With the National Institute on Aging (NIA) estimating that approximately seven million Americans are long-distance caregivers for their aging parents who live an hour or more away, the need for trusted and qualified caregivers in rising fast and is expected to grow over the next four decades as the segment of the U.S. population between 20 and 64 – the age group most often faced with caregiving – shrinks while the share of people 65 and older rapidly expands, this according to the Associated Press (AP) story ‘Millions now manage aging parents’ care from afar’ published in various news outlets. (more…)

A recent investigation by WKYC-TV NBC Channel 3 News in Cleveland, Ohio found that consumers should closely check the backgrounds of home health caregivers before allowing them into their homes after reporting stories of theft by in home caregivers, including one case where $25,000 in cash was stolen from a home safe. Overall, the state of Ohio has received 470 complaints against home health agencies and their home health caregiver employees since the beginning of 2010. (more…)

To assist household employers in their search for qualified caregivers, Employment Screening Resources (ESR), a nationwide background check company accredited by the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS), has launched a new website – ESR Screened Caregiver (http://www.screenedcaregiver.com/) – where household employers may screen caregivers to ensure the safety of families and loved ones and caregivers may self-certify with background screening to show their abilities and qualifications. Attorney Les Rosen, ESR Founder and CEO, made the announcement. (more…)

A recent news story from ‘The Oregonian’ described as “a cautionary tale for baby boomers needing help with their aging parents” shows why background checks are a good idea when hiring caregivers for the elderly. In the story – ‘Oregon couple finds caregiver they hired to take care of elderly mom had criminal record’ – a man suspicious of the woman he hired to care for his 92-year-old mother-in-law visited a County Courthouse and discovered the caregiver had been convicted of criminal mistreatment of an elderly person and had a record of felony theft convictions stretching back to 1976. (more…)

A newly released legislative report from the California Senate Office of Oversight and Outcomes found that residents of California – one of six U.S. states that do not regulate private in-home caregivers – may risk hiring private in-home caregivers who have criminal backgrounds and suggests that the elderly population in the state may suffer theft and abuse as a result of the lack of regulation for private in-home caregivers.

The report – ‘Caregiver Roulette: California Fails to Screen those who Care for the Elderly at Home’ – revealed that more than a quarter of caregivers accused or convicted of crimes had committed prior criminal offenses and warned that many private in-home caregiver agencies did not conduct proper background checks on potential caregivers. (more…)