Someone who is on the lower-functioning side of the autism spectrum often needs around the clock care to ensure that they are able to be safe at all times. When parents have an autistic child who has grown to be an adult, it can sometimes be difficult to give them the care that they need because they are strong physically, but may still function like a child. If you have an adult child with autism living in your home, you may want to consider hiring an in-home caregiver to help you give your child the care they need and deserve. The guide below walks you through the things to consider when hiring a caregiver to help you with your child.
Consider the Experience of the Caregiver
The first thing you want to do is to ask the caregiver what experience he or she has working directly with individuals with autism. Caring for someone with autism is not easy and you want to be sure that he or she knows what to expect and how to handle sudden outbursts, limited conversational skills, and any other issues your child may have. Ask for references and actually call them. You want to be sure that the caregiver really does have the experience they claim to have.
Consider Doing a Background Check on the Caregiver
Before allowing anyone to work with your child, you need to be sure that they are a safe person. Do a background check on the caregiver to make sure that they do not have any charges of neglect or violence on their record. If the person works for a company that specializes in caregiving, ask that company if they have already done a background check on the person before allowing them to work for the business.
Consider the Schedule of the Caregiver
Finally, you need to consider when you need the help the most and find out if the caregiver will be available during those times of day. Many caregivers are willing to be very flexible with their schedule because they understand how difficult it can be to do certain elements of caregiving on your own when you are caring for a grown adult.
Once you have taken these things into consideration, you and the caregiver will be ready to sign a contract that stipulates what the expectations are for the caregiver and what the caregiver's expectations are from you and anyone else that will be helping to take care of your child. You will need to be able to work together as a team to give your child the care they need.
Share14 June 2016
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