Community guidelines for caregivers

Herewith is building a community to support Families and Caregivers in obtaining and managing care for elders with compassion and kindness. Accordingly, Herewith has adopted the following Caregiver Community Guidelines, reflecting its core values and expectations for Caregivers.

Please review the Guidelines below before using Herewith’s products and services as a Caregiver. Herewith takes its commitments to its community seriously and will enforce these guidelines as necessary. If you become aware of any such violations, please let us know by contacting us at support@herewith.com. Herewith reserves the right to update these Guidelines from time to time. If you continue to use Herewith’s products and/or services following any such update, your continued use constitutes your acceptance of such updates.

Know your obligations

• Caregivers are responsible for familiarizing themselves and complying with all applicable laws and regulations in all  jurisdictions that they provide caregiving services. Herewith makes available resources that contains information you may find useful, but it is ultimately your responsibility to understand and adhere to such requirements.  

• Caregivers are responsible for complying with Herewith’s Terms of Service and these Guidelines. Additional requirements may be agreed upon between Caregiver and Care Recipient. Any such requirements should be clearly communicated and documented.

Conduct yourself professionally

• Your Herewith registration must include current, accurate and complete information. Avoid the use of alias or nicknames when completing your registration.

• Be clear, accurate, and complete when creating or updating your Caregiver profile. 

• All content shared on the Herewith platform must be owned by you and must not violate or infringe on another’s intellectual property rights. This includes text, images, or other content.

Respect all members of our community

• Be respectful in your interactions with members of the Herewith community whether via the Herewith platform or otherwise. Discrimination, bullying, harassment, vulgar and other offensive communications or conduct will not be tolerated and may result in removal from the Herewith platform and notification to the appropriate authorities.

• For your protection and the protection of the care recipient, avoid physical contact other than when necessary for the limited purpose of providing care. Inappropriate touching is strictly prohibited and may result in removal from the Herewith platform and notification to the appropriate authorities. 

• Comply with reasonable requests to use/wear personal protective equipment including, but not limited to, masks, gloves, scrubs, etc.

• Limit the use of the Herewith platform to serious care-related inquiries and interactions. Inappropriate communication may be removed by Herewith and may result in your removal from the platform.  

• If you visit a community member’s home to provide care, travel in or operate a vehicle provided by another community member, or are otherwise using another’s property, treat it with the utmost care. Return anything that has been provided to you for use at the end of each shift and in reasonable condition.

Protect community members’ privacy

• Some preliminary interactions on Herewith’s platform are conducted on a partially de-identified basis. Don’t attempt to identify a community member at this stage.

• Do not discuss a community member’s care with anyone outside of their care team. The care team usually includes designated family members, and/or designated friends but may include others as well. If in doubt, do not discuss.

• Guests of a caregiver, including pets, are not permitted at community member’s homes. Refrain from visiting community members when you are not scheduled to work.

• Taking and/or sharing photographs is prohibited without the written consent of the community member. Inappropriate photographs will be reported to the appropriate authorities.

• Avoid questions and conversations that may make the community member uncomfortable or may be perceived as an invasion of their privacy.

Maintain a safe environment

• Caregivers are responsible for undertaking their own screening of Care Recipients during the interview process and subsequent interactions. If the Caregiver has concerns for their safety, they should report it immediately.

• Any vehicle provided by a Caregiver to be used during care must be in good working condition with functional required safety features.

• Care needs should be reviewed frequently and the care plan updated accordingly. DNR, emergency contact details, and other important information should be current and posted in a common area. Caregivers are responsible for understanding the procedures to undertake in the event of an emergency.

• Caregivers must be able to always perform their responsibilities during their shift. Arriving at their shift impaired, or becoming impaired during their shift, whether from alcohol, marijuana, or drugs (prescribed or illegal) will not be tolerated and may be reported to the appropriate authorities.

• Verbal abuse, physical abuse, and neglect will not be tolerated and will be reported to the appropriate authorities.

Be transparent and proactive in your communication

• Be sure to fully understand the care plan and your responsibilities. If you have any questions, please address them with the appropriate party until you are satisfied.

• Provide clear and complete documentation in your shift notes. The shift notes should be available for review by the Care Recipient’s care team.

• If there are changes in a Care Recipient’s condition, proactively notify the appropriate contacts from their care team. If in doubt, over communicate the changes.

• Clearly communicate, and document, the work schedule. If the Caregiver leaves early or stays late, clearly document the adjustment to the schedule including the reason. Notify the Care Recipient immediately if you will be late or unable to fill your scheduled shift.

• Communication with Care Recipients can sometimes be strenuous, especially when they suffer from memory loss, hearing loss, or other disabilities. Be patient and calm in your demeanor and identify useful tactics for conversing and persuading.