Here are some facts that are very impotant to know if you or your loved ones
are looking for private duty caregivers. These are also facts most people,
not connected with the industry, do not know.
There are usually 3 ways to obtain private duty caregivers. They are:
1. Hiring "Private Hires" from off the street or from within the community.
2. Hiring a "Nurse Registry" to place caregivers in your home.
3. Hiring a "Private Duty Home Health Agency" to provide you with private duty caregivers.
We will attempt to explain the difference in each of these methods and then we will give you some things to think about when it comes to placing caregivers in your home or the home of a loved one. Hopefully, this information will give you what you need to make an informed decision.
"Private Hires" are just as the name implies. They are private individuals that you may hire on your own from the street or from the community to be caregivers in the home. They work for you. You become their employer, supervisor, and responsible for their employment tax liabilities, etc.. They also will not have workers' compensation insurance to fall back on if they become injured in your home. This could leave you liable, unless you choose to cover them with the proper insurance. This insurance is very expensive.
"Nurse Registries" are companies that sign up caregivers for placement through their service. These caregivers work as independent contractors, so they are not the employee of the "Registry." They are not covered by workers' compensation insurance, and since they are not employees ot the company, they do not have taxes withheld and paid on their behalf. You may be told that they are responsible for their own taxes, but if for some reason they do not pay them, this could possibly leave you liable for them, as well as any penalties that have accrued.
"Private Duty Home Health Agencies" are companies that hire qualified caregivers to work as their employees. These caregivers work on a payroll basis and are covered with workers' compensation insurance, liability and bonding, protecting the client as well as the caregiver. Taxes are withheld and paid on their behalf and their social security is matched by the employer. Again, this is protection for the client. The agency supplies them with the progressive training that is mandated by the Agency For Health Care Administration and they are fully supervised by licensed nurses that work for the agency. This is certainly the safest scenario when private duty care is needed. It is the safest way to go for both the client and the caregiver.
