There are many seniors who prefer to stay in the comfort of their own homes rather than move to a retirement community. Non-medical home care agencies will send a private caregiver to your loved one’s home to assist with activities of daily living (bathing, dressing,walking, transferring, toileting, eating), light housekeeping, running errands, companionship, and meal preparation etc. The process of choosing a non-medical home care agency needs to be performed with due diligence.
During the past several years, we’ve observed the number of these non-medical home care services have increased drastically in the Chicago metro area. We have assessed many of them. They are not all created equal. The owners’ backgrounds and levels of expertise vary. Some are licensed by the state of Illinois and operating as home care agencies. Others may not be licensed an operating as independent contractors. In the latter case, hiring the nice lady from across the street places you in an employer/employee relationship. You will have no recourse but to assume liability when the independent contractor makes an error.
At Andrea Donovan Senior Living Advisors, we have a systematic approach to assist you with hiring a non-medical home care agency. The process begins by selecting several candidate agencies with the appropriate credentials, longevity, and experience in the industry. Then, we guide you through the rigorous interviewing process by questions that may not have dawned on you to ask. The answers will ultimately determine which agency is a good fit for you and/or your loved one.