Is your loved one about to be discharged from rehab?
Are you thinking of hiring a low-cost caregiver?
Beware. Cheaper does not always mean better.
Search the internet and you’ll find a plethora of caregivers, some of which charge lesser fees … they seem too good to be true.
Lower costs could actually be more expensive – with all kinds of risks – in the long run.
Here’s why —
In Illinois, you have the choice between a Home Services Agency, such as our own FirstLight Home Care, and a Home Services Placement Agency. The placement agency merely introduces a home care worker to the family. They collect a fee, but the family pays the worker directly. The placement agency is then out of the picture.
But this arrangement is fraught with difficulties.
She Filed for Unemployment
The story is told of a caregiver hired by a family for years who loved the worker dearly. They informally paid the caregiver with a weekly check. The senior then moved to another city. The caregiver was let go.
The caregiver, however, filed for unemployment.
The family was shocked. They had such a congenial relationship!
The family had to hire an employment attorney. They were advised that this situation would likely trigger an IRS audit that would go back seven years.
In recent years, laws have begun to see it from the caregiver’s perspective. In this case, after depending on an income stream for years, the caregiver found herself in a desperate situation. She filed simply to stay alive.
Thus, some families misclassify their home care worker as an independent contractor with a 1099 tax form. But by law they should be considered household employees and paid in W-2 wages. This means that taxes, social security and Medicare must be taken out of the paycheck (IRS Publication 926).
Your patients might want to know that they could be charged with tax evasion if they improperly pay their caregiver.
Slips and Falls
Another problem is that the family is liable for accidents around the house. What happens if the caregiver slips and falls while on the job?
Under the Illinois Premises Liability Act, property owners can be held responsible if their careless or negligent actions cause harm to those who work on the premises.
A worker can file for damages such as compensation for medical expenses, lost income if they cannot work, or physical pain and suffering.
Protection of the Family
The family is protected against these problems if they hire a home care agency such as FirstLight Home Care.
Here is what we provide that sets us apart from placement agencies:
- W-2 wages paid to caregivers
- Workers’ compensation
- Payment of unemployment taxes: both state and federal
- Fully bonded workers
- Training and monitoring of caregivers
- Finding replacements when the caregiver cannot work
A Superior Level of Care
It’s important to provide well-trained caregivers from an agency that follows all the applicable state laws. Here at FirstLight Home Care of Deerfield/Lake Forest, we do drug screening, national and local background checking, and thorough annual training as required by Illinois law.
FirstLight interviews every candidate for the job. They look for solid experience in caring for the elderly as well as strength of character. They look for knowledge, honesty, and a good track record of experience.
FirstLight Home Care can demand a superior level of care because they pay wages on the higher end of the scale for this industry. And this serves as an incentive for caregivers to keep working with them.
Don’t Go Cheap
You might complain of a lack of private funds for hiring an agency like FirstLight.
However, you cannot afford not to care for them in this way.
Families may have resources that they do not realize. The family home often has value that has grown over the years. This asset can be tapped into with a reverse mortgage, for example.
When it comes to home care, it doesn’t help to go cheap. Your patients will be much happier when they make their choice considering all the angles.
So, the next time you are talking with a family with non-medical home care
needs after their loved one’s hip replacement, or cancer or heart operation, contact us at FirstLight Home Care of Deerfield/Lake Forest at 224-880-6555.
We will take care of their needs, from just a few weeks of care to end-of-life treatment.