Looking at options and making decisions
The situation is becoming increasingly common – older adults preferring to age-in-place – a industry term used to explain living in their own homes). Seniors staying put will continue to enjoy the comfort of their own home and community, be known by neighbours, and be able to get out and about easily.
Simply put, a senior remaining at home may be more at risk of falling, not eating well and missing appointments (without having help immediately available), become more isolated (staying alone in the house), or find home maintenance a challenge (the family home maybe too much to manage).
The good news— when situations start to change, there are options. One possible consideration would be to hire a live-in or live-out caregiver of your own. A placement agency will charge a one-time fee to find a full time or dedicated caregiver who works just for you. They’ll offer a guarantee of a month or two to make sure there’s a good fit. The candidate then becomes your employee and you can draft up a caregiving contract and submit payroll deductions etc on their behalf.
If you wish to work with a local home-care agency and pay the agency by the hour, you can. This may cost more on a weekly basis but it may give you more flexibility. However, they will not guarantee the same worker each time (routines may be harder to follow and seeing a different face at the door can be confusing and even unnerving).
My sisters and I hired help for my parents. Mom had Parkinson’s disease and Leukemia while Dad had early-stage Alzheimer’s. At the time, they were living in an independent senior’s apartment and were both outgrowing the limited help available for residents. While I am no lawyer, I learned a few things about live-in caregiver contracts which saved me the cost of legal counsel.
Caregiving contracts
The employment contract doesn’t have to be onerous. It simply needs to contain some basic points. A live-in caregiver’s contract outlines the expectations and duties of the position, it confirms the hours, states the salary offered, details vacation time and any perks that come with the job. (use of car, housing, meals etc.). It also clarifies notice periods and termination guidelines and protects all parties based on your particular provincial labour regulations.
By taking the time to draft a contract and work through the details with your prospective employee, you are showing just how serious you are about protecting your senior’s health and well-being.
From my own experience, here are the essential points to consider and include:
Document heading: Referring to your document as a “contract” can be a bit frightening. Instead, you could title it as an “agreement”.
Individuals involved: Begin by stating the names of each person involved in the planned partnership. This will include you (as the employer), your employee, and your loved one(s). The wording here can be simple as “This agreement is made between (start date and (end date).”
Duration: How long will this contract be in effect for? Are you hiring for six months or longer? Clearly outline the time period, start and end date and a schedule. Is there flexibility required to cover evenings and weekends. (What are the working hours and when will get time off?). Note: Provincial regulations suggest that:
Job responsibilities: What are your new hires duties going to be. There is a significant difference between simply providing companionship and offering more extensive care and support. Does your live-in caregiver have the necessary knowledge, experience and wherewithal to handle medication schedules, bathing, toileting, personal care and any wound / compression / or first aid care.
Consider additional tasks as well. It’s best to work out an agreement for these tasks ahead of time to avoid trouble later. If your parent remains active, you may ask your carer to accompany him on daily walks or to visit friends. Our caregiver took Dad on regular outings so that Mom could rest. Will your caregiver use his/her personal vehicle to drive your family member on trips, do shopping or take them to appointments (if so, you will be expected reimburse gas costs and/or pay for mileage and any meals out on these trips)? Will your employee be expected to prepare meals or do housework? Differentiating between the caregiver’s responsibilities and the family’s responsibilities ahead of time is a formula that should lead to clarity and a “happier” working relationship.
Employment terms: Here, you will include mentioning a probationary period for the position (three months is common but you could see how your person is adjusting to the position and working out), benefits offered, and a termination clause (what will lead to job dismissal and the amount of notice which will be given to the employee). By all means, highlight a “job review”, possible raise after the probationary period is finished and financial bonuses or extras for good work.
Agreed-upon pay: Clearly stating how the salary is calculated can reduce uncomfortable discussions or misunderstandings. Along with the salary offered, also define the payment schedule (will you be paying weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly?), method of payment (will you be providing payroll cheques or e-transfers?) and deductions (as an employer, you will be required to deduct income tax and Canadian Pension Plan contributions from your employee’s pay and then remit these amounts to the Canadian Revenue Association). Don’t have any idea of what to offer for pay? Right now Indeed.com reports that the standard starting wage for a live-in caregiver is $20.39/hour. The Canada Revenue Association guides that fair additional mileage reimbursement is in the range of $.072/km for the first 5,000 kilometres and $0.66/km afterwards.
Accommodation and access: It is normal to offer the live-in caregiver a private bedroom and bathroom but, given their roles and responsibilities, a live in or live out caregiver will require access to other areas of the senior’s home. (their workplace). Building trust with a live-in caregiver is crucial, but family members may want to secure a senior’s valuables.
Signatures: To ensure your agreement is legally binding, it must be signed and dated by all parties involved. This will show that all concerned have read the contract, understood it, and agreed to the terms outlined.
Finding the best fit and arrangement for providing care when you can’t may take time but, believe me, it’s worth the effort. Hiring the right person can result in increased peace of mind for family members, improved safety, and quality of life for the senior, and greater job satisfaction for caregivers.
Rick Lauber is a freelance writer. He has written two books, Caregiver’s Guide for Canadians and The Successful Caregiver’s Guide.
Photos: Getty Images/Unsplassh
