30 Jan How to Choose the Right Homecare Provider
Knowing how to choose the right homecare provider means you can have peace of mind knowing you are doing your best to keep a parent or relative content at home.
So your Dad’s Alzheimer’s is making it harder for your Mam to manage, or your Mam has had a fall. It’s going to be impossible for her to stand to fix meals for herself. What do you do next? Help is needed in situations like these to keep your parents or relatives safe and well at home. But how do you choose the right homecare provider?
The answers to these ten questions will help you choose the right provider
- What are your minimum hiring standards and qualifications?
- How do you check experience and credentials?
- What is your policy around Garda Vetting of employees?
- How do you match carers to your clients?
- How do you orient employees to your client’s care?
- Do you supervise employees, and how does this work?
- Do you do specific training for employees, e.g. Alzheimer’ s/Parkinsons?
- How do you handle scheduling problems?
- What if there are personality conflicts?
- Who do I contact if I have problems after regular work hours?
Other benefits the right homecare provider will offer
- Care managers who can help assess your parents’ home and suggest modifications and/or assistive devices to maximize independence
- Experienced Care Managers will have relationships with Public Health Nurses, Social Workers and Occupational Therapists. They can work with the medical team to develop a care plan personalized for your parents’ specific needs.
- Professional carers provide first-hand observations of your parents’ changing needs and inform care managers to review their care plans. This is especially important with a progressive illness such as Alzheimer’s disease.
- When one parent requires more personal assistance than the other, carers can provide much-needed relief, allowing both parents to stay together at home.
Your carers must be kind, helpful and understanding of your parent’s situation and able to communicate with them so that the situation is comfortable for everyone. The same goes for the support team in the office and for the supervisors who will visit.
Do your research, ask around and get referrals
When you choose the right homecare provider, you will have peace of mind to know that carers are thoroughly screened and vetted, properly supervised with 24/7 support and that your carers are motivated, experienced, qualified and receive ongoing training to keep ahead of future changes.
See more information here on how to get started.
If you are considering Home Care support for a loved one contact our experts at Applewood Homecare on 01 4992201 to arrange a Free No Obligation assessment meeting with an experienced Care Manager.
