24-hour care without an agency - legal, affordable and self-organized

The decision for a 24-hour care without an agency is often a difficult step. Agencies usually promise a lot, but the costs are high and personal wishes often fall by the wayside. 

But how about we tell you that you have the perfect Find a 24-hour caregiver yourself and save money while taking individual needs into account? In our article, you can find out how to find the ideal 24-hour support.

24-hour care without an agency is like a personal invitation to bring loving support directly into your own home. Families take responsibility themselves and hire a caregiver without having to go through an agency. 

This opens up a lot of freedom and scope for design: the support can be tailored individually and precisely to the wishes and needs of your loved ones. Without fixed agency structures, flexible solutions are created that are often more personal and warm. Of course, this also means taking the organization into your own hands - a path full of opportunities that, if you know how, can bring real relief.

Stella is looking for 24-hour care for her beloved mother Erika. An agency could help her, but she hesitates:

High cost, impersonal placement processes and little influence on the choice of caregiver are a concern for Stella.

In contrast, the private care without an agency is a more direct and often more cost-effective solution. Here, those affected decide for themselves who they employ, can take personal wishes and needs into account more easily and have the opportunity to build a closer relationship with the caregiver.

Many choose this route because they want more control and flexibility while reducing the financial burden. The ability to provide individual care at home in a familiar environment is crucial for many.

Stella wanted to organize loving home care for her mother Erika - without an expensive agency. But she asked herself: Is this even allowed? The answer: Yes, under certain conditions!

Care must not be provided by a single person around the clock, as this would violate employment law. These models are permitted:

1. Delivery model: The caregiver is legally posted via a company in the country of origin (e.g. Poland) and has a legal residence permit. e.g. Poland) and has an A1 certificate.
2. Self-employment: The caregiver registers a business in Austria and works on a self-employed basis.
3. Direct employment: The family officially becomes the employer, registers the caregiver with the social security system and thus ensures fair working conditions.

It is important that bogus self-employment and undeclared work are avoided at all costs - otherwise there is a risk of high penalties.

So Stella was able to organize safe, legal and individually suitable care for Erika at home - with the good feeling of doing everything right.

Stella wants to take her mother's care into her own hands to ensure that the caregiver is a perfect fit for her and that her individual needs are taken into account. Precisely because Erika was reluctant to accept any help at all for a long time, she doesn't want to let just any stranger into her life now.

For Stella and her mother, an agency that simply sends a freelance caregiver is not suitable. They also have limited resources and the cost an agency would significantly overstretch their budget.

Stella decides to look for alternatives. She did some research on the Internet, came across noracares and was immediately impressed by the advantages of agency-free care:

• Individual selection: Stella and Erika have the option to personally select the caregiver based on their specific needs and personal preferences.
• Direct contact and relationship building:The direct and personal contact between the caregiver, the person in need of care or the person in need of care and the person in need of care. care recipient and their family promotes the development of a trusting relationship.
• Cost savings: Without agency fees and mark-ups, Stella can significantly reduce the overall cost of care.
• Flexibility and adaptability:Care can be made more flexible and better adapted to Erika's individual needs and daily routine.
• More freedom of choice: Stella and her mother have more influence in the organization and planning of care without having to follow agency guidelines.
• Transparent communication: The intermediate step via the agency is eliminated and clear and direct communication between the caregiver and family is possible. This leads to better coordination of care requirements and expectations.
• Personal care: The carer can focus more intensively on the person in need of care and better perceive their individual needs.
• Lower fluctuation: A personally selected caregiver can be engaged for a longer period of time, which improves continuity and stability in care.
• Basis of trust: The direct setting promotes a higher level of trust between the person in need of care, the family and the caregiver.
• More flexible working conditions for the caregiver: The caregiver can often enjoy more flexible working conditions, which can lead to a happier work environment. This in turn promotes commitment to care.

All of these benefits convinced Stella that 24-hour, non-agency care offered many opportunities to create a customized and cost-effective solution for Erika's care.

Maintenance without an agency brings many advantages, but also some tasks that those affected have to take on themselves without an agency. These include:

• Organizational effort: Organizational effort: Without the support of an agency, Stella and Erika have to take on the organization of care themselves, which can mean more administrative effort. This may also include ensuring that all legal requirements are met themselves, such as employment contracts, social security and tax obligations, as well as the Care levels in Austria. But once you've got the hang of it, it's not that difficult..
• Organizing replacement caregivers: In case of illness or vacation of the caregiver, Stella has to arrange for a replacement, which can lead to additional stress. However, she has solved the problem by having two replacement caregivers on hand, which she also found at noracares, where there are plenty of short-term caregivers. However, as the satisfaction of private caregivers is generally higher, there are fewer absences due to illness anyway.
• Quality-control: Without the structures of an agency, it can be more difficult to monitor the quality of care and ensure that independent caregivers are meeting the required standards. However, this risk can be minimized by requesting various references and certificates. Personal contact via video chat also gives you a good picture of the potential caregiver.
• Protection: If the caregiver does not meet expectations or conflicts arise, it can be more difficult to find a quick solution. In this case, it is essential to protect yourself contractually and with insurance. However, if you are really not satisfied with your caregiver, you will find plenty of other good caregivers in the noracares pool.

