Post by troyhather on Nov 15, 2017 5:32:18 GMT -5
Be Realistic About Working With an Agency
Without question, one of the biggest frustrations I’ve heard voiced by friends, colleagues and readers is that working with an agency is really hard.
There’s too often a huge mismatch between what you want and what a typical agency can usually provide.
Understanding this mismatch and adjusting your expectations is key to getting the most out of an agency.
Because it’s our parents, of course we hope that the agency will send us a senior care version of Mary Poppins who is well paid and very happy to come in for just an hour or so to help out.
The reality, however, is that the agency is paying around $10 per hour for someone who relies on public transportation, is working for multiple agencies and/or multiple jobs, and may or may not be getting benefits, supervision, or training.
It’s just important to be realistic about what’s possible under the agency-model of home care, and to know what your absolute must-have needs are. The more home care hours you buy from the agency, the greater its flexibility in scheduling the times that are your highest priority. Plus you’ll also stand a better chance of getting the individual aide you prefer.
Without question, one of the biggest frustrations I’ve heard voiced by friends, colleagues and readers is that working with an agency is really hard.
There’s too often a huge mismatch between what you want and what a typical agency can usually provide.
Understanding this mismatch and adjusting your expectations is key to getting the most out of an agency.
Because it’s our parents, of course we hope that the agency will send us a senior care version of Mary Poppins who is well paid and very happy to come in for just an hour or so to help out.
The reality, however, is that the agency is paying around $10 per hour for someone who relies on public transportation, is working for multiple agencies and/or multiple jobs, and may or may not be getting benefits, supervision, or training.
It’s just important to be realistic about what’s possible under the agency-model of home care, and to know what your absolute must-have needs are. The more home care hours you buy from the agency, the greater its flexibility in scheduling the times that are your highest priority. Plus you’ll also stand a better chance of getting the individual aide you prefer.