Who issues licenses for caregivers in the state of California?
In California, there generally is not a license for non-medical caregivers. This is different that a Certified Nursing Assistant or Certified Home Heatlh Aide.
Personality is most important: warmth, patience, and adventurous. If your mother in law is forgetful or confused, that should not be frightening to the caregiver.
Special training in working with dementia helps. Sometimes instead of a license the person might have a certificate which shows what kind of training or how many hours.
If the person you want to hire does not have special training, but you like him or her, you might offer to pay for a course. Or you might ask her to attend a support group and pay the extra time. Call your local Alzheimer's association to find out what is offered in your area. Or check with Caring.com's local resources.
No License for this very critical area is absurd - How can I find out about an individual that seems unqualified but has been hired by the rest of the family -
IF there are certificates, How can I get that information?
In the state of California there is a site which you can get your needed information, but I am sure other states have this information as well:
Area Agency on aging: Napa and Solano country: caregiver permit process: 707-643-1797 www.aaans.org
If you are not in California, do an internet search for "Area Agency on again" in your state or county.
I don't want to frighten anyone on this site, but would like to let you know of a recent incident we had with our estranged elderly father (78 years). We hadn't had contact with him for many years. At his death we discovered that his caregiver forged a trust amendment leaving her all his estate. In researching these girls (he had one before the last) we discovered they had criminal records. It's too late for us and was really out of our control, but please do background checks on whoever you choose to care for your parent(s). You don't want them being taken advantage of our being mistreated or having to be exposed to any shady characters.
I am a caregiver myself and indeed we do not need a license but yes a background check and experience. Most of us professional caregivers are compassionate, adventourous and are CPR and First Aid certificated....just make sure whoever you hire has a backround check and you will be ok.....Some of the elderly i have worked for feel so grateful to me or any of us that they want to share their belongings, not necessarily have to be with them for many years...Family members hardly ever visit some of them and this is how they want to compensate their caregiver. It is hteir family fault they want to do this, of course we dont accept, but are grateful for their good intentions....SO IF YOU HAVE AN ELDERLY VISIT THEM OFTEN they feel abandoned, it is not fair to just show up when they are about to pass on...
Yes Norma, you do sound like a very compasionate professional caregiver. Unfortunately for some families it isn't the family who chooses to end the relationship. Our parents divorced when I was 9 and only saw my dad about 4 times in the 32 years before he died. He only lived 4 miles away from us. He never met any of my 5 kids and he never looked for us or his grandkids. I knew he was getting older and the end would be coming at some point, but chose not to visit him since I didn't want him thinking I was only coming around at the end for the money. Trust me I wanted to check on him numerous times but couldn't live with the anger if he ever thought I was only coming around for the money. I did see him in the hospital when we were called and we were the last and only ones to visit besides his caregiver who forged his last will. I wish he hired a caregiver like you instead of the one who left him with coffee ground stools for 2 weeks before calling for medical help.
