A quality caregiver can make all the difference in day to day living.
Having a caregiver look after your elderly relation, especially if you live out of state, or out of the country, shouldn’t be dangerous. Unfortunately there are unethical, neglectful and even abusive people out there . Whether it’s a thief who steals jewelry, money, or your loved one’s identity, or even a dangerously aggressive individual, these criminals are prosecuted in San Diego County every month.
New California Law requires caregivers to meet higher standards
Thankfully, as of January, 2016, the state of California enacted the Home Care Services Consumer Protection Act. This requires Home Care Organizations to be licensed, and listed on a public online registry, called the Home Care Aide Registry (HCAR). You can access the registry at https://secure.dss.ca.gov/ccld/hcsregistry/. This registry indicates which Home Care Aides have been been cleared through the Department of Justice LIVESCAN background check process. All Home Care Organizations have until March 1st to register their caregivers.
While the LIVESCAN background check is better than nothing, it is not 100% comprehensive. It conducts searches on name recognition only; not through identifying information like a social security number. Love 2 Live is complying with the new regulations of having every caregiver go through the LIVESCAN process, but we take our checks further. We will also continue to run a separate, more comprehensive background check on each and every one of our caregivers.
Every Caregiver Should Have an HCA ID
The HCA ID (also known as a Personal ID or a PER ID for short) is a ten-digit number that is assigned to every caregiver listed on the Home Care Aide Registry. The number is assigned when a Home Care worker successfully completes his or her application registration. That applicant must be at least 18 years old, be tested for tuberculosis, be certified in first aid, pass a criminal check, and have training requirements, such as knowledge of infection control, emergency procedures, and client rights. Clearly, families prefer caregivers WITH all of these assurances.
The registration process requires caregivers to submit to a thorough criminal background check through the California Department Justice, and if that person has been convicted of a crime (other than a minor traffic infraction), he or she will not be eligible to work as a home care aide. The exception to this is if a caregiver is working independently, and not through an agency. That individual can be hired privately to provide home care services without being required to submit to the background check (this is all the more reason to hire a caregiver through a reputable agency!).
Registration lowers incidents of elder fraud and abuse.
It’s About Time, California!
It is inconceivable that, to this point, California had been one of the few states that didn’t require a thorough screening for those who provide home care. Unfortunately, this position of trust was teeming with individuals who held criminal records, especially those who advertised their services on public forums, such as Craigslist.
Love 2 Live Care Services is totally on board with this new requirement
We at Love 2 Live Home Services are totally on board with this new California requirement, and feel it is about time agencies prove their high caregiver standards through the registry. (We have been following the rules with the requirement since inception) If you want to be assured that your caregiver is not only caring, thoughtful, experienced, dependable and an absolute delight for your senior loved one, you can breathe a sigh of relief that Love 2 Live Care Services has always conducted thorough background checks on all of our employees. Call us at 619-291-4663, and we will provide a no-obligation in-home assessment, free of charge. If you are a concerned relative residing in another city, or even in another state, we will still be glad to help!