Due Diligence and References Please .........Childcare, Petcare and Eldercare

As a realtor and service provider I build my business totally on referrals.   I meet and spend a significant amount of time building a network of trusted service providers and find that the quality of those I refer to are a reflection on me.  I am writing this blog to share my perspective on carrying out this same process for hiring for your personal and domestic needs.  

I am a strong believer in referrals and would not leave anything or anyone I care about with an unknown stranger.   This goes for hiring for both business and personal care.  I also believe you generally get what you pay for and there are certain things that are worth the extra price.  

Often times one needs outside assistance to help with care for childcare, eldercare or pet care.   There was an issue with one company, Care.Com not vetting providers as detailed in the WSJ recently click here.  The company was liable for misdemeanors caused by their providers.  They had left vetting up to the individuals hiring the caretaker although customers paid this company thinking they were doing the screening.   Care.com is redoing their business model.  (of note, at time of this blog I heard a new ad for care.com on xm radio saying they do all the vetting of hires for clients but I would still recommend doing your own due diligence....keep reading)

Before leaving a loved person or pet please do your own due diligence.  You may be able to get personal references for similiar care needs from neighbors and friends for child and pet care.  

It gets more complex with Elder Care as there may be varying levels of physical and health considerations.  Depending on the situation it may be worthwhile to speak with a Gerontologist or someone who can help you find the best type of help for the dependants care.  

I recently went to a talk about this sponsored by Mature Caregivers They provide a wide array of services for this genre including Care, Management, Dementia Care, and advising on in-home vs care facilities.   Situations can change on a dime and plans must allow flexibility to adapt to these changing needs.  A fluidity factor should be part of the consideration when looking at long term care planning.  

Once you have found a caretaker there are transition steps that will need to be addressed whether it is long term or even a quick overnight stint to allow continuity of base level caring.  

I recommend developing a set of questions and define what the proper protocol standards should be to care for your dependent.  Make a list of all the tasks you normally undertake and the normal schedule of things such as feedings, walkings, hygiene habit etc.  Leave a checklist with the care provider and do a short term test run before leaving the dependent for a longer time period.  For example, when my Mom was ill we needed a care provider in her home and I stayed home for the first day to see how she did. I then started to leave for longer stretches of time.  

For pets,  there are many apps such as Rover to hire a dog sitter.  How do you trust leaving a pet with someone on an app?    I think it is important to have your pet meet the person first to see how they react to each other.  Dogs are smart and often a good judge of character.   A recent news report has a few suggestions on how to vet dog walkers, click here.  I personally would rather find a dog walker who is reputable by getting personal referrals from friends and neighbors.   There are apps such as NextDoor.com where you can get references from nearby neighbors and people you know.  (Of note,  my dog lets me know who she is comfortable with and I alter who I leave her with if my primary dog-watcher is tied up.)  

On a closing note,  one can never be too safe so do your homework.  Do periodic follow-up once the care provider starts.  Don't be afraid to ask for references.   It may be advisable to request a CORI check.  (I have had to have one done on me for volunteering at a local school).  Making a bad choice can often create a fragile situation for both the intended dependent and future care needs.

Be participatory in the care, even when you are not present.  You need to have the provider realize he/she needs to be held accountable at all times your dependent is in their care. Suggestions may include checking in on the phone and asking neighbors to keep an eye out for unexpected visitors or noise.    It is always better to be safe and precautious.  

Wendy is a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Needham.  She has an SRES and current is the primary caretaker of her dog, Delilah.  She was the primary caretaker for her Mom and has served as a caretaker for her Dad and In-Laws through health and life transitions.  She loves to help people and often provides helpful suggestions for each stage of the life cycle.     

Care giving and protecting your loved ones

Although I am not a financial planner or an elder care attorney I have been focusing much of my real estate practice on how to help protect our loved ones.  I became the primary caretaker for my Mom after she was my Dad's until he predeceased her a few years ago. As such I had a lot of "on the job training"  dealing with many end of life decisions for both my parents.  I was actively involved while they were at the end of their lives through the downsizing and selling of their home.  Since earning my SRES about a year ago I have been working hard to build a network of people to work with to allow me to share my knowledge and expertise to help others who, likewise,  may be confronting similar situations.

If you have a loved one who is aging it is good to have a conversation and figure out the best long term plan for their living situation while they are able to participate in the conversation.
In Saturday's Wall Street Journal there was a great article on how to reduce to costs of being a caregiver.  Often times this role is thrust upon you without any preplanning.  It may be difficult to alter the situation you are confronting when this happens as you need to deal with a full plate at the moment.

Additionally, when one is instantly thrown into the role of caregiver he/she may not know the daily routine of their new dependent.  One little tweak can throw someone off balance and create uncircumstancial havoc.  We had this issue when my father in law was on dialysis.  He was transported to a Dialysis Center 4 weekday mornings.  After several months of this routine the center decided to move him to the afternoon. This threw him off kilter and made it difficult for him to eat with his peers and engage with his familiar surroundings.  It ultimately led to his health decline and had tragic consequences.  Change is difficult for older people.

Another overlooked problem may be the medication situation of an elder.  Often there is a dependancy on medications that can be overlooked if rushed to a hospital.  We had this situation when my father was in the hospital and they changed his medications without informing us.  A certain medicine he needed was not given and he developed ICU psychosis.  Because he had family advocates this was eventually corrected.    It is important to have a complete list of all up to date medications particularly if someone is living on their own.  See here

I have started a networking group called Next Steps and work with a team that includes an elder care attorney,  a home health care aide, a family mediator, a move consultant, a financial planner, insurance provider and myself as a realtor.  Our team is continually growing to accommodate the needs of the clients we service.  Although my focus initially was seniors who are downsizing we also help clients are all stages of their life cycle.  Therefore the goal is to help people navigate the process and plan for the future before it becomes the present.

A few key features we are sharing to promote our groups' marketing efforts are below:

NEXT STEPS

a L.O.C.A.L. team of professionals

Life is a Journey.   Do you know your Next Steps? 

Whether you are seeking your first apartment, buying a starter home, financial or estate planning, confronting family challenges, thinking about retiring or in need of help with Senior Care for a loved one….

we have a team of dedicated specialists to help you and your family navigate each step along the way. 

We are a group of professionals specializing in various disciplines to serve and help with each phase of life related to the things you acquire and the things you divest along the way.  Our basic approach is simple, we are here to:

Listen

Observe and

Consult on

Acquisitions and

Liquidations related to personal property and related life transitions

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The purpose of my group and efforts to become an SRES (Senior Real Estate Specialist) are to help share expertise in an area near and dear to my heart.  It was a great honor to be able to spend quality time with my parents during their last years.  I was able to help them feel whole and navigate their end of life with dignity and meaning.  Isn't this what we all want for our loved ones?

Wendy is a realtor with Coldwell Banker in Needham and recently jointly started marketing Coldwell Banker Needham-Your Cape Cod Connection.  If you need any advice on buying, selling or investing in the Metrowest or lower Cape please feel free to contact her at wendy@wendybcb.com.