[15] Dementia Horizons: Hiring Help

Dementia Horizons™ | Workshop 15 | Hiring Help

Video Module [15] Transcript

Hello and welcome. Caring for your loved one living with Dementia can be a challenging and demanding responsibility as the syndrome progresses. Professional help often becomes necessary to ensure the well-being of both the individual with Dementia and their care partners. Hiring paid help can provide much-needed relief and specialized care, but it can be daunting. Although this program seeks to explain the process and offer practical advice for hiring paid help in the home, you may also wish to consider hiring a professional care manager to assist you in creating a care plan and manage the overall process. There are organizations that represent professional care managers. Please visit our website, dementia society.org, and search for care management options. It's certainly an avenue you may want to explore.

Okay. Before we review the hiring process, it's essential to recognize when additional help is needed. Indicators that it might be time to hire professional assistance include:

• Increased care needs. When the loved one's condition deteriorates, they may require constant supervision and assistance with activities of daily living, also known as ADLs, such as bathing, dressing, and eating.

• Caregiver burnout. Family caregivers feel overwhelmed, exhausted, or unable to manage their own health and responsibilities.

• Safety concerns. The top priorities to address are fall risks; behaviors requiring vigilant monitoring; barriers to providing care in the home, such as steps or lack of handicap accessibility; or simply lack of physical strength needed to care for another person, like the ability to lift a heavy weight.

Acknowledging these signs is the first step towards seeking help and ensuring the best care for your loved one. Paid help can vary significantly in terms of services offered, and the level of expertise provided. I'll now discuss the various care services that families find helpful.

It is essential to hire individuals who have received some level of formal Dementia care training. Ask for the names of training programs they have completed, as well as how and when they receive continuing education. Moreover, it is important to know the three typical types of care workers, as it will help you decide which type of professional suits your loved one's current situation. Over time, you'll likely need some combination of all three.

Let's start with companion care. Companions provide social interaction, and assistance with non-medical tasks such as housekeeping, food preparation, and transportation.

Home health aides, they offer more comprehensive personal care like bathing, dressing, and medication reminders. Note that generally, home health aides are not legally allowed to administer medications in many jurisdictions.

Nurses, they provide family education and medical care, such as administering medications, managing medical equipment, and performing health assessments.

Let's turn our attention to preparing for the hiring process. Before contacting agencies or potential caregivers, it's important to gather relevant information and prepare thoroughly.

Start by making a detailed list of your loved one's care requirements, including daily routines, medical conditions, and any concerning Dementia-related behaviors. Then set a budget. Determine how much you can afford to spend on paid help. Consider factors like your loved one's financial resources, insurance coverage, and potential benefits from programs such as Medicaid or Veteran's Assistance. It will be important to know if the person with Dementia has long-term care insurance. Otherwise, most care is paid out-of-pocket.

One important consideration. There are jurisdictions that permit family members to become paid caregivers. Check with your local Area Agency on Aging or a care management professional, and they should be able to share with you if it is allowed where you live. There is usually an application process.

Okay, next, create a job description. Outline the responsibilities and qualifications you expect from a caregiver. Be specific about duties, working hours, and any special skills needed, such as experience with Dementia care.

There are several ways to find potential caregivers, so let's review a couple of them.

• Home care agencies. These agencies employ a range of caregivers and handle screening, training, and payroll. They should be able to match you with caregivers who have experience with Dementia.

• Direct private hiring is another option. You can independently hire a caregiver through job postings, personal recommendations, smartphone apps, and online caregiver registries. This approach may provide more flexibility and cost savings, but it requires more effort in terms of screening, coordination of schedules, management of payroll and taxes, and possibly increased liability insurance.

Next is the caregiver interview. The interview process is crucial for finding the right caregiver. Here are some steps to ensure a thorough interview, whether you are hiring from an agency or privately.

• Ask about the candidate's experience with Dementia care, their approach to handling challenging behaviors, and their ability to perform specific tasks outlined in the job description.

• Assess their personality, communication skills, and especially their ability to connect with others. A good caregiver should be patient, compassionate, and adaptable. A ready smile, the ability to laugh, and an approachable manner are subtle, but essential interpersonal skills that can go a long way to creating a loving and caring environment.

• Then request and contact references to verify the caregiver's qualifications, reliability, and past performance. If you are hiring privately, conduct a background check. A cursory search on the internet will turn up paid services to make the background check a bit faster and more detailed. You can also simply type someone's name into a search engine or look through social media for any information you can glean.

Obviously, caregiver agencies should be doing all of this on their own, and that can be a major time saver and one reason to use them.

Ensuring the safety and trustworthiness of the caregiver is paramount. When you conduct comprehensive background checks, although not an exhaustive list, pay particular attention to these points.

• Verify that the caregiver has no criminal history that would pose a security risk.

• Ensure that they have a clean driving record, especially if they'll be required to drive your loved one anywhere.

• And lastly, confirm any certifications or training the caregiver claims to have, especially those related to Dementia care. Requesting copies of their certificates of completion is not beyond reasonable.

Once you've selected a caregiver, it's vital to establish clear expectations and boundaries.

• Develop a detailed plan outlining daily routines, medication schedules, emergency contacts, and specific instructions for managing Dementia symptoms.

• Have a contingency plan for situations when the primary caregiver is sick or unavailable. This could involve having a list of backup caregivers or arranging short-term care through an agency, if needed.

• Discuss and agree on house rules such as policies on smoking, alcohol, recreational drug use, guns, visitors, vaccinations, cell phone use, and any contingencies for household emergencies.

• Establish regular check-ins to discuss your loved one's progress, any issues that arise and any adjustments needed in the care plan. Monitoring and evaluation are crucial to ensure your loved one receives the best care.

You can make unannounced visits to observe the caregiver's interactions with your loved one, and ensure they are following the care plan. Schedule regular discussions to assess the caregiver's performance and discuss changes in your loved one's condition or care needs. Despite careful planning, challenges may arise. Here are some strategies to address common issues.

Conflict resolution: address conflicts calmly and directly. If an agency is involved, discuss concerns with the caregiver and agency and seek to understand their perspective. As Dementia progresses and changes over time, care needs will change. Talk with the agency and or caregiver to address any modifications that are required.

As I hinted at previously, hiring private paid help involves certain legal and financial responsibilities. Here are detailed insights:

• Employment contracts: create a written agreement detailing the terms of employment, including job duties, hours pay, and termination conditions.

• Payroll and taxes. Understand your obligations regarding payroll, taxes, workers' compensation, and other employment-related taxes. Consider using a payroll service to manage these tasks.

• Lastly, there is insurance. Ensure the caregiver is covered by appropriate liability insurance and consider obtaining a bond for added protection.

Hiring paid assistance can greatly improve the quality of life for individuals and alleviate the burden of constant worry. You can find a caregiver who will provide compassionate and effective care by understanding the type of help needed, by preparing thoroughly, conducting careful interviews and background checks, and setting clear expectations. Ongoing monitoring addressing challenges, and seeking support for yourself, will ensure a successful caregiving arrangement that benefits everyone involved.

I hope that what you've learned allows you to confidently and successfully staff the roles that are most needed, with people who truly care. Thank you for joining me.