What Is Private Home Care? Hiring An Agency Vs. Hiring Privately

Once you determine that your loved one needs ongoing care at home, the next decision you’ll have to make is whether you should hire a caregiver privately or through an agency. We’ll give you an overview and take you through the differences to help you make the right call for your family.

What is Private Home Care?

Private home care allows full control over who you bring into your home, but comes with added responsibility.

Typically, people who hire privately start with word-of-mouth referrals from friends and family, but that is not always available and not always the right fit. Not every caregiver is suited for every job. Think of it this way – if you need a doctor to treat a broken arm, you wouldn’t go to a dermatologist.

Once a caregiver is found and hired, this option requires caregiver management, oversight, and scheduling. It is most suitable for those comfortable taking on these duties or those with family members who can assist.

With LeanOnWe, The Trusted Way to Find a Caregiver On Your Own, you can hire privately and have a helping hand to guide you throughout the entire process. Not only do we provide a network of 1,500+ caregivers who have been top-level screened, but we also speak to each of their references and verify credentials so you can select a caregiver who best fits your particular needs.

Private Caregiver vs. a Home Health Aide

Private in-home caregivers can provide a wide range of services depending on your loved one’s needs.

They can support daily activities such as hygiene, dressing, nutrition, and exercise. They may also help with light housekeeping, meal preparation, and laundry. These caregivers do not provide medical care, but they can remind your loved one to take medication, schedule doctor’s appointments, and help with transportation.

Many private caregivers are also Home Health Aides who are trained and then certified by the state. In some states, they may be certified to provide certain types of medical assistance, such as administering medication, wound care, IVs, and injections.

Private Home Care vs. Hiring an Agency. Which is Best?

Between hiring privately and hiring an agency, you have no shortage of options when it comes to finding care for your loved one. To help you make a decision, let’s compare the benefits and disadvantages of hiring privately vs hiring a home care agency.

Benefits of hiring privately

There are many benefits to hiring home care privately, including:

• Private caregivers can provide a wide range of services and may work anywhere from a few hours a week to full-time or 24/7.
• You and your caregiver define your work arrangement together, without agency rules.
• You negotiate rates with your caregiver and pay him or her.
• This option is typically less expensive than going through a traditional home care agency.

Disadvantages of hiring privately

Here are some drawbacks to hiring on your own:

• Word-of-mouth referrals don’t always work out. Your friend’s mom’s neighbor’s caregiver may not be the right fit for you and then you are stuck without the right help.
• The only background check you can do on your own is a non-comprehensive, superficial internet screening based on the caregiver’s social security number for the past few years. By comparison, LeanOnWe does the highest level of background checks – the FBI fingerprint report covering local, state, and federal arrests over more than 20 years.
• You are responsible for finding backup and/or replacement care when scheduled time off – or last-minute unexpected situations – arise.

Benefits of using an agency

For some people, hiring an agency better suits their needs. The benefits of hiring a home care agency include:

• The agency has a staff of caregivers, so you don't have to gather referrals, do interviews, or find backup care.
• Since the caregiver is employed by the agency, the agency manages and pays them.
• In most states, agencies are required to supervise the caregiver in your home. They will provide a Plan of Care and occasionally send a nurse to check in.
• Most agencies are licensed to provide services paid for by Medicare, long-term care insurance, catastrophic care insurance, and/or Medicaid.

Disadvantages of using an agency

The disadvantages of hiring through an agency include:

• You don’t get to choose the caregiver assigned to you, and there’s no guarantee the same caregiver will come daily.
• There are numerous restrictions on what services the caregiver can provide as determined by the state and outside the agency’s control. In addition, the agency will have its own rules, such as forbidding a caregiver to drive a client.
• You pay the agency an hourly or daily fee, and they pay the caregiver a portion of that amount. Caregivers commonly earn about half of what you pay the agency.

Looking For Care But Unsure What’s Right For You? Let’s Chat

LeanOnWe combines the best of both options and allows you to take control of your home care needs by providing access to seriously vetted and highly recommended caregivers. You control who you hire.

Plus, since we eliminate the agency middleman, you can save money and your caregiver will earn better pay. Our model is differentiated in its unique blend of personalization, trust, and convenience.

To learn more about how LeanOnWe can help your family hire professional and reliable private home care, schedule a consultation with one of our experienced Care Advisors today.