Finding In home care without agency

[Yolanda]

I've been trying to figure out how to arrange in home help for a family member without going through a traditional agency, but it's proving trickier than I expected. Agencies are convenient, but the extra costs and the rotating cast of caregivers aren't always ideal for me and I'd prefer to find someone consistent who I can build a real rapport with over time because I believe it will also help the quality of the service that will be rendered. As of now, I've tried some community boards and gotten some hear say word of mouth here and there but I still need more info and options. There's also the big question of safety, background checks, references, and making sure everything is good enough

If anyone here has managed to hire in home help directly, how did you find them, and what steps did you take to make sure it was a safe and smooth arrangement?
I'll be glad if I can get something solid from here, TIA

Yola

 

[Carress.85]

I completely understand your concern. Finding the right person makes all the difference!
Have you tried asking around at a local senior center?
Maybe try posting at nursing schools, physical therapy offices and even church bulletins?
From what I've seen, the best people come from recommendations.
When you find a few candidates, interview them, ask for their experience and even request for references!
And for your own safety and peace of mind, you can get services online to run a background check.