Caregivers
This article is protected under copyright law, and no part of it may be copied, excerpted, or written without it being used in its entirety. No part of it may be left out. Further, the user must send notice to the writer informing her that the article is being used. Caregivers! By Janice Lauderdale @2008. All rights reserved under the Urban Classic Books banner copyright and New Image Writers copyright seal.
jlauderdale@premierewriters.ning.com
www.writethewrong1.com
janicelauderdale@yahoo.com
Caregivers
There might have been a time when a great deal of thought did not have to be given to the person that you choose to oversee the care of your loved one. But gone are the days. It is of utmost importance that this individual be selected only after meeting certain basic qualifications. This is the person that will spend 8+ and many times 24 hours a day with your loved one, and you want to know that person can be trusted to render care with the same level of love that you yourself would give. The caregiver is there when no one else is; that person has to be a person whom you can trust to do the right thing for your loved one at all times.
• Do not give them Power of Attorney over your loved one.
• Caregiver must be accountable to someone.
• Giving caregiver Power of Attorney privileges opens up too many areas of concern. Someone has to be accountable to someone.
• Potential caregivers should be interviewed.
• Caregivers should provide references from individuals who can vouch for their characters.
• Do not rule out getting a credit check. A person’s history tells a lot about them. How they handle their life affairs will handle the life and affairs of your loved one.
• Determine the living situation of the potential caregiver. Find out where they lived and who they lived with.
• Determine where they were employed.
• How long were they employed?
• Were they paid enough money to support themselves? This is very important because if they were not gainfully employed or underemployed this should be a red flag of warning for you. Don’t proceed without ascertaining just what they did to support themselves. Also, if it is determined that they are always ”coming up short,” this is another blazing red flag for your consideration.
• Do not give them access to your loved ones finances. Too many untoward things can happen which will do nothing but infuriate you.
• Have a contract drawn up outlining all expectations of the caregiver. Insist that they sign the contract. If they won’t, perhaps this is not the person you want to care for your loved one.
• Try very hard to secure a female caregiver to care for your female loved one. Otherwise, problems can and will arise. You just don’t want to have to deal with that. A female caregiver providing caregiver services for your female loved one will solve this. It is okay that a female take care of your male loved one.
• How many days will the caregiver work? Determine what the working hours will be. This should be a part of the contract.
• What will be the caregiver’s days off? Also, let them know if they call in informing you they will not be able to provide services for any given day and it is less than 24 hours notice that you will have to decrease their pay accordingly. This should be in the contract and the caregiver should sign this statement to this effect.
• If agreed upon, have all mail (utilities, telephone bills, bank statements) and the like transferred to another trustworthy person’s mailing address. Do not have any bank records come to the caregiver’s location.
• Do not leave any blank checks at the location for any reason.
• All mail is to be placed in a designated location to be retrieved by the person taking care of paying the bills for the loved one. No exceptions. No discussion.
• The caregiver is never to take your loved one to the bank without your knowledge and permission.
More about Janice M. Lauderdale—she has a degree in sociology and is a Minister in the counseling division at a mega church in Los Angeles. Her recently published book Wealth of the Wicked: An American Tragedy of Elderly Abuse is a breakthrough for the legal and physical protection of the elderly. It puts a face on 1.2 million seniors who are abused annually. She can be contacted for more must-know steps and legal protection of the elderly. Contact her at:
www.writethewrong1.com,
jlauderdale@premierewriters.ning.com
jlauderdale@premierewriters.ning.com
www.writethewrong1.com
janicelauderdale@yahoo.com
Caregivers
There might have been a time when a great deal of thought did not have to be given to the person that you choose to oversee the care of your loved one. But gone are the days. It is of utmost importance that this individual be selected only after meeting certain basic qualifications. This is the person that will spend 8+ and many times 24 hours a day with your loved one, and you want to know that person can be trusted to render care with the same level of love that you yourself would give. The caregiver is there when no one else is; that person has to be a person whom you can trust to do the right thing for your loved one at all times.
• Do not give them Power of Attorney over your loved one.
• Caregiver must be accountable to someone.
• Giving caregiver Power of Attorney privileges opens up too many areas of concern. Someone has to be accountable to someone.
• Potential caregivers should be interviewed.
• Caregivers should provide references from individuals who can vouch for their characters.
• Do not rule out getting a credit check. A person’s history tells a lot about them. How they handle their life affairs will handle the life and affairs of your loved one.
• Determine the living situation of the potential caregiver. Find out where they lived and who they lived with.
• Determine where they were employed.
• How long were they employed?
• Were they paid enough money to support themselves? This is very important because if they were not gainfully employed or underemployed this should be a red flag of warning for you. Don’t proceed without ascertaining just what they did to support themselves. Also, if it is determined that they are always ”coming up short,” this is another blazing red flag for your consideration.
• Do not give them access to your loved ones finances. Too many untoward things can happen which will do nothing but infuriate you.
• Have a contract drawn up outlining all expectations of the caregiver. Insist that they sign the contract. If they won’t, perhaps this is not the person you want to care for your loved one.
• Try very hard to secure a female caregiver to care for your female loved one. Otherwise, problems can and will arise. You just don’t want to have to deal with that. A female caregiver providing caregiver services for your female loved one will solve this. It is okay that a female take care of your male loved one.
• How many days will the caregiver work? Determine what the working hours will be. This should be a part of the contract.
• What will be the caregiver’s days off? Also, let them know if they call in informing you they will not be able to provide services for any given day and it is less than 24 hours notice that you will have to decrease their pay accordingly. This should be in the contract and the caregiver should sign this statement to this effect.
• If agreed upon, have all mail (utilities, telephone bills, bank statements) and the like transferred to another trustworthy person’s mailing address. Do not have any bank records come to the caregiver’s location.
• Do not leave any blank checks at the location for any reason.
• All mail is to be placed in a designated location to be retrieved by the person taking care of paying the bills for the loved one. No exceptions. No discussion.
• The caregiver is never to take your loved one to the bank without your knowledge and permission.
More about Janice M. Lauderdale—she has a degree in sociology and is a Minister in the counseling division at a mega church in Los Angeles. Her recently published book Wealth of the Wicked: An American Tragedy of Elderly Abuse is a breakthrough for the legal and physical protection of the elderly. It puts a face on 1.2 million seniors who are abused annually. She can be contacted for more must-know steps and legal protection of the elderly. Contact her at:
www.writethewrong1.com,
jlauderdale@premierewriters.ning.com
