Caregiver is a person who is responsible for the care of a disabled person, either mentally or physically handicapped. Caregiver is the term generally used in the United States and Canada. A caregiver can either be full or part time. A full time caregiver is generally one who is available twenty four hours a day and is therefore in a live in arrangement with the family of the patient. Professional caregivers are hired mostly to help with the care of a patient who’s looking at long drawn out recovery process or a patient who has a condition which requires round the clock attention for the rest of his or her life.

Choosing the right caregiver is a very important procedure especially if you have opted for a live in caregiver. A number of factors need to be given their due attention. Some essential factors that need to be considered are the person’s age, gender, financial status and compatibility. The caregiver’s age is essential because if you hire someone too young or too old he or she may not be able to fulfill their responsibilities and you will be left with having to devote more time to compensate for the caregiver’s shortcomings. Seeing as the main reason you find yourself in need of hiring a caregiver is because schedule does not allow you to give all your time to the patient, this situation can become a serious problem. The gender of the caregiver also plays an important role. Sometimes the patient may not be comfortable being cared for by someone of the opposite gender. Since the patient is the one whose is going to end up spending the most time with the caregiver it is essential to pay heed to his or her comfort level. Another important issue is of compatibility. The caregiver’s personality must not clash with any person in the household. Living in the same house there is bound to at least little interaction between the caregiver and the family members. If the caregiver is not compatible with the family dynamics it could cause a lot of friction leading to a tense and awkward home atmosphere. This is unacceptable.

Usually if you are looking to hire a health care worker then is it advisable to go through an agency. If you live in Canada, Accord International is an agency that can really help you. Agencies have a list of caregivers that you can choose from so that you can find someone who the best fit for you. An agency will also have a high degree of quality control, making sure its caregivers have attained the right training and qualification. The agency will also have numerous records of each caregiver’s history and experience making it easier for you to pick the right person. Their references and recommendations will also be hugely helpful. The agency will also help with any paperwork that is required especially if the caregiver is a foreign national. They will guide you through all the legalities. They will make it much easier to find the right person for you which is important because a caregiver will essentially be becoming a part of your family. Montreal home care