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PRIVATE DUTY AND HIRED CAREGIVER RESOURCES
DEFINITIONS OF SELECTED HIRED CAREGIVER SERVICES
| SERVICE & PRIMARY FUNCTION |
MAJOR ACTIVITIES |
INCIDENTAL ACTIVITIES |
PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES |
AIDE service:
personal care for aging and disabled persons as prescribed by the hospice team |
Bathing Oral hygiene Hair, back, & foot care Check vital signs Observe changes in health status Assist or supervise active or passive exercise |
Household tasks essential to health, safety, and cleanliness in the home, including: Bed changing Assistance with health education |
Hourly worker may be limited in scope of household tasks secondary to time constraints |
HOMEMAKER service:
providing general household management for families with children, the elderly and/or handicapped |
Light housekeeping
Laundry
Bed changing
Menu planning
Grocery shopping
Food preparation
Dressing
Education in home management
Emotional support
Special activities: paying bills, escorting
|
Limited personal care activities |
Any activity the worker has not been trained to do |
COMPANION service:
providing company to children or disabled adults in a protective supervisory capacity in the absence of the primary caregiver or in the instances of isolation, loneliness, fear, or neglect |
Talking Reading Writing Playing games |
Light housekeeping Errands Escort service |
Activities not included under major and incidental activities |
GUIDELINES FOR SELECTING A CAREGIVER
- Is the agency licensed and bonded in the state of Illinois?
- What kind of background checks does the agency run on its caregivers?
- Can the caregiver communicate effectively with the patient?
- Who is responsible for the caregiver’s taxes and social security?
- Are the caregivers covered by Workers’ Compensation insurance in case they are injured in my home?
- What are the hourly and live-in rates for:
- Weekdays
- Weekends
- Shift Differential
- Transportation Charge
- Any Additional Charges (such as placement fee, finders fee, etc.)
- How are the billing and payment services handled?
- If we choose to, may we interview potential caregivers? If yes, is there a charge to do this?
- What can we expect from a caregiver?
- Does the agency have caregivers who have experience with hospice patients?
- Is there someone at the agency to answer my questions at all times? Evenings, weekends, and holidays?
- Are the caregivers supervised? If yes, is there an additional charge for this?
- What happens when my caregiver takes time off?
- For questions, compliments, or complaints, who is my contact person?
Note: To ensure the most appropriate care, it is best to give the agency as much information as possible about the patient.
The above list is provided by Gentle Home Services, Inc., 847-432-9100, and is intended as a set of suggestions only. (Question 10 added by Rainbow Hospice).
