Why Hiring An In-Home Caregiver Through An Agency Is Preferable To Hiring A Caregiver Who Works Independently

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If your loved one needs in-home health care, you're faced with the choice of hiring a caregiver through an agency or hiring an independent in-home caregiver. While hiring an independent caregiver is a less expensive option, you may end up paying for it in terms of time spent formally acting as their employer — it's legally complicated. Home health care agencies also provide a number of other conveniences compared to independent caregivers. Here's why hiring an in-home caregiver through an agency is often a better choice than hiring a caregiver who works independently.

Hiring an Independent Caregiver Requires Complicated Accounting

When you hire an independent in-home caregiver, you legally become their employer. You'll need to draft an employment contract, pay payroll taxes and keep documentation of hours worked and wages paid. If you have never run a business before, you may not know how to accomplish this. You'll spend a considerable amount of time researching the necessary legal requirement to hire an in-home caregiver, and filing all the necessary forms and paperwork can be a considerable burden. When you hire an in-home caregiver from an agency, the agency is the one that acts as their employer — you are simply paying for a service, which avoids the complicated legal situation of acting as an employer on your own.

Agencies Insure Their Caregivers, Protecting You Financially if Your Caregiver Is Injured

Another reason to hire an in-home caregiver through an agency is that they provide insurance to their workers. You're responsible for any injuries that an independent in-home caregiver suffers while performing their duties. When you consider that the position of an in-home caregiver often involves lifting, injuries can be common. A home health care agency provides workers compensation to their employees for any injuries that they receive on the job, which protects you financially.

Hiring a Caregiver Through an Agency Is a Simple Process

Hiring an independent in-home caregiver is often a difficult process. You'll need to look for caregivers advertising their services or post a job listing, perform a background check on every applicant and do several interviews with each applicant in order to find the one that best meets your needs. It can take quite a while to find a trustworthy independent caregiver whose availability matches the schedule that you require. Agencies offer you a number of caregivers to choose from, and they have already had background checks and training. With a larger pool of caregivers to choose from, it's easier to find one whose personality you enjoy and who fits your desired schedule.

Agencies Provide Emergency Caregivers When Your Primary Caregiver Can't Visit Your Loved One

Many home health care agencies offer emergency caregivers. If your loved one's main caregiver is unable to come to your home on-time for any reason, they can dispatch another caregiver temporarily in order to ensure that your loved one is kept safe. If you're working with one independent in-home caregiver, you'll need to quickly make arrangements on your own to stay with your loved one in the event that your caregiver is ill or busy on the holidays.

Overall, hiring an in-home caregiver through an agency is a much more convenient option than hiring an independent caregiver. You won't have to deal with the legal requirements of being an employer and you're guaranteed that their caregivers have been approved and trained. When your loved one needs in-home care, make it simple and contact a home health care agency. Contact a site like https://www.inyourhomecares.com/ for more help.


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