Quick summary
When your parents or other older family members start struggling with everyday tasks, hiring a home care aide can help them remain in their home -- and take some pressure off the rest of the family. Here's help on finding the best care possible.
What is a home care aide?
At-home caregivers generally fall into three categories: certified nursing assistants, home health aides, and personal care attendants. Certified nursing assistants (CNAs) have some medical training and must pass an exam to get a license. They generally work under the supervision of registered nurses. CNAs can check vital signs, care for wounds, and help with everyday activities such as bathing and eating (you'll often hear these referred to as "activities of daily living," or ADLs). Home health aides generally assist with ADLs. And personal care attendants (PCAs), also sometimes called personal companions, assist with household chores like cooking, cleaning, and shopping. The job descriptions of these caregivers can overlap considerably, and they're often referred to interchangeably.
I Have a 12yr old with DMD, and I need someone 3 hrs/day, Mon.- Fri., to be at our house when he gets off the bus from school. Currently I leave work 3hrs early each day (2 weeks&counting), testing the limits of my Boss' understanding/ patience. There are no chores or cooking, just be at our home for supervision/ safety assistance. A Sitter will cost $10hr, that's $600mo. and i cant afford that. He recieves straight medicaid w/ssi. If anyone has any advice for some caring help, Gov. Vouchers, or info that is working for you in simular case, I would be greatful..... "It's just my Son and I, trying to jump the next hurdle" God willing :-))
Allof it was helpful
The poor person that works for those greedy health care companies get paid minimum wages, no mileage, supposed to pay out of pocket (in case the client does not have enough cash for their grocceries) never mind that the people doing this job are exploided to the get go and only receive minimum wages drive up to 25 miles one way with no reimbursement and can be charged with elder abuse abd neglect if they do not show up to a shift. The burden is tremendous and the leagal liability ends up with the poor underpaid caregiver, while the owners of those comapnies are only all out for the money...yes most of them are filthy rich because the federal government pays them well...what ever you do...stay the cash route and stay independent...and most of all do not listen to the lies you are told by those agencies...all they are out for is the mighty dollar...that's right
For myself I do strictly cash. I provide an excellant service to my families and the additional paperwork isn't worth the hassle. I won't work any other way. I have been doing this work for six years. I just finish my third family, after 2 years and over 5000 hours.
nannawestfall50 has received 1 prayer for this comment
Prayers toni j
While independant caregivers are usually cheaper, they are only cheaper when you pay cash. I lost a wonderful caregiver because after three years of cash payments I hired her 1099. After she filed her taxes she had to pay and wasn't very happy. I know its not my fault she didn't save any money to pay taxes but should I have kept paying cash since I was coming out ahead and saving money? I ended up going to an agency and paying 50% more and my mother died less than a year later.
I know that, at least in Texas, when an elderly person becomes homebound, Medicare/Medicaid will pay for a Home Health Aide/Personal Care attendant to come in for a set number of hours. My mother is at that stage now and we are having to pay for private care because we don't know how to go about getting insurance to pay for it. Any suggestions?
This was very helpful! When my mother's health degraded to the point that my father needed a live-in helper for her, they went the independent path. My sisters and I are uncomfortable with the way the caregiver is paid in cash. It always seemed too overwhelming to negotiate the paperwork to pay taxes on her salary. I didn't know there were services available to do that for us. I will definitely check those out!