Time for Help
You may want to consider hiring an in-home helper or caregiver if you:

• are not yet ready to move out of your home and into assisted living or a nursing home.
• have chronic health issues or need some help until you get back on our feet.
• are constantly falling behind on daily tasks such as laundry and grocery shopping.
• have a disability, but want to live in your home and community with a little help.
• are concerned that you may fall at home and not have someone around to help.
• have some mobility challenges and use a cane, walker or wheelchair.
• get confused and forget to take your medication on time or in the proper dosages.
• have fallen at least once in the past six months.
• need someone to drive you to appointments or to the grocery store.
• know that you are not eating or exercising properly.
• spend a lot of time alone.
• are having trouble with basic needs such as dressing, bathing and toileting.
• are missing important social functions you would like to attend.
• need help properly caring for pets.
• are embarrassed to ask a relative or friend to do even more or help with some tasks.
• have been recovering in a facility, but have now regained enough ground to return home.
• want to hire someone to come in, but also want remain in charge of your services and not have to deal with all the paperwork, payroll and other administrative functions of being an employer.

Hiring someone to come into your home may dramatically improve your quality of life and give you and your loved ones some much-needed peace of mind!

Taking Care of Business
Hiring a helper or caregiver can quickly become a complicated and time-consuming project. This is where Better@Home excels and where we can be a valuable business partner.
Here are some points to consider:

• How will you determine what needs to be done and how long it should take to complete the job?
• What will you do if your helper becomes sick or cannot make it to work?
• Will insurance or other programs pay for any of the costs?
• What steps are necessary to legally recruit, hire and train someone?
• How do you check to make sure they are a legal resident, honest, reliable and do not have a criminal record?
• What paperwork needs to be filed with the State and Federal government?
• What do you need to do if a caregiver is hurt while on the job?
• Do you need special insurance or to pay Worker's Compensation?
• Will there be taxes and other withholdings you will need to pay on your caregiver's behalf?
• How often will workers be paid?
• How will you keep track of work hours to ensure the work is being done on time and to your satisfaction?
• How will you protect yourself from potential fraud and abuse?
• How will you handle the situation if a worker is not doing the job you need them to do?
• If you are doing a spend-down in order to qualify for other benefits, e.g., Medicaid, is your plan of care approved?

If you have determined it is time to get some assistance for yourself or a loved one, Better@Home can help!