It is important to note when you or a loved one needs extra care support especially if their needs are likely to escalate. Arranging that support can definitely feel like a daunting step to take. But there are ways to go about it and gain professional assistance to help look after someone. In this article, we touch on various options on how to find a private carer you may wish to explore.
Firstly who is a Private Carer, and why and when would a person need one?
A private carer, home carer or live-in carer is a person who is tasked with the responsibility of providing flexible care to an individual or couple in the comfort of their own home for varying lengths of time. They help with daily housekeeping tasks and personal support to assist with independent living, meal preparation and running errands.
A private carers duty often includes help with;
- Personal care
- Mobility support
- Completing household duties
- Collecting shopping and preparing meals
- General companionship etc.
A person would need a private carer when they require extra care or support at home. It could be a person with a disability, someone living with a disease, a senior citizen, a person who is recovering from an accident etc.
They tend to want to live in the comfort of their own homes, receiving the care and support they need whilst maintaining the level of independence they desire around familiar faces in a familiar place.
A private carer has a duty of care, such that it meets the requirements of all the people they look after. Whether it’s just one person who has employed a live-in care service or if they visit a number of different individuals at various times.
What qualities to look for in a home carer?
At joyful care, we look out for two major qualities above all others when recruiting carers to join our team and these are; empathy and compassion. Above being an absolute professional with some good years of experience under their belt, we want to know that our carers truly do care about each and every one of their customers.
Now, whether you’re looking to find and hire a carer for yourself, an elderly member of your family, or a child with special care needs, these two traits are the most important thing you need to look out for.
It is near impossible to teach these two things; they are vital when you decide to put your care or that of a loved one in someone else’s hands. You want to make sure that you or a loved one is being taken care of with the decency and dignity you so require and ultimately that they are in safe hands.
This is what we look out for in carers before introducing them to our clients. If you ever decide to search on your own then these are the qualities you want to take note of.
Where to find a Private Carer?
Now that you’ve learnt about the most important things to consider when hiring a private in-home carer, let’s talk about places where you can find them. Here are a few;
- Introductory Agency
An introductory agency such as Joyful Care is a platform with a database of vetted professional carers that are available should you need them. All you need to do is contact us with your specific needs and we will do the rest of the work for you and connect you with a carer that ticks all your boxes.
Read here to find out how we can help you find a fitting carer that suits your care needs.
Introductory services are funded by a fee charged to carers when employed via the platform. With an introductory agency, care can cost 5-20% more than when you do the vetting process yourself. What it does is to provide extra reassurance that when you find a carer, they have the skills and are safe to work with.
An introductory agency would usually offer additional support to help you cover sick leave and holiday leave and resolve any disagreements or issues that might arise between you and your carer.
Some of the Pros of using an Introductory Agency are;
- The hiring process is faster as the carers that will be introduced to you have been vetted already.
- Little or no knowledge is required to vet and screen carers
- Extra support can be offered by the agency
- Contracts are ready to go; all you have to do is sign.
One drawback it might have is that the cost might be higher than if you do the entire process yourself.
- Word of mouth (referrals)
It could be from a friend or the family next door. A carer can be referred to you by a past employer. One of the best ways to get recommendations is to speak to someone who has employed the service of a private carer in the past or is currently using one.
Usually, when a person finds a service they employed satisfactory they would easily recommend the same service to their friends or anyone for that matter. So if you don’t have the time or knowledge on where and how to find a private carer for your needs or that of a loved one, just ask someone who you know is currently or has had a private carer in the past.
Ask about their experience and for recommendations or referrals.
The Pro of going this route is that the hiring process is faster because you have the word of someone else to back up your decision.
- Going through the local newspapers
If you’re old-fashioned and want to do the recruiting yourself, the newspaper is still a very viable option to find a private carer.
Plenty of private carers keep an eye on their local paper for opportunities. You might not have the largest selection of carers and you will still need to vet them yourself but it’s a pretty cost-effective way to find a carer for yourself or a loved one.
The Pros of this route are:
- It’s a fairly simple way to find carers
- No Internet navigation and hassle are required
- Low cost of just about 5-10 bucks for an ad
The Cons:
- There might not be that many people looking at newspapers given the times we’re in with technology
- You’ll need to narrow down your applications manually.
- You need to carry out all vetting yourself
- The process could take a long time
- Using online classified ads
There are websites where you can post up a job advert with what you’re looking for and you’ll get plenty of people contacting you to take up your offer.
You can simply do a google search to find some of the websites where you can do this and find a carer in your locale. Some sites you can also consider are;
- gumtree.com
- preloved.co.uk
- friday-ad.co.uk
- Plista.com
The Pros of this are;
- Classified ads are affordable and some can even be free
- Broad reach across lots of people
Cons:
- You might have to spend time sifting through Lots of unqualified candidates
- You’ll need to narrow down your applications manually.
- You need to carry out vetting yourself.
- Contract preparation and organizing the details are all on you.
- Using LinkedIn
LinkedIn is the world’s biggest platform where professionals hang out and connect. It is also a place where job seekers and employers alike hang out.
That being said, it is a place where you can explore to find a private carer. Just sign up at linkedin.com and try searching for private carers. Do take note that LinkedIn can be a little limiting to use; their connections system will only let you connect with people related to those you already know. It also limits your search options after a while to encourage you to purchase a paid subscription.
That’s not to say that it’s useless though, there are plenty of private carers advertising on LinkedIn so why not give it ago?
The Pros of using LinkedIn:
- You sure will find a vast pool of carers
- People on LinkedIn tend to be quite professional and experienced, and carers are no exception
- You are able to reach out to carers you like immediately, there and then.
The Cons include:
- The vetting process will be your responsibility
- You still need to filter down unqualified candidates
- The contract preparation will be your responsibility
- Carers often get booked quickly on the platform, so you will need to make your decision quickly
- The platform can be tricky to use.
Let’s recap with a list of the steps on how to find a private carer
- Identify the need for extra care, either for yourself or a loved one
- Determine your needs and requirements as regards to the kind of care you want to receive
- Contact a care agency or any other means you would like to explore for your search
- Vet the carer and ensure they are a good fit for you, or simply employ the service of a care agency
- Sign contracts/forms and have a blast.
In summary, the method you decide to employ to find the right private carer for you or your loved one will depend on your budget, urgency, and willingness to do the leg work required.
If you’re looking for someone really specific, are searching with some urgency, or need some extra opinion to speed up the process. Then you can give our team a call today at +442081565799 and we’ll get you started right away.