When You Need a Helping Hand at Home-What to consider before hiring someone in Los Angeles�

Finding qualified home help for yourself or for an elderly loved one can present issues you may not have had to face before. The tendency may be to hire a person used by your neighbor or a friend of a friend. Here are a few points to consider before you hire someone who will have the run of your house:

1. It is important that the caregiver is a legitimate employee of an agency and not your employee. Be sure the agency pays payroll taxes, and all federal and state withholdings, including social security, so that you don’t have to worry about these things. Thus, they assume total liability for these items for any staff member assigned to you.
2. A reputable agency will also:
a) have Worker’s Compensation insurance in force that takes full liability for employee injuries that occur at the client’s premises or during work-time;
b) perform background checks on their caregivers that include driving record, credit bureau report and criminal background check;
c) have general liability insurance and also unowned auto insurance;
d) have bonding (honesty insurance) for their employees;
e) have close follow-up with the client and caregiver to ensure mutual comfort and satisfaction with the services being provided.
The stress and emotion that are involved in selecting a caregiver can sometimes be overwhelming, and may overcome your ability to weigh the factors and decisions that are most important to your aging family members. Planning ahead, before a need arises, can lessen the stress and emotion, thereby allowing your loved ones to remain independent in their own homes for many years to come!
Hadas Abouaf is the General Manager and one of the owners of CarenetLA. As a Registered Nurse who has been certified in gerontology, Hadas and her professional team are uniquely qualified to help seniors and their families determine just how much, and what kind of help they actually need. CarenetLA offers companionship and other non-medical services for aging adults and those in need of assistance with the activities of daily living. For more information about CarenetLA, please call (310) 393-1282 or visit www.carenetla.com.