Choosing a home care agency for a loved one should be taken with care and caution. After all, you want to make sure your loved one gets the best help and assistance possible. Here are some tips to help you decide:
1. Suggestions and referrals work.
They always do, so long as you get recommendations from people you trust. If you’re lucky, you already have someone in your network who can give you the name of your future home care provider. Go to your parent’s doctor, friends, family, home healthcare pros you know and even attorneys or financial advisors who often work with these agencies. Don’t stop looking until you have at least five on your list.
2. Know what it entails.
Know what you’re getting into, says Parent Giving. From paying for taxes to getting liability insurance and asking after worker’s compensation. If you want a more comprehensive list of services as well as protection, you can hire agencies instead of a private care giver.
3. Know who you’re hiring.
How is their process? What’s usually involved in cases where a replacement for the care giver was asked for? How many caregivers do they have for every shift? How do they train their staff? Do they believe in accountability or not? Pay careful attention to the answers to these questions since they’re sure to help you decide which agency to look for.
4. Consider tech-savvy agencies.
There’s something to be said for agencies that use modern technologies to improve the quality of the services they offer. So it comes down to a choice between agencies that still use old-school, outdated methods and those that leverage modern technologies to better service loved ones and their families.
Don’t take chances with your loved one’s medical safety. Take your time in choosing the right agency for your loved one’s home care services.
