Assessing Senior Homecare Options in Nashville and the Surrounding Area

Distinguish between the types of senior homecare available in Nashville, TN

It is important to do your research before picking a senior homecare provider. Most of these offer care services which ensure your elderly loved ones live comfortably and safely in their homes. However, one should be aware of the different business structures these organizations fall under and how it might affect the care provided.

Typical Senior Care Services

The majority of care providers offer a mix of these services:

• Companionship and homemaking: light housekeeping, laundry, meal preparation, and errand running.
• Personal care: hygiene assistance, bathing, dressing, toileting, and feeding.
• Specialized care: Alzheimer’s and dementia care, around-the-clock care, end of life care, and more.

Business Structures

Providers of senior homecare typically operate as one of three different business structures: as an employment-based agency, a registry, or an independent provider. Each structure has different responsibilities concerning taxes, insurance, and other costs.

Employment-Based Agency

Employment-based agencies are organizations which do all the background procedures in hiring a caregiver and are considered the caregiver’s employer, thus they are responsible for training, taxation, and insurance coverage. These are usually corporations, subsidiaries, or franchises.

Registry

A registry is an organization that matches the caregiver with the senior client. Registries are not considered the caregiver’s employer, but quality ones will do background checks. Instead, the client who hires the caregiver is considered to be the employer and is liable for tax withholdings and insurance coverage.

Independent

An independent caregiver may be someone you know or someone hired from the classifieds. In this case, it is fully the client’s responsibility to check references and hire a quality caregiver, as well as withholding taxes and securing appropriate insurance much like an employment-based agency would.

If you have a senior in the family who would like to remain independent in the comfort of home, call (615) 219-5126 or contact our office in Nashville, TN. We are happy to answer any questions you have regarding your senior homecare options.