In many families there is the problem of managing parents or elderly relatives who must be continuously assisted. When it is not possible to go to a nursing home or a health facility, you can opt to hire a caregiver. Here’s everything you need to know.
According to one of the latest estimates published by Censis , in Italy there are one million and 655 thousand carers and the number of presences has reached an increase , in the last ten years, of 53% [1].
These are mostly foreign women who have become indispensable collaborators in the management of delicate situations , such as those that can arise when there is a parent or an elderly and sick patient to manage.
In fact, what is commonly called “caregiver” is not necessarily a person who lives at home with the client. There are other possible forms of contract in which the agreements and costs to be incurred change.
Let’s see what options are available for those who need to hire a caregiver and how to get around to finding one quickly.
How to find a caregiver quickly
Selecting a caregiver is not an easy task. He is a figure who will have to take care of your loved ones and for this reason he must have all the requirements to replace you in such a delicate role.
The offer is largely made up of foreign women : men represent a minimal percentage currently, although some families prefer – at times – a male figure to manage a man.
Search for the right caregiver through an agency
If you do not have a lot of time to dedicate yourself to this research and selection activity, the best solution is to rely on an agency .
Choose an agency or a cooperative that can offer you guarantees and the support you need to complete the paperwork . You can make sure it has:
- A ministerial authorization to carry out the research and selection work
- Qualified personnel who carefully analyze your needs and, consequently, the type of person best suited to your situation
- A database and a bit of certainty about how many people you will get to know for a possible recruitment.
In fact, that of the so – called placement agencies is a paid service and it is good to know how you spend your money.
Search for the caregiver through word of mouth
Another way to find a caregiver is to rely on word of mouth . A method certainly less “certified”, which therefore gives less guarantees and which may have some contraindications, but certainly effective for looking for the figure who will take care of your dear elderly.
If one of your friends or relatives has already hired a caregiver, you can ask the person already in the service to report any colleagues / colleagues willing to evaluate the job with you. These people, who as mentioned are for the most part foreigners, often have a very solid network of relationships between compatriots that allows them to easily know if there are people available to work.
In this case the burden of selecting the people with whom you will eventually come into contact will be entirely on your shoulders , but you can still get help from a professional (an expert in personnel selection, often psychologists).
Also for the contractual and regulatory part you will have to resolve the bureaucratic issues by yourself. If it seems too complicated to you, you can rely on a patronage or a CAF that with a small contribution will help you orient yourself among the laws and the needs provided for by the case.
In case of illness you can work alongside a professional nurse
The caregiver can also be accompanied by a professional nurse who is therefore competent in situations in which it is necessary to carry out delicate health activities: dressings, bandages, infusions or injections.
In Italy, the figure of the family nurse has been established who intervenes in these cases.
Also remember that many of the services offered by family nurses for elderly or disabled people (rehabilitation therapies, home health care, etc.) are included in the Home Care Premium Bonus .
For greater peace of mind with regard to non self-sufficient people , consider the possibility of taking out a dedicated insurance policy , concrete support in the event of unforeseen events or difficult times.
The contract for the caregiver: what are the levels and the CCNL of reference
To hire a caregiver you must refer to the National Collective Labor Agreement specific for Home Helpers and Nannies [2] and which provides for different levels of employment.
Here is a summary:
Level A – includes all carers and domestic helpers not specifically involved in caring for people and who are inexperienced or with less than 12 months experience. The main duties are domestic cleaning or companionship for adults;
Level B – includes carers and domestic workers who have gained more than 12 months of experience and can take care of cleaning the house, assisting people who are still self-sufficient, the elderly or children;
Level C – includes carers and domestic helpers employed in specific activities such as assisting people who are no longer self-sufficient and who have specific theoretical and practical basic knowledge;
Level D – includes carers and domestic workers who have obtained a specific diploma for the job to be performed and can be employed to assist people who are no longer self-sufficient. Qualifications can be that of general nurse or geriatric assistant . They have decision-making autonomy and responsibility.
