People need extra help as they age. It’s just a fact of life. Fortunately, there are an increasing number of options that don’t involve a nursing home.
Services that provide in-home care for the elderly are a popular option. Not only do they allow people to continue living in their own space, where they’re comfortable, they’re often a considerably cheaper choice than full-time nursing facilities.
Here are some tips to keep in mind when shopping for a home service provider.
Medical or Not?
It’s important to know what level of medical care, if any, will be provided.
Senior service providers vary widely in the types of help they offer people. Some are staffed by nurses or other licensed health-care providers, which is important if you’re looking for any actual medical care as part of your needs.
But for many seniors who don’t necessarily need medical services in their home, there are other providers that focus on helping with day-to-day needs like cleaning, cooking and personal grooming. They’re more like personal assistants to help seniors live a great life, not necessarily offering any nursing care.
Make sure you know the difference and ask exactly what kinds of services will be provided. For medical needs, always talk to your doctor to get advice about what would be best for your situation.
The People
Different companies handle staffing in different ways. Most likely, you’ll be assigned a regular person who you can get to know and be comfortable interacting with. Inviting someone into your home is a big responsibility, so it’s important you find someone you can trust and enjoy spending time with.
What happens when your regular staffer can’t visit, though? Vacations, illness and other conflicts mean sometimes you’ll need to have a different person do the job, so ask your provider how they handle substitutes when needed.
Track Record
Find out how long the home care service has been in business. Usually when a company has been around for a long time, that’s a good sign. With a competitive market for in-home care services in most areas, only the best ones will stay in business for a long period of time.
You should also find out as much as you can about the firm’s workers. Ask about how much supervision they get, what their qualifications are and how long they’ve worked for the service.
Making a Plan
Because every person’s needs are different, find out what kinds of plans will be a good fit for your needs. From the frequency of visits to the types of services offered, you need to find a good match for your exact situation.
If the in-home service will be helping with any medical needs, your doctor ought to be involved with making the plan. Most home care services will be able to coordinate with your doctor or hospital personnel to come up with a plan of care.
Reputation
Finally, ask around to learn whatever you can about the service’s reputation. Your doctor, friends and family may be able to tell you their experiences with certain service providers in your area — good or bad — so try to find first-person experiences to make a good choice.
The best home health providers will have a long track record and lots of happy customers, so a good reputation in your community is a sign that you’re making the right pick.
