Has anyone had experience hiring hourly caregivers through Care.com? Care recommends that families start communicating via the messaging tool on their website before taking the conversation offline with a caregiver-Ive messaged 2 caregivers who either asked for my number right away or gave me theirs to communicate via text-wondering if others have had this experience? Is this because they're busy or dont want to use Care's messaging tool-maybe it doesnt matter-since they have Care profiles, I should still be able to run a paid background check on them.
Has anyone paid to use Care's background checks? I know all caregivers get a basic check when making their profile I believe, but I'm looking into the most extensive one called Premium check, as well as possibly the Continuous check for ongoing monitoring. I think the caregiver must agree to these checks in advance.
Has anyone had experience checking credentials (such as if the caregiver says that are a CNA or HHA)? Care apparently doesnt check/verify credentials and says the family must do this. I dont even know what a valid certificaiton looks like!
If anyone has hired thru Care, what were your steps? Did you ask for references and/or a resume (not sure how many folks have a formal resume made up for home caregiver roles?) before asking for a phone/video or in person interview? Did you do the background checks after checking (how many?) references and conducting one interview? Just trying to get a sense of the best steps/process for hiring as it's all on the family if not going thru an Agency.
Did anyone add specific insurance (such as bodily injury protection) to their home owners (apartment renters insurance for us) insurance, to protect yourself from liability if the caregiver got hurt while on the job?
We also have cameras set up and those will be running-but it's a new experience for us to hire a stranger from online. We'd much prefer word of mouth recommendations (& didnt like going thru agencies due to quality of care we experienced & agencies promising one type of skill/experience but us not getting it-like hoyer lift experience)-but havent had luck with this.
Thanks!
I selected one who responded, we communicated on the Care.com app, and we had a phone call. I described the job in detail, asked her about her experience, and asked for references.
Then I had a very long conversation with her reference.
(I reached out to those who had positive reviews and could provide references, as this was new territory for our family, too.
And my parents had just moved to a new city, so we really didn't know anyone. We only knew of elderly who had moved to assisted living, but my parents refused that route.)
Then the applicant came to my parents' home for an in person interview with my parents and me. She had a constant smile and a positive attitude, and she asked me a lot of questions so that she understood what was asked of her. I gave her a tour of the home. She gave me the impression that she could manage the job, but in a gentle way.
She began three days a week, four hours a day.
At first my parents thought I had hired a maid for them. But my dad was on board with help and quite weak, and she helped with his hygiene, so he saw the value before my mom did.
Soon we hired her from 9-2, M-F. She did light housekeeping and meals and meds--more than just hygiene for my dad.
As time passed and my parents began to decline, we were able to ask this particular caregiver for recommendations that she herself had worked with for another family.
Some of her recommendations worked out. Some didn't. It was a learning process for all of us.
Some applicants didn't show up for their interviews. Some called my phone and complained about the other caregivers. This was not an easy or smooth process.
Soon my parents had three shifts of caregivers 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, most from references of our very first Care.com hire. This original caregiver is now our 'lead' caregiver who manages all the shift scheduling and covers any no shows, etc. She has been a godsend and rises to any challenge my parents present. I am in regular contact with her (I live out of state).
I did have to post another job on Care.com to find overnight and weekend help as some caregivers quit that position. Again, it was a process. Some worked out, some didn't.
Fast forward to present day, my parents are both on hospice at home. Many of the things I handled from out of state now come from hospice. My dad is either wheelchair or bedbound now. But they still have 24/7 caregivers.
Oh--we have cameras set up, too. They help me to understand and see firsthand the changes my parents are experiencing--the hallucinations, the confusion, the inability to use a fork, etc. That allows me to communicate with the lead caregiver to add changes to my parents' care.
I wish you the best of luck. It is daunting but it worked out well for us.