How to Find a Caregiver

The following is a section from A Quick Guide to Managing Care for Your Aging Relative in California by Leah Vickers, which begins with a list of the best sources for finding a caregiver:

• Church organizations and religious affiliations,

• Private caregivers,

• Family,

• Friends, and

• Caregiving websites and agencies.

Things to Do

• Make sure to research the agency and website.

• Ask to speak to those who currently use the service. Call references.

• Do the agency and its caregivers have a Homecare Aid license?

• Is the caregiver registered? Registered caregivers with a Homecare Aid license must renew their eligibility every two years.

Things to Consider

• Does the patient/recipient need one caregiver, several or a 24-hour team?

• Does the patient/recipient require live-in care?

• What language does the patient/recipient understand best?

• Locations the caregiver services?

• What level of care is needed?

• Is the patient/recipient able to: bathe, dress, be continent, use the toilet, prepare meals, eat, use a phone, manage medications, go to the grocery store, care for pets, do housekeeping, and transfer from wheelchair to bed and back.