Each of these levels provides for a higher level (indicated by the letter S: therefore AS, BS, and so on) which is determined by the possibility of carrying out less generic tasks and at the request of the employer. For example: Super level A can occasionally carry out babysitting activities, while in normal level A only the company of self-sufficient adults is provided.
Contract for non-cohabiting carers 2019
In addition to the different contractual levels , carers can be divided between cohabitating caregivers and non-cohabitating caregivers .
Contracts intended for non-cohabiting carers can be distinguished on the basis of the assisted person’s situation, his state of health and his needs. However, it is possible to find common elements:
- The weekly working hours may vary according to need , but overall they cannot exceed 40 hours;
- Daily use is also flexible , however the daily working hours cannot exceed 8;
- The working days of non-cohabiting caregivers go from Monday to Saturday and Sunday is considered as rest.
As mentioned above, the condition of the person to be assisted also determines a different type of contract:
- The contract for a non-cohabiting caregiver assisting a self-sufficient person will be level B;
- The contract for a non-cohabiting caregiver who assists a non self-sufficient person will be level C;
The contract for a non-cohabiting caregiver who has a professional training and who assists a non self-sufficient patient will be of level D.
A non-cohabiting caregiver has a cost that varies according to the contractual level which, in turn, is determined by the condition of the assisted person.
This means that if we calculate an average of 40 hours per week, the monthly salary (for a caregiver with a BS level) is around 980 euros per month, without calculating the INPS / Inail contributions, the accrual of holidays and the thirteenth that go added to this quota.
Cohabitant caregiver contract 2019: costs and information
A contract for a live-in caregiver is a little different from the one analyzed above due to the fact that, in addition to providing a service, the hired person benefits from room and board. This must be calculated in the reason for the contract.
This is why, on balance, a live-in caregiver could cost less than a non-cohabitant , if we compare the number of hours worked.
As can be seen from the following table, for the same level of employment as in the previous example (BS) a live-in caregiver has a salary of approximately 850 euros , net of other charges which are calculated as follows [5]:
Cost of a live-in caregiver
RATE IN EURO WEEKLY COST AT 54 HOURS
854.80 euros Net salary
236.34 Contributions
89.97 Holidays (26 days a year)
82.27 Thirteenth month’s salary
79.22 Severance indemnity (TFR)
1333.60 Total monthly
The costs refer to the assistance of a self-sufficient person – BS level
Beyond these costs, it must be considered that the hired person will have the right to enjoy the holidays ( the so-called red days on the calendar) . Being cohabiting the rest day means 12 hours.
In addition, when the caregiver is on vacation and does not benefit from room and board, she has the right to a recognition for the lack of food and accommodation which is estimated at 5.61 euros per day.
Are the costs of a caregiver high? Think about your tomorrow now
Being forced to ask for help in order to organize your daily life is something that scares everyone .
In addition, this external help substantially affects a family’s finances : we have seen that the costs of a caregiver can be challenging to face.
Libera Mente Special allows you to protect the standard of living of your loved ones in a simple and flexible way, guaranteeing them an important capital in the event of serious unforeseen events and, at your choice, even in the event of total permanent disability.
In this way, if you need help at home because you can no longer take care of your activities independently, you can hire a caregiver also thanks to the capital you have chosen to insure .
You can decide the capital to be insured (up to 3 million euros) based on the needs of your family in terms of standard of living and you can keep it even for 30 years .
The policy starts at 8 euros per month : calculate your quote and find out how convenient it is to provide for your future immediately.
Conclusions and final advice
Today the caregiver has become one of the most sought after figures in the world of work.
In fact, more and more families are choosing to avail themselves of the support of carers or home helps with respect to hospitalization in a long-term hospitalization facility.
There are different options and levels of pay and you can choose to get help from a caregiver for only a few hours during the day.
A choice that affects family finances considering that every worker must have his fair wages.
Today you can protect your family’s future standard of living by thinking about a life insurance policy, which can support you even in the event of permanent disability and help you decisively in resolving financial issues related to home care.
