Are you sure you want to exit? Your progress will be lost.
Who are you caring for?
Which best describes their mobility?
How well are they maintaining their hygiene?
How are they managing their medications?
Does their living environment pose any safety concerns?
Fall risks, spoiled food, or other threats to wellbeing
Are they experiencing any memory loss?
Which best describes your loved one's social life?
Acknowledgment of Disclosures and Authorization
By proceeding, I agree that I understand the following disclosures:
I. How We Work in Washington. Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services. APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
II. How We Are Paid. We do not charge you any fee – we are paid by the Participating Communities. Some Participating Communities pay us a percentage of the first month's standard rate for the rent and care services you select. We invoice these fees after the senior moves in.
III. When We Tour. APFM tours certain Participating Communities in Washington (typically more in metropolitan areas than in rural areas.) During the 12 month period prior to December 31, 2017, we toured 86.2% of Participating Communities with capacity for 20 or more residents.
IV. No Obligation or Commitment. You have no obligation to use or to continue to use our services. Because you pay no fee to us, you will never need to ask for a refund.
V. Complaints. Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights. APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.I agree that: A.I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information"). B.APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink. C.APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site. D.If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records. E.This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year. F.You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
✔
I acknowledge and authorize
✔
I consent to the collection of my consumer health data.*
✔
I consent to the sharing of my consumer health data with qualified home care agencies.*
*If I am consenting on behalf of someone else, I have the proper authorization to do so. By clicking Get My Results, you agree to our Privacy Policy. You also consent to receive calls and texts, which may be autodialed, from us and our customer communities. Your consent is not a condition to using our service. Please visit our Terms of Use. for information about our privacy practices.
Mostly Independent
Your loved one may not require home care or assisted living services at this time. However, continue to monitor their condition for changes and consider occasional in-home care services for help as needed.
Remember, this assessment is not a substitute for professional advice.
Share a few details and we will match you to trusted home care in your area:
In short, usually not. You sign on with the agency and they provide insurance and bonding for you. You usually sign a non-compete clause, too.
When my client's family found out how meagerly you get paid as CG they went THROUGH my company and upped my bas salary so I was making a decent $15 an hour instead of $8. One of the client's sons was a lawyer and he did all the legwork. I didn't ASK for the raise, b/c the company DID NOT give raises, ever. Whatever amt you 'hired on' at was what you made no matter how long you worked for them.
Appalling, really. Plus my client routinely tipped me 'out of pocket' when she had me do extra stuff for her that wasn't in the contract. I've never felt so valuable and loved as I did those years I worked for her!
Paying her privately would not save much money when you consider having an elder law attorney draft a contract, then an accountant or payroll company to manage the payments to social security, workman's comp, liability insurance, federal, state and local taxes. What about health insurance, if you provide it that could easily be another thousand a month. And paid vacation? And don't forget the fee to buy the caregiver from the agency. What if she decide to quit within a couple of months?
Sure, giving her a raise and paying under the table would save money. That is illegal and could get everyone in trouble with the IRS and other taxing authorities. Not paying into social security will effect the caregiver's benefit when she retires. Without a caregiver contract and legal payment could effect mom's ability to get Medicaid should she ever need it. Payments to caregiver without proper accounting would be considered a gift and subject to a penalty, the period of time that mom would be denied Medicaid until private pay equals the penalty. If caregiver were paid $36,000.00, under the table for one year, then once mom needs Medicaid fees to nursing home would have to be paid out of pocket for three months if nursing home fee was $12,000.00 a month. 12x3=36.
Be Kind, be very careful with under the table payment. Do you pay taxes, etc on the income? Do you pay into social security? What will happen if you are injured on the job?
Our contract with our CG said we had to pay a large "buy out" fee if we hired her privately. We loved her,, but the buy out was the deal breaker. Look at your contract and see what it says.
When I was looking for in-home help, the first thing I did was ask for a copy of the contract to review. Every single one had clauses preventing the direct hiring of any of their staff w/o compensation, sometimes ranging into the $5,000 to $10,000 range.
Do you have one health aide on duty for 24 hours? That's a lot for one person.
Unfortunately, much as I searched, I was unable to find a home care worker outside of an agency. The ones who were interested either weren't experienced, didn't have any insurance, and just weren't the right fit. But those weren't the bigger issues, which were the costs and liability.
In order to hire this aide directly, you'd have to pay her directly as well, raising the issue of obtaining liability insurance, taking deductions and sending them to the IRS, and possibly the state.
The comp insurance, which in my state can't be added to a HO policy but would have to be a commercial comp policy, would have cost approximately $750 annually, with increases up to $1K the second year. If the worker was injured, that comp policy could be paying out for years, causing you to dip into cash reserves you might have.
These are some of the downsides to hiring someone directly, especially for a 24/7 job.
You can ask her. She is a free agent to do as she pleases. There are advantages to having 1 caregiver - consistency. There are also disadvantages, no one to care when caregiver gets sick or wants a vacation. Agencies should cover gaps in care - illness of employee, vacation, days off - with their own staff.
