What is your reason for trying to find an independent contractor? If it is for cost reasons that won't work. Someone living in your home to care for dad makes dad an employer. You will need to pay this person at least minimum wage, do all withholdings and increase your liability insurance on the property. Then a payroll company to take care of payment, an elder law attorney to draft a caregiver contract. Is there going to be overtime involved? Room and board cannot be considered as wages they are required to be there, so an employee. 24/7 care in my area costs on average 10K a month. A facility would be the more practical answer if cost of an agency worker is an issue.
It is always a risk. Even charitable organizations will unknowingly send out untrustworthy people. It happened to a friend of mine. She wasn’t able to pay a sitter at the time. She was recently divorced.
She had a volunteer from her church and one day my friend decided to go home at lunch just to check on things. She had a funny feeling about the sitter.
They say to trust your instincts, your gut. Well, the sitter was passed out cold on the couch from drinking! Her two year old daughter was roaming the house freely not being watched.
Do thorough background checks! Do a surprise visit if you aren’t going to be home.
There is no guarantee. You are looking for someone to help with your father, yes? Safely? There is no guarantee. It makes you an employer. There is no recourse if the person does anything that is suspect or makes your feel uneasy or should be reported, except to fire them. If your father is a vulnerable person and you will be gone during the day, he is at risk since no one will see any improper treatment or behavior. You will need to do a lot of background and credit checking, and reference checking and this is still no guarantee. You will need to create a legal contract. Have you considered AL for your father? It may be the best option for everyone.
Do an internet search for an agency that will run full background/criminal/credit checks on any applicant.
then, if you advertise (online, church bulletin, etc... make sure to include the information that every applicant will have to agree to having the full checks run on them
You might think the credit check isn't important...but, anyone with bad credit is a security risk for you...you would already know that person doesn't live up to the promises they make, The other two checks are obvious.
Even if you decide to use an agency....you still need to see those reports for yourself. Agencies, all too often, only see the profit they can make and do not have the clients best interest first and foremost.
check every reference. All too often applicant give bogus references because too often no one actually checks. You be sure to check every one. Do not accept a phone call from someone giving a reference...instead you get a phone number and an address...and then you check to see that the phone number is really for that person. Then call or even better, visit.
If you find it hard hard to find anyone....ask the local council in aging if they can provide any guidance. Look at the local catholic charities... they have a volunteer service here that helped to fill in while getting everything done.
Just remember.,,,never lower your standards. Do not let yourself feel desperate, you will be tempted to make bad decisions,
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She had a volunteer from her church and one day my friend decided to go home at lunch just to check on things. She had a funny feeling about the sitter.
They say to trust your instincts, your gut. Well, the sitter was passed out cold on the couch from drinking! Her two year old daughter was roaming the house freely not being watched.
Do thorough background checks! Do a surprise visit if you aren’t going to be home.
then, if you advertise (online, church bulletin, etc... make sure to include the information that every applicant will have to agree to having the full checks run on them
You might think the credit check isn't important...but, anyone with bad credit is a security risk for you...you would already know that person doesn't live up to the promises they make, The other two checks are obvious.
Even if you decide to use an agency....you still need to see those reports for yourself. Agencies, all too often, only see the profit they can make and do not have the clients best interest first and foremost.
check every reference. All too often applicant give bogus references because too often no one actually checks. You be sure to check every one. Do not accept a phone call from someone giving a reference...instead you get a phone number and an address...and then you check to see that the phone number is really for that person. Then call or even better, visit.
If you find it hard hard to find anyone....ask the local council in aging if they can provide any guidance. Look at the local catholic charities... they have a volunteer service here that helped to fill in while getting everything done.
Just remember.,,,never lower your standards. Do not let yourself feel desperate, you will be tempted to make bad decisions,