FAQ
1. How long has Sitters & More been in business? Who owns the company?
Sitters and More has been providing In-Home Care to clients since 1999. Sitters & More is locally owned and operated by President Bo Peevyhouse and was started by Ms. Betty Peevyhouse. The company is a licensed personal assistance services agency and is committed to operating according to the highest ethical standards.
2. I'm thinking about hiring a caregiver. Should I employ one myself or go through a licensed agency?
Most seniors prefer to stay in the comfort of their own homes rather than moving to a nursing home. For families, this means eventually hiring a caregiver to help with an aging loved one. There are two main ways to hire a caregiver: directly and through a licensed agency.
Direct Hire: When someone personally hires a caregiver, he or she needs to consider all of the liability issues involved. Hiring directly means that an individual is the employer and can be held responsible for any injuries the caregiver has while caring for a loved one. A private caregiver may not carry his or her own liability insurance or workers' compensation, leaving the family monetarily accountable.
Licensed Agency (Sitters And More): When hired, Sitters & More takes on the responsibility of being the employer to the caregiver and provides workers' compensation and liability insurance. The bottom line is that managing caregivers and providing quality care for loved ones is what Sitters and More does.
3. Does the company withhold employment taxes and workers’ compensation, or will the client be responsible?
All caregivers are employees of Sitters and More, and the company files all applicable federal and state taxes, as well as workers' compensation. Many agencies and registries treat their caregivers as contract labor, which puts the burden of paying payroll taxes, filing paperwork and injury liability on the shoulders of the client. Sitters and More takes on responsibility for the caregiver, not the client.
4. How is the caregiver staff screened and managed?
Sitters and More conducts a nationwide paid criminal background check, nurse aide registry traces (where applicable) and employee misconduct registry traces on each applicant. Each applicant also completes an in-depth interview about prior experience. Records are retained with the caregiver employment application, resume, reference checks and work history verification. Of major importance is that caregivers demonstrate a heart for care giving, compassion and empathy for the clients they will serve.
5. What are the advantages of using Sitters and More?
The most notable advantage of using Sitters and More is that we are local to the community that we serve. We are a privately owned and operated company. We develop an individual plan of care specific to your needs, train our staff on the specific needs you have and provide oversight and supervision, ensuring that your needs are met. Accountability and supervision are key advantages to using Sitters and More. We also—at no cost to you—provide in-home training on transfers as week as initial and annual training. While there are some wonderful independent caregivers, an agency provides the security of a qualified back-up staff in case a caregiver experiences a personal emergency, sickness or family problem. An agency also acts as a "buffer" between the client and caregiver. We handle any unpleasant chore or problem without disrupting the care of the client.
A licensed agency:
- Schedules caregivers according to the wishes of the client
- Keeps close track of hours worked Is accountable for the services provided
- Supervises caregivers in their job duties
- Provides on-the-job training when needed
- Pays federal and social security taxes and worker compensation, taking this task off the shoulders of the client and their family
6. What care can I expect, and how do I set it up?
Sitters and More's personal assistants can help with bathing, dressing, grooming, meal preparations, feeding, light housekeeping and running errands.
7. Is Sitters and More an approved provider for Long Term Care Insurance, Choices, Options, DCS, APS and DIDD?
Yes. Sitters and More is an approved provider of all of these programs.
