First of all, it's important to know that having help at home doesn't mean a loss of control. That's why it's important to enlist a reputable and experienced home care agency. Only an agency, rather than an individual, has the capability to provide you with quality assurance and the stress-free care you deserve.

Here's why:

1. By hiring an agency, you minimize risk. If an individual caregiver falls or has an accident while at your home, you could be held liable. Be sure to confirm that the agency you hire carries Workers Compensation insurance. 
2. What if the individual you hire is not a good fit for the personality of the client? If you hire a reputable agency, you always have the ability to replace a caregiver. At our agency, a client sometimes requests a different caregiver. Because we have a large pool of qualified and experienced individuals, we can make sure our clients always have the very best care 24/7.
3. Most agencies represent caregivers you can be sure to trust. They are known as Certified Nursing Aids (CNA's) who have been certified through the state. While most people are trustworthy, some caregivers have been known to take advantage of a situation. As a client, you may give yourself undue financial risk by allowing an individual caregiver to access your financial information, credit cards, etc. Financial fraud as well as physical and verbal abuse may also occur with an individual caregiver. Reputable agencies like ours perform background checks including criminal records on all caregiver applicants.
4. Only agencies, not individual caregivers, are inspected and licensed annually.
5. As an agency, we allow you to interview caregivers before hiring us. That way, you can count on being placed with a caregiver who is compatible with your personality and circumstances.
6. When you hire an agency such as ours, you can terminate services without giving notice.Because the agency, not the caregiver herself, is your provider of services, it's easier for you to conduct the home care relationship on a professional level.

Of course, there is one downside to hiring an agency over an individual. You may pay three to four more dollars per hour. Here in Georgia, the average agency fee is $17 per hour while an individual caregiver may charge $14-15 per hour. Taking into consideration all of the above, it just may be well worth it.

After all, your home is your castle and you are the king or queen of it.