There are many advantages to staying at home as we get older, but the challenges caused by ageing can make it harder to enjoy them without someone there to lend a helping hand. Living in your own house will mean loved ones and friends are nearby while staying in comfortable and familiar surroundings. But help will also be needed to maintain the same quality of life. That's why people turn to home carers, also known as private carers or independent personal assistants, who provide the support that allows care receivers to live independently at home.
How do you find the right person to help live at home independently? Here at CareDial, we think it's important to find the person who meets your needs and have some advice on how to start the search for a carer.
Get Advice from a Trusted Source
Finding a carer from a reliable source is essential to ensure peace of mind. If you're not sure where to start looking for a personal assistant, ask friends and family who have experience with this for advice. If you know a social worker or health professional, ask them for a recommendation. As well as this, use respected websites such as Which?, which supply useful information about how to search for carers. Alternatively, find a reliable carer platform, such as CareDial, which provides a selection of fully vetted and qualified carers to choose from.
Ensure Carers' Qualifications
How do you know if a home carer has the qualifications, skills and experience needed? All adult social care workers in England are expected to meet the standards set out in a Code of Conduct that outlines the behaviours and attitudes which people who access care and support should expect. To ensure all carers meet these standards, they must obtain the Care Certificate, which lays out the agreed standards and sets out the knowledge, skills and behaviours expected of people working in the social care sector. When searching for the ideal candidate, it's important to know the personal assistant you have selected has these qualifications.
Find a platform that conducts all checks on carers' qualifications on behalf of care receivers. At CareDial, we ensure all experienced home care workers are fully vetted by using the guidelines of our Total Care Assurance Scheme Code of Conduct. Before a carer is approved to join our website and starts contacting clients, we check their qualifications are up to date by contacting their training providers. This guarantees people receive the best care possible from personal assistants found on our platform.
We also ensure all domiciliary carers on our platform have public liability insurance, as well as a good level of written and spoken English. A checklist of what carers need to provide to CareDial before joining our platform can be found here. Meanwhile, for those new to caring who want to register with us, we help them to find the accredited providers they need to obtain the correct training and qualifications to get started.
Draw Up a Clear Contract
Having help in the home can make an enormous difference to a care receiver's quality of life. It will ensure greater independence, as well as make sure their wishes and privacy are respected. At the heart of this will be a strong relationship between client and carer, based on trust and mutual respect.
This relationship's starting point is a contract that clearly outlines caregivers' responsibilities, tasks, hours, rate, payment method and schedule. This will allow both the care receiver and the carer to know where they stand. Home carers will be more motivated if they feel appreciated and are receiving fair pay, while care receivers will be more confident of the help they'll be given. To help, CareDial has a draft contract on our platform, which can be adapted to create an agreement that satisfies clients and home carers alike. CareDial allows carers to receive 100% of their service contract earnings with no more agency commissions or fees to pay. This means more money for the carer and better service for the care receiver.
The Right Carer is Around the Corner
Finding the ideal home carer may seem complicated, but it can be made easier by following some simple rules. Research using trusted websites, speak to your local council or support charities and find advice from health professionals at the beginning of your journey. Ensure carers have the right qualifications by finding a platform, like CareDial, which checks on a client's behalf. Create a contract that clearly lays out what is expected of a personal assistant and find a service that provides help. With a bit of help, a suitable home carer is waiting for you.
Join CareDial's Caring Revolution
At CareDial, we're committed to helping care receivers and caregivers. We'll support those who want the benefits of remaining in their own home as they get older by assisting them in finding the right personal assistant. As well as this, we think carers deserve a better work-life balance and should earn pay which reflects their skills and experience. Happy carers equal better care.
Join CareDial's caring revolution by registering on our website or finding out more about what we offer on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.