Hiring the right home care agency for your senior loved one is extremely important; you want to ensure your loved one is getting the best care for their specific needs and situation. Following Parts 1 & 2 of this blog series, here are a few important questions to ask a home care agency: Questions to Ask an Elder Care Agency
What are the specific services offered?
When you ask about services, you want to make sure that the agency offers the specific services you need. For example, if you need help with meal preparation and cleaning, it’s important that the home care agency has staff who are trained in homemaker services.
If you have a senior loved one who requires professional assistance with any of their daily tasks or needs help with mobility, dressing, toileting, or more, then this is an important question to ask. You should also inquire about how often a home health aide will visit and what specific tasks they will perform each day while they are at your loved one’s house.
When considering cost considerations for senior home care services, it is important to understand that there may be different fees associated with these services depending on what type of assistance is offered by each individual provider company. You should ask about all possible costs before choosing which provider to work with so that there are no surprises later down the line, and talk to your home health care agency about insurance.
Does the agency have an in-house complaint procedure that is shared with consumers?
If something were to go wrong during the course of care, it’s important that families have the opportunity to express their concerns to the proper parties involved. Ask your home care agency what policies are in place to minimize risks (such as the training available, backup care providers in place, background checks, etc.) that could impact the care your loved one will receive. A complaint procedure should be easy to find and understandable, and it should be easy for you to follow up on.
Knowing what questions to ask a home care agency can help you choose the agency that is best for your loved one.
As you begin to research home care agencies, you may have some questions. The following are some of the most common and helpful ones to ask:
- How long has the agency been in business?
- How many caregivers work for them? Do they employ full-time or part-time workers? If it’s a large organization, do they have an office with a receptionist or secretary who can answer questions and take care of scheduling appointments for you? If not, how do they keep track of clients’ schedules and needs?
- How big is their staff and how much turnover does the company experience on average per year?
- Are their employees required by law to complete background checks before being hired by the agency? If so, what kind of information do these companies look for when doing these checks (criminal history records from state departments that issue driver’s licenses).
There are so many considerations to make when hiring a home care agency for your loved one. Pinnacle Home Care is proud to be your local elder care agency in Golden Valley MN; we offer several home care services to help ensure your loved one gets the proper care they need. Don’t hesitate to contact us today to learn more.
