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A home care aide will go to my house to help my mom twice a week. Like other registered home care aides here, she has a clean background check (at the time the background check was done). She might come when I am not at home. Should I just give her the house keys?
A home care aide will go to my house to help my mom twice a week. Like other registered home care aides here, she has a clean background check (at the time the background check was done). She might come when I am not at home. Should I just give her the house keys?
You're going to have to or you can put a keypad deadbolt on. I have one and I love it. You can change the code as you want or put two different codes for different people.
I installed it myself replacing my old one. Only ONE tricky part...measuring the bolt if it's one depth or another but it wasn't a problem. Took about a half hour.
I would not have anyone come unless they are insured and bonded, though. And if she's from an agency that should be already checked out and provable. I dont' let ANY workers come in my house without insurance and bonding. Bonding can be tricky. Like, coverage ONLY if convicted of a crime. Or it may not cover the employer/owner but only employees. But I pay more on my policy for "missing items". Gives people peace of mind.
There's a link on my website which takes clients directly to my insurance company which confirms I'm paid up in good standing and what the coverage is.
If you give her a key, give two - one for backup. Put a secret code on the tag like: davidt1. In case it gets lost. I would try to be there in the beginning.
Must be hard on both your mum and you especially if you are working. Lock away all important personal stuff, or put them in a bank safe-box (for bank account books, passports ... etc).
In my city, a man had to rely on homecare aides for several years, and he does not even know which one did it or if they were all colluding to scam him. His bank accounts were emptied, his identity stolen to obtain several visa/master cards. Someone even forged his signature and applied for a passport, and he only found out about it after he tried to obtain a passport and was rejected on ground that he already had one.
The two home care agencies that I have worked with forbid employees from having keys to the client's home. You had to either be let into the home by someone inside or use a keypad or the front door had to be unlocked (so you could let yourself inside).
In fact, both agencies even forbid their employees from having the cell phone number of the client or family members. If there was a problem the worker was supposed to call their office and the office would call the client or family member. This rule was often ignored but the "no key" rule was pretty strictly followed.
My MIL had all kinds of valuable things stolen over the years she had health care at home. And so many people were in and out of her home there was no way to even start to figure out who had stolen from her.
My Mom had health aides in the house prior to going to a nursing home.
One lady was nice, caring and honest. Another lady stole things from the house, and attempted to steal my identity.
I think that some people take these jobs because they know it can be easy to steal from elderly frail people. Even if it's just a small percentage of people that would steal or do other bad things, it can be impossible to know beforehand.
Is your Mom alert and aware of her surroundings? Can she tell you if the aide acts oddly or does not take care of her properly?
I agree with the other posters that suggested locking up anything valuable. Also, lock up blank checks, account statements, credit cards, your Mom's purse, any cash, anything that has social security numbers or any info that could be used to steal identities, also lock up jewelry, anything that you don't want to lose.
Make sure that your Mom does not sign anything the aide tries to get her to sign.
Your aide will probably be very nice and honest. But, you know what they say about an ounce of prevention.
I agree with the other poster that a nanny cam is a good idea.
Maybe you can ask for references from other people that this person has taken care of, and speak to them.
It is sad that a few bad apples give health care aides a bad name when most are nice and so hard working.
Last edited by daliowa; 07-27-2017 at 08:28 PM..
Reason: edit
NO.. I have an aid she is sweet kind and honest but no she doesn't have a key she doesn't need one and I am the one who lets her in that means I am up dressed and awake when she comes ....
YOU (op) need to be home and let the aid in always .. the trip to the store or the bank can wait till after .. Use some common sense and don't hand out your house key
I had a friend who gave a key to her yard guy. One day she didn't answer the door as usual so he came in and found her on the floor. She'd had a stroke. He called 911 and they took her to the hospital. Unfortunately, she passed away within a week. But this goes to show that in certain circumstances it may be a good thing to provide a worker with the key. But you have to be able to trust the person.
I do think that having a keypad lock is the best solution though.
A home care aide will go to my house to help my mom twice a week. Like other registered home care aides here, she has a clean background check (at the time the background check was done). She might come when I am not at home. Should I just give her the house keys?
How alert is your mom?
Can you put all valuables (jewelry, important papers, computer, personal information) in one room and lock it? Like in a home office? And then install Nanny cams? That is the ONLY way I would do this and even then I wouldn't like doing it.
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