Some life decisions aren’t critical, such as what you wear today or what you have for lunch. But choosing a caregiver for your mom is a huge one and requires careful thought. Hopefully, the guidelines below will help you work through this complex decision. 

Understand What Your Loved One Needs

There comes a time for many of us when we need to make essential decisions for our moms. You may know your mom needs a caregiver, but that can mean different things. Figuring out the type of care they need is essential to move forward. 

For example, does she need help bathing and getting dressed, or does she tend to fall? Many older Americans need help going to doctor appointments and activities, too. 

Some only need help for an hour or two per day, while others require around-the-clock help and supervision. 

Understand Your Finances

We all want a team of caregivers for mom around the clock, but finances are a limit for most of us. That’s why you and other family members need to sit down and determine what your budget is. 

Taking care of one of your parents is stressful enough; you don’t need additional worry if the caregiver is out of your budget. 

Figure Out Where To Search 

Your goal is to provide your mother with a responsible and compassionate caregiver. Do you want to find what you need with a home health agency that has many aides available you can choose from? 

Or would you prefer to hire someone directly yourself, such as through a referral from a family member? 

Whatever you’re comfortable with, you should do interviews with other decision-makers, if there are any. 

You also may choose a home healthcare registry that can connect you with home care workers. You would just need to tell the company what you need, and they will send you several candidates. 

Have High Expectations

You should be specific in what you want from the caregiver. Also, you should understand what your mom wants from the person offering the care. Get all of your expectations on paper, so everything is clear to the caregiver from the beginning. 

Create A Job Description

The job of caring for your loved one is an actual job with duties and responsibilities. Therefore, you don’t want to trust someone with your mom’s care unless highly qualified. 

When you start your search for a care person, you should have a job description that includes the type of healthcare training the person should have and whether they need to drive your mom places. 

Also, you should mention they may need to lift your mother on occasion into or out of bed. And add any special equipment, such as a motorized wheelchair, they’ll need to manage. 

Remember Background Checks

You should be picky when choosing someone to care for your mother. If you’re working through an agency, you should ask if they do background checks on their candidates. You should make sure they have steady employment history and don’t have a criminal record. 

If you aren’t sure about the care provider’s screening process, you may want to go with another company. 

Check References

You should ask for references from anyone you are thinking about hiring to watch your mom. Most home care agencies should give you a list of current clients that you can call. 

Making the critical decision to have someone care for your mom is a big step. But if you remember these tips, you can be confident that you have chosen the best person for this vital job.