How to Choose an In-Home Care Provider for Your Loved One in 5 Steps
At a time when a loved one needs more care than you or your family are able to provide, hiring someone to provide that care is a challenge. Here are some helpful tips to make choosing home care providers--I hope you find these useful.
The first step is to assess your needs, including what tasks will be handled and how often. Next, your loved one's physician and a home care assessment can help identify the best care type.
Once the needs are identified, it is time to interview local in-home care providers. If possible, take your time during this process and confirm as much information as possible, including:
- Confirm Certification – Both Medicaid and Medicare afford coverage to eligible patients if your care is provided by a caretaker who works for a certified home health care agency. Ask those you interview if they are certified by either organization. Visit www.medicare.gov for a rating of certified home health care agencies near you.
- Confirm Credentials – Ask the home health agency if their caretakers have been background checked and receive regular training. Additionally, request they provide a list of all professional accreditations, certifications, and licenses they carry.
- Confirm Reputation – Make sure the home health agency you choose has good standing within your community and the Better Business Bureau. In addition, contact your local Chamber of Commerce to seek references and recommendations for local service providers.
- Confirm Availability – Find out when caretakers are available and if they meet your daily needs. If you may require 24-hour care, confirm the service provider you choose is available at any time, including holidays and weekends.
- Confirm Care Plans – Home care providers should meet your specific needs. Ask to ensure your care provider will use the information provided by your doctors and home health team to create a personal care plan.
Hiring an in-home care provider is not the end of the evaluation process. Continue to ensure quality assurance checks are made, and your in-home health care plan is reviewed regularly.
In-home health care can be the right solution to provide the support your loved one needs. Although the selection process can be time-consuming, asking the right questions can provide peace of mind once a choice has been made.
As you will quickly learn, the cost of care gets expensive fast. Contact me today to make sure you have a plan in place to help cover the costs of care for you in the future.