My MIL did well with 4 caregivers through 1 agency that provided 24/7 care for her in her condo in Hawaii. She now goes to adult day program and has a caregiver at night.
So, you hired an Agency and they met or exceeded your expectations and sent you a wonderful Aid who does a wonderful job. In turn for their exceptional service you want to fire them and steal their employee, causing irreparable harm to their business. Is it unethical? Do you really have to ask?
The Agency may have had the caregiver sign a clause in the contract that prohibits her from accepting a private job with the client directly. If the caregiver did sign such a contract and there was a penalty for her to pay if she did accept private work, then you could pay that fee for her and that would solve the problem.
Aside from any contract prohibitions or provisions, when hiring someone directly, you become the employer. That means you have to provide any needed liability, workman's comp and any "benefits" the person receives like health insurance. In addition, you must pay the employer's share of the Social Security and FICA tax, withhold federal/state/local income taxes and remit those to the federal government and state quarterly, as I understand it. You will need to get an employer taxpayer ID for that purpose. You can't just pay cash out of pocket, at least not legally. It's not like hiring a babysitter for a night.
You can do it above board by paying the agency a one-off introduction fee. The alternative would be that the aide leaves her agency, but she will probably find that her contract prevents her from then immediately taking a role with one of the agency's clients; and she would not be safe to assume that they won't enforce it when, rather than if, they find out.
In any case: have you actually asked the aide whether she is interested? If she were my friend I'm not sure I'd advise her to accept the offer, and certainly not if the agency she works for is a good one.
And again, from your point of view: what happens if she falls ill or is injured? It's never wise to place all your eggs in one basket, so to speak.
By proceeding, I agree that I understand the following disclosures:
I. How We Work in Washington.
Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services.
APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
II. How We Are Paid.
We do not charge you any fee – we are paid by the Participating Communities. Some Participating Communities pay us a percentage of the first month's standard rate for the rent and care services you select. We invoice these fees after the senior moves in.
III. When We Tour.
APFM tours certain Participating Communities in Washington (typically more in metropolitan areas than in rural areas.) During the 12 month period prior to December 31, 2017, we toured 86.2% of Participating Communities with capacity for 20 or more residents.
IV. No Obligation or Commitment.
You have no obligation to use or to continue to use our services. Because you pay no fee to us, you will never need to ask for a refund.
V. Complaints.
Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights.
APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.
I agree that:
A.
I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information").
B.
APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink.
C.
APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site.
D.
If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records.
E.
This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year.
F.
You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
You sign on with the agency and they provide insurance and bonding for you. You usually sign a non-compete clause, too.
When my client's family found out how meagerly you get paid as CG they went THROUGH my company and upped my bas salary so I was making a decent $15 an hour instead of $8. One of the client's sons was a lawyer and he did all the legwork. I didn't ASK for the raise, b/c the company DID NOT give raises, ever. Whatever amt you 'hired on' at was what you made no matter how long you worked for them.
Appalling, really. Plus my client routinely tipped me 'out of pocket' when she had me do extra stuff for her that wasn't in the contract. I've never felt so valuable and loved as I did those years I worked for her!
Sure, giving her a raise and paying under the table would save money. That is illegal and could get everyone in trouble with the IRS and other taxing authorities. Not paying into social security will effect the caregiver's benefit when she retires. Without a caregiver contract and legal payment could effect mom's ability to get Medicaid should she ever need it. Payments to caregiver without proper accounting would be considered a gift and subject to a penalty, the period of time that mom would be denied Medicaid until private pay equals the penalty. If caregiver were paid $36,000.00, under the table for one year, then once mom needs Medicaid fees to nursing home would have to be paid out of pocket for three months if nursing home fee was $12,000.00 a month. 12x3=36.
Be Kind, be very careful with under the table payment. Do you pay taxes, etc on the income? Do you pay into social security? What will happen if you are injured on the job?
Do you have one health aide on duty for 24 hours? That's a lot for one person.
Unfortunately, much as I searched, I was unable to find a home care worker outside of an agency. The ones who were interested either weren't experienced, didn't have any insurance, and just weren't the right fit. But those weren't the bigger issues, which were the costs and liability.
In order to hire this aide directly, you'd have to pay her directly as well, raising the issue of obtaining liability insurance, taking deductions and sending them to the IRS, and possibly the state.
The comp insurance, which in my state can't be added to a HO policy but would have to be a commercial comp policy, would have cost approximately $750 annually, with increases up to $1K the second year. If the worker was injured, that comp policy could be paying out for years, causing you to dip into cash reserves you might have.
These are some of the downsides to hiring someone directly, especially for a 24/7 job.
BTW, I love your cute dog!
My MIL did well with 4 caregivers through 1 agency that provided 24/7 care for her in her condo in Hawaii. She now goes to adult day program and has a caregiver at night.
In any case: have you actually asked the aide whether she is interested? If she were my friend I'm not sure I'd advise her to accept the offer, and certainly not if the agency she works for is a good one.
And again, from your point of view: what happens if she falls ill or is injured? It's never wise to place all your eggs in one basket, so to speak.
See All Answers