How to Find a Great Home Health Aide

It can be challenging to find a qualified caregiver, especially if you’ve never done it before and don’t know what to expect, says Christina Irving, client services director at Family Caregiver Alliance, a nonprofit group. But you have options. Here are the three main strategies, along with the pros and cons.

Go Through an Agency
With a home healthcare agency, you benefit from convenience and support. The agency will find and schedule the caregivers, do background checks, and handle the paperwork and legal requirements, including taxes, workers’ compensation, and liability insurance. If a caregiver can’t show up, the agency will find a substitute.

But you’ll have less control over the aides assigned to you, who may rotate on a regular basis. That can make it hard to build a relationship and ensure that your loved one’s care needs are met. You’ll probably pay more than if you hire someone on your own because agencies need to charge higher rates to cover their overhead, Goyer says. To find a home care agency, ask your friends and family for recommendations. You can also contact your local Area Agency on Aging, which can direct you to resources. (More on that below.)

Hire on Your Own
This way you can choose a caregiver who seems to be the best fit for your needs. And you’ll probably pay less per hour. But it’s your job to find a replacement if the caregiver can’t come in. You’ll also need to do the paperwork, including drawing up a contract, taking care of taxes and insurance, and doing background checks.

Many families end up finding caregivers through word of mouth. Some employers may offer eldercare referral services as a benefit. Another option is to use a private care registry, a matchmaking service that puts you in touch with caregivers seeking work. Some services also do background checks and help with paperwork, says Lori Dahan, president of the Private Care Association, a trade group; go to privatecare.org to find registries in your area.

Two years ago Sue Kinkel, an 80-year-old widow in Phoenix, used a caregiver referral service to help her find an aide to assist with shopping, cleaning, and other tasks. Her personal care aide, Ashley Roberts, 44, has been working with her ever since. “We’re now really good friends,” Kinkel says. “She drives me to appointments, and we have lunch or shop afterward.” Ashley adds, “She records TV shows in the evening that we can watch together the next day.”

Bring in a Care Manager
Another option is to hire an aging-life-care expert, also called a geriatric care manager. These specialists, who often have backgrounds in social work or healthcare, can help you assess your loved one’s needs, manage the caregiving staffing, often through an agency, and help with problems as they occur. These services can be especially helpful if you’re trying to help a family member from a distance or if you can’t visit regularly. If you’re not sure how to get started, you can hire a geriatric care manager for a consultation and to get information about options and resources in your area, says Kate Granigan, president of the board of directors of the Aging Life Care Association.