I’d like to hire a private caregiver for my 86-year-old aunt. What should I look for? Are there any questions I should be asking?
Making the decision to hire someone to assist you in caring for a family member is very difficult. In order to make the most informed decision regarding hiring someone to care for your aunt you should be asking many questions, such as how long the individual has been caring for elderly people and what types of experiences he or she has had with the elderly. Does your aunt have any specific needs and, if so, does the caregiver have the knowledge to care for her? Does the caregiver know how to cook, if meal preparation is going to be one of the duties that will be required of the job? What happens if the caregiver wants a vacation? Or gets ill? Does the caregiver have references? In addition, you should decide ahead of time how many hours you will require someone to care for your aunt and ensure that the person you hire can meet that need as well.