Over the years there have been stories about the abuse and mistreatment of older adults by their caregivers. A recent article in the San Francisco Chronicle documenting the abuse by an unscrupulous caregiver has prompted a revisit of this topic and a discussion of the critical reasons for selecting a licensed agency to provide non-medical home care for your family and loved ones.

In 2016, the California Department of Social Services added the Home Care Services Bureau to its vast organization (For more information about the Bureau and its mission and goals click here). With the legislation that created the Bureau, consumers are now able to ensure that the agency they hire to care for their elder family members is now licensed by the state. This HCSB has oversight of and enforces the requirements that allow licensees to operate legally in California.

Licensing Demands Higher Standards

Home care agencies that are licensed, like Alice Home Care, are subject to regulations that aim to ensure a high standard of care and accountability. Some of the more critical requirements are that licensed agencies must be bonded, insured, and each of its caregivers must also be licensed by the state. Caregiver licensing requires a thorough background check performed by the DOJ and FBI, health clearance, and she/he must receive annual training. Additionally, both agency and caregiver licensing are subject to bi-annual renewals.

A Red Flag

When searching for agencies, one of the first questions you should ask is whether the agency’s caregivers are W-2 employees. Many agencies will market themselves as a typical agency, but deploy contractors instead of W-2 employees. Simply put, agencies that deploy contractors are not subject to the same standard of accountability for their caregivers, i.e., bonding, insurance, worker’s compensation, etc. In contrast, having W-2 employees forces an agency to carry insurance, pay payroll taxes and worker’s compensation. Hiring a contractor exposes clients to extraordinary liability in the event the caregiver is injured on the job, among other operational risks. So in selecting a home care agency to care for your loved ones who need a little bit of help, the only choice is the one who can verify for you they are licensed to operate in the state of California.

Checking Licensure

All licensed home care agencies have a license/facility number. This number is required to be displayed on the agency's website, marketing collateral and all advertisements. In turn, the CDSS provides a search tool on its website for you to check the licensing status of any licensed agency.

When the time comes to identify a home care agency to support someone who needs help to continue to live in their home with some outside help, only choose a licensed Home Care Agency. That will be peace of mind for you and your family.

Alice Home Care is here to help provide compassionate care for your loved ones who struggle to remain independent in their homes. Give us a call at 510-924-8529 and let us provide you with helping hands and caring hearts.