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pharmgirl05 Asked December 2022

Am I overly concerned about bedbugs?

My sister & I are caretakers for my mother, 95, with dementia, and we are considering hiring cleaning help and/or home caretakers to sit with my mother so that we can get a break!! We personally know of 2 households in our town who have had to deal with caretakers (from different agencies) bringing in bedbugs to their home, and in one case, the elderly woman had to be moved to a hotel for a couple of weeks while they de-contaminated her house. I just would not want to deal with this effort and expense, along with everything else that we do, but I don't know how common this problem is. Am I overly concerned? Have others had to deal with it, and is there any way that the agencies can be held liable, or can they screen their employees (probably not)? Thank you for this great forum.

cwillie Dec 2022
Are you overreacting? Maybe, if you consider that there are hundreds if not thousands of people receiving care that have not had a bed bug problem. It's likely the bugs aren't coming from the caregiver's homes but from the clients they see earlier in the day and I'm doubtful that any agency will sign a form accepting liability (but it never hurts to ask).

Isthisrealyreal Dec 2022
If you hire through an agency, make it part of the contract, their employee brings bed bugs and the agency pays for getting rid of them. I would get an inspection from a certified bed bug exterminating company proving as of that date the home is free and clear.

If you don't have any traffic through the house except your sister, you and the aids it is easy to prove who brought them in.

Bed bugs are no fun and easily spread with an infestation, I don't think you can be to careful if this is an issue. It is wise to due your due diligence and cya in the contract.

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NeedHelpWithMom Dec 2022
I had different caregivers from Council on Aging helping with my mom in our home. They have a contract with an agency.

Never once have I seen any bedbugs. I am not saying that it doesn’t happen but I have no idea how common it is.

All I can recommend is to avoid any agencies that you have heard about with incidents regarding bedbugs.

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