Family and Paid Caregivers

Types of Aides

• Home Health Aide: provided by an home health agency for about one hour a couple of times a week primarily for bathing
• Companion care: Visitation only
• Personal Care: hands on care, walking/transferring assist, bathing, dressing
• Homemaking aide: errands, housekeeping, meal preparation

Hire a private aide or through an agency?

Issues to consider are listed below. Agencies are listed in the phone book under "Home Health Services."

• Back up help if the aide is sick
• Supervision and who you can call if there is a problem
• Workers’ Compensation
• Employment Taxes
• Liability Insurance

Families sharing the responsibility

• Clarify your skills, expectations, limits
• Ask for help without guilt
• Accept help
• Determine each person’s resources: time, money, physical strength, emotional flexibility, organizational skills, skills to negotiate with the health care system, ability to communicate at appointments, accounting skills.
• Share roles, even if some people live far away: You needn’t live close to make doctor’s appointments, manage the finances, order medications, negotiate over the phone, send money, offer respite services, send thank you notes.
• Involve the children in a role they can succeed in so they feel important and included

See our Resources section for help selecting and hiring help at home. Also, see our Caregiver Questionnaire