When it comes to senior care, things aren’t always what they seem. For example, a recent report out of Hawaii shows that there might be major unresolved issues in other parts of the country, too. Authorities there announced that they need to crack down on unlicensed senior care homes and that dozens of investigations have already been launched.
Sometimes, things like this happen for misguided altruistic reasons. People believe that they really can be a benefit to others and that their expertise in the business will be a blessing to those that use their services. Although it’s a nice sentiment, it’s not an excuse for breaking the law. It opens up too many opportunities for things to go unnoticed and it opens up the people that they care so deeply about to issues that can easily be avoided. Sometimes nothing happens, but it’s a risk that’s not worth taking. Not with the people that you care about.
In other instances, these types of care homes exist for more devious reasons. Senior care has been a targeted industry for years now, and if the news reports and data that are coming out are trusted, then it’s a problem that is still growing. Fraud, abuse, neglect, and outright theft are far more common than they ever should be. Because this is an often fragile population, the elderly are seen as an easy target. It’s one thing to read a story like this on the news, it’s another to see it happen to someone you love. Avoiding these services is in your best interest.
The same can hold true of private caregivers. Their motivations might be 100 percent pure. They might be doing what they do because they truly love people and they have found that the best way to give care is to do it on their own. But again, this is not a risk worth taking. It’s always better to go with a caregiver that has the backing of a larger organization that provides safeguards and background checks. It’s an extra layer of protection for the people that you love.
Again, this is not to say that all unlicensed or private senior caregivers or organizations are evil. In fact, most probably are doing what they do for the right reasons. However, there’s no way for you to tell this. If someone is serious about what they are doing, you should expect them to follow the proper procedures and laws.
Also, be on the lookout for care services that go above and beyond when it comes to protecting their clients. Many services complete background checks before hiring, but not all. Some services provide more training than others. It’s always better to do more than not enough to protect those you serve.
Would you like to learn more about the safeguards that we have in place to help protect the people that we work with? If so, please feel free to contact us. We would love to discuss what we do and how it might help you during a free consultation.
Leave a Reply