Nervous about trying in home caregivers. Advice anyone?

IF you go through an AGENCY, they are licensed and insured. In other words, the hired help claims to get injured in your home, they cannot sue the estate but must file Workman's compensation with the company. Wise choice. The employees are generally screened and have work experience regarding care such as bathing. A Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) holds a license with the State and is accountable for care given. If you still feel a bit uneasy, you can install cameras all over your home since this is your private property it is entirely legal. I would not do the bathroom, but most others you can. You can check in from time to time and see what is going on through your smartphone and they will know they can be watched at any time. YOU lay out the rules upfront. No smoking on the premises..not even outside. You tell them what they can and cannot do. You can also tell them no computer tablets, books, or texting allowed while they are on duty..and remember the cameras are watching.

You would of course, be present with each new caregiver until you felt as though you could trust this person, and that your mother can trust her as well.

Your mom is no longer in a position to supervise anyone. The idea about hospice is a good one, but I still wouldn't leave my loved one with a new person without a trial.

Why not call and find out if she is eligible for Hospice. You would get a CNA that would come in at least 2 times a week to bathe her. And that service is included with Hospice so you would not be paying for it.

Don't do it, at least not until you know the caregivers.

I hired from a well known, reputable agency, used by someone here and 2 friends from another forum, all of whom make good decisions.

The local franchise agency provided 3 people.  Only one was competent and reliable, but she was a smoker.  Even though she did go outside to have a cigarette, I wasn't really comfortable with having a smoker in the house, particularly with oxygen use.

However, she was competent, reliable and very attentive, spotting an emergency and perhaps avoiding a serious, permanent event.     She was also very professional, friendly and cooperative. 

The other two were worthless.    One had lived in the area for years, only about 6 miles away, but got lost and took 45 minutes to arrive.   Then she set about "cleaning" (I was okay with that), until I discovered her using a wet rag on a power strip plugged into the wall and supporting a refrigerator.

When I asked why she was using something wet on an electric power strip, she said it was okay since she wasn't squeezing water into the plug holes.

I told her I didn't have anything else for her to do and she could leave early, then called the service and said she wasn't suitable.

The other undesirable decided the cleaning she would do was using undiluted bleach in a closed house (this was February).   She got mad when I suggested that this wasn't a good idea - no one should smell bleach that strong in a confined area.

She did do a good job on reorganizing a cabinet to prioritize filing of dysphagia food candidates as well as other canned foods. 

Common sense obviously was lacking though. There's no way I would trust either of them in the house alone with my father.   The house might not be there by the time I returned, or they both might be passed out or on their way to the ER from the odor of bleach in a confined environment.