I read this article, A stranger in the house, and what I read should concern everyone.  We can assume that most everyone would choose to remain living in their own home as opposed to living in a nursing care facility.  However, in order to do that, we must rely on those who provide services in the home.  Home care is not regulated and there are current laws that actually encourage the hiring of underground, very inexpensive, so-called home care providers who are being hired to care for someone in the home.  Why? Well, the answer is cost. 

The agencies who are legitimate do the following: have ethical business practices, conduct thorough and routine background checks on all employees, provide a high level of training including specialized dementia training, closely supervise all employees, pay their employees well, and carry the appropriate liability insurance.  All this means a higher charge to the client.  Our communities are highly populated with people who need care in the home.  Our communities are also populated with “caregivers” who may prey on those people in need.  

This article from the Boston Globe is well worth the read…
Stranger in the house

“You have a basic formula for exploitation,” said Robert O’Regan, an attorney with Burns & Levinson who practices elder abuse law. “[These] aides prey on isolation, manipulation, and fear. ”

“Given the costs, it was clear that our only option was to turn to the gray market of freelance aides who cost a lot less than agencies charged.”