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Whether you need a part-time,
full-time or live-in caregiver, the steps you take should be the
same. This can be a very traumatic experience if you are unaccustomed
to hiring and interviewing, and is also intensely personal as
you are entrusting the care of someone you are responsible for
to a stranger. Even if you are fortunate enough to have a person
referred to you by a friend, or sent to you by an agency, the
process should be the same.
BASIC CAREGIVING
DUTIES AND SKILLS
Caregivers range from companions
to licensed practical nurses who can perform medical tasks. There
are several basic levels of care, with many professional caregivers
able to handle all of them. Salaries increase with skills.
1) Patient needs companionship, shopping and errand assistance,
transportation, meal preparation, laundry and basic housekeeping.
2) Patient needs assistance with ambulation, bathing, grooming
and haircare, dressing, toileting and transfers.
3) Patient needs non-sterile wound care, direction with self-administered
medications, vital signs observation, assistance with rehabilitation
exercises and/or assistive equipment.
4) Patient is bedbound and needs sterile wound dressing changes,
turning and positioning, vital signs recorded, administration
of medications. supervision of oxygen use.
FORMALIZING
THE PROCESS
Develop standard questions
(see form below) to ask all candidates and require the same documents
from everyone, starting with a completed application. This will
help you in the selection process and will protect you should
anyone question your decision. You are establishing yourself as
an employer, even if the person is known to you.
Conduct the interview at a table, not on the couch, and do not
allow it to disintegrate into a chat. Use your list of questions
to keep the interview moving along in order to get the basic information
you need. Conclude the interview after 30 or 45 minutes, and tell
the person you will be scheduling second interviews later.
DEFINING THE
JOB DESCRIPTION
Make a list of the tasks you
expect to be performed, the qualifications you want in experience,
skills and education, responsibilities to be assumed. hours of
work per week or month, dress code, and record-keeping and reports
required.
Define for yourself the kind of person you want to hire, taking
into account the personality of your patient. Do you want a casual,
informal one-of-the family type or an arms-length formal employer-employee
relationship? What kind of people does the patient relate best
to? A cheery, bubbly person or a cool professional? A chatterer
or a quiet companion? What type of cooking is preferred - microwave,
fast food, ethnic? How much authority do you want to delegate
or retain?
All of these questions should be considered by you and the patient,
and then a framework of a job description created.
SETTING A
SALARY
Call local staffing agencies
to determine usual charges in the area where the patient lives.
Remember that their rates will include taxes, workers compensation,
unemployment insurance, FICA, insurance, benefits, supervision
costs and administrative overhead. You will also have to calculate
these costs into your salary offer as you will be assuming responsibility
for reporting on required quarterly and annual forms. You should
also respond to Situations Wanted ads in the local newspapers.
You can also call local service organizations or the unemployment
office once you have a firm grasp on the parameters of the position.
EXPLAINING
TAXES AND BENEFITS
Deductions from the salary
will include FICA and state and federal witholding taxes. You
will have to provide Unemployment and Workers Compensation Insurance
coverage, and be sure that your homeowners liability covers a
person employed in the home. You should be prepared to discuss
sick days, vacation time, overtime and holiday pay, and how
any absences will be covered.
IF YOU CHOOSE
TO PAY THE PERSON IN CASH AND IGNORE ALL OF THE ABOVE, IT IS BEST
TO DISCUSS THIS WITH YOUR ATTORNEY AND ACCOUNTANT PRIOR TO EMPLOYING
ANYONE.
SUGGESTED QUESTIONS FOR INTERVIEWING CAREGIVERS
NAME________________________________
DATE___________
| How long have you been caring for patients? | ___________________ |
| How many patients have you had in the last two years? | ___________________ |
| How far from my patient do you live? | ___________________ |
| Do you have a car, current license, insurance? | ___________________ |
| What type of diagnoses have you cared for? | ___________________ |
| What type of medications have you administered? | ___________________ |
| What is the average length of time you keep a case? | ___________________ |
| Do you interact with the physician when needed? | ___________________ |
| Do you have a home telephone? Mobile phone? Pager? | ___________________ |
| Do you prefer to wear a uniform? | ___________________ |
| Will you grocery shop and drive patient to appointments? | ___________________ |
| Will you cook regularly/occasional meals? | ___________________ |
| Do you keep any type of daily records? | ___________________ |
| Do you have a CNA license? CPR Certificate? | ___________________ |
| Do you have a resume? References? | ___________________ |
| Why should I hire you? | ___________________ |
DOCUMENTS TO PROVIDE TO PROSPECTIVE CAREGIVERS
NAME________________________________
DATE___________
| Employment Application Form | ___________________ |
| W-4 Tax Form | ___________________ |
| Job Description | ___________________ |
| Summary of patient's condition | ___________________ |
DOCUMENTS TO BE
OBTAINED FROM PROSPECTIVE CAREGIVERS
| Written references or list of names, addresses, phone #s | ___________________ |
| Completed employment application | ___________________ |
| Completed W-4 Tax Form | ___________________ |
| Signed copy of job description | ___________________ |
| Copy of drivers license, car registration, insurance | ___________________ |
| Copy of CNA license | ___________________ |