Medication Reminders</li>
<li>Monitoring Client&rsquo;s Diet</li>
<li>Laundry and Light Housekeeping Transfer/Positioning Assistance</li>
<li>Sitting With Clients in a Hospital or Facility</li>
</ul>
<p>These services can be paid for with private funds, long term care insurance or with Medicaid funds (individuals have to meet eligibility requirements).</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

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The Risks of Hiring a Private Caregiver vs Home Health Agency

Prescription Medications and Falls

The Challenges of Being a Family Caregiver

Personal Care Assistants