This information is provided for informational purposes only. There is no implied endorsement by the Area Agency on Aging of the Capital Area or its parent organization, the Capital Area Council of Governments. We do not promote, recommend or endorse any specific organization or product.

With over 50 million family caregivers across the U.S., the number of people who choose to care for their loved ones themselves, versus placing them in a nursing or care facility, is growing rapidly.

There are three steps family caregivers can take every day to make their lives better and improve the care they give their loved ones:

• BELIEVE in Yourself.
• PROTECT Your Health.
• REACH OUT for Help.

In order to avoid caregiver burnout and provide quality care, it sometimes becomes necessary for family caregivers to seek out respite or supplemental care from a professional caregiver. The quality of care between professional providers can vary greatly. With a little knowledge about the differences in models of home care and by asking important questions, family caregivers who need extra support can choose safe, reliable and trustworthy help.

Understanding Models of Private Duty Home Care

Most private duty providers fall into one of two categories: a registry that uses independent contractors (also known as a referral service or a nursing registry) or an agency. The differences in these two models of home care can have important consequences for the consumer. The key difference comes down to the issue of who employs the caregiver.

Registries act as "matchmaker" services, assigning independent contractors to clients who need home care by matching the client with a care worker from the list of workers registered with them. They don't assume the same responsibility for the worker as someone employing a caregiver. This means that the client is liable for things such as workers compensation, unemployment taxes and social security.

Agencies employ their workers and take full responsibility for the supervision and training of those workers. Agency caregivers should be bonded, insured and licensed. The agency also does the accounting and bookwork, provides the supervision and discipline, carries the insurance and tries to ensure that all shifts are covered.

Private Duty Check List

When seeking home care, there are some important questions that clients should ask of a prospective service provider:

• Who employs the caregiver?
• How long has the agency been providing private duty home care?
• Is there a care professional, who, along with the client and family, develops an individualized plan of care?
• How are emergencies handled after normal business hours?
• How often are caregiver services monitored?
• Does the agency employ a full time nurse, social worker or other qualified professional to make regular visits to the client's home?
• How does the agency screen and select caregivers prior to an assignment?
• Are references checked and criminal background and drug screens conducted on all employees?
• Does the agency manage all payroll and employee related matters and adhere to state and federal guidelines in its employment practices, such as: withholding appropriate taxes, providing workers' compensation and other benefits?
• Do they also use independent contractors? If so, who employs the person and pays the mandated taxes and withholding in this case?

This list of providers is limited to Nonprofit agencies in our service area and vendors who serve our clients. Because rates and services provided can change, contact the providers for their service and rate information. When contacting these providers, please mention that you were referred by the Area Agency on Aging.

There are many fee-for-service Private Duty Home Care providers available to those who are using their own financial resources. Most of them can be found by consulting your local yellow pages directory.