For Stella and Erika, none of this was a big deal. For this reason, they decided to organize 24-hour care privately - without an agency.

To help you decide which model suits your family, here is a structured overview:

In general, it can be said that the maintenance costs without an agency are cheaper than those with an agency. This is because while Stella also co-finances the company behind the agency support, she only has to pay a small fee for the use of platforms such as noracares.

How much nursing care ultimately costs depends primarily on the nurse's salary. This varies depending on the qualifications and experience of the caregiver. This is because carers from Eastern Europe, e.g. a carer from Poland, can demand higher salaries depending on their qualifications and experience.

Depending on effort, qualifications and experience, the average cost of 24-hour care without an agency in Austria is between 1,700 and 2,500 euros per month. In comparison, families who opt for an agency usually have to factor in between €2,000 and €3,500 per month.

This difference is due to the fact that agencies charge placement fees and surcharges to place the caregiver and organize the care.

This not only saves Stela and Erika a lot of money, but it also means more for the caregiver. The higher salary is an additional motivation and ensures that noracares caregivers, Polish caregivers or caregivers from other EU countries are more satisfied and committed and build a better relationship with their care recipients!
 

Find and hire the right nurse in 4 steps

Finding the right caregiver for 24-hour care without an agency may seem complicated, but it's actually not. At noracares, we have made all processes as simple as possible and you can find lots of tips and information in our blog. To find and successfully hire a suitable caregiver like Stella, you should follow these steps

Step 1: Search for qualified nurses: 

Start your search in our online portal, register and search for detailed profiles that appeal to you. Pay particular attention to the caregiver's qualifications, including education and experience.

Check whether the caregiver has relevant knowledge and skills to meet the specific needs of you or your loved one. Personal qualities such as empathy and communication skills are also important.

Step 2: Conducting interviews: 

Schedule a meet and greet via the video feature to assess the candidate's suitability. Ask questions about their experience, their approach to care or how they would deal with particular challenges. You can find more tips in our blog article "Finding the right caregiver".

Step 3: Sample work

If possible, offer potential candidates the opportunity to work on a trial basis to assess their skills in practical application. After all, personal contact is the best way to assess whether the collaboration is a good fit for both sides.

Step 4: Conclusion of contract and legal aspects

Make sure that all working conditions, salary, vacation arrangements and other relevant details are clearly stated in the employment contract. If necessary, consult with an expert to ensure that all legal requirements are met.

If you proceed step by step and consider all factors, you will find a qualified and caring 24-hour caregiver who is not only professional, but also a good fit for your personal situation and the needs of you or your loved one.

Tips for private care

In the meantime, Stella, Erika and their caregiver have settled in and the 24-hour care works great without an agency. Stella has learned a lot from the past months and years, which is why she would like to share a few tips with you:

• Regular exchange and feedback: Have regular conversations with the caregiver to discuss care progress and identify any challenges or opportunities for improvement. Please provide feedback so that you can continuously improve care and identify potential issues early on.
• Plan B and C: Make a plan B and, ideally, a plan C as well. This means that you should definitely prepare a few emergency contacts in case your "main carer" suddenly drops out and you need a replacement at short notice.
• Financial planning: Find out about government funding opportunities,nursing allowance or other financial assistance to help cover the cost of care at home. You can also create a cost plan to keep track of salary, accommodation, food and additional costs. Household-related services such as cleaning or shopping services can also be included in this plan.
• Make yourselves comfortable: Make sure that everyone involved feels comfortable. This is the only way care can really work well. Really get to know and appreciate the caregiver. This is particularly important in 24-hour care, as you will inevitably spend a lot of time together. If both parties feel comfortable, it creates a relaxed atmosphere.
• Show gratitude: If your caregiver does their job well and makes an effort, show it to them. This creates an appreciative basis and demonstrates mutual respect.
   

With these tips, nothing stands in the way of successful, private care at home.

The decision to opt for 24-hour care without an agency has proven to be absolutely the right choice for Stella and her mother Erika. Despite initial concerns about the increased organizational effort and possible quality control, they have clearly felt the benefits of this decision.

Through direct selection and personal care, they were able to build a trusting relationship with the caregiver while reducing the financial burden.

Stella and Erika found their perfect solution with noracares and are very, very happy about it. From their point of view, no agency can offer the flexibility and customizability of private care.

If you are also looking for 24-hour care without an agency, register with noracares today and start your search.