Choose a private-duty caregiver carefully.

Selecting an agency to provide personal care services can be a private and emotional issue. We have provided a brief checklist of the most important questions that should be addressed in choosing a personal care/private-duty agency:

• Is the agency's staff trained to care for elderly patients?
• Will a registered nurse evaluate/care for me or my loved one?
• Will a registered nurse supervise caregivers?
• Does the agency perform criminal background checks on its employees?
• Are the agency's employees screened for health problems?
• Is a registered nurse available 24 hours a day, seven days a week?
• Is the agency staffed with employees, not just independent contractors?
• Are the employees covered by unemployment, worker's comp and payroll taxes?

HomeCare Assistants (our preferred provider) is able to answer "yes" to all of the questions listed above. For more information, please visit www.homecareassistants.com, call (847) 328-2000, or send us an e-mail.