So you want to hire a professional caregiver for your loved one?

But you are not sure what to expect? Or what to look out for?

In today’s post, I am going to outline nine things you can look out for when you are choosing a home care agency.

9 things to look out for when you’re choosing a home care agency

Company culture

In choosing a home care agency, it is important look at the culture of the agency.

There are a few ways you can do this.

• Ask the staff. Do they have positive things to say about the agency? Do they say they are supported by their agency or do they feel alone working for the company? Staff who feel supported, are more likely to provide the best care.
• Read Google and Yelp reviews. Yes, these can be biased sometimes and there have been instances where people pay others to give them good reviews. There are also those people who are never satisfied with anything and go around the internet leaving bad reviews everywhere. Thus, ignore those 5-star and one-star reviews and read the 4-star and 3-star ones. These usually give you better insight into what the company culture is like.

Does the agency seem organized?

When you call them, does somebody call you back as quickly as they say they will call you back?

When you submit paperwork, do they call asking you for the same paperwork over and over again although you have sent it over to them more than once?

Do they miss details you have already communicated to them?

An agency that is disorganized will exhibit these signs.

If they are disorganized, they could mix up schedules and you might have a day where no caregiver shows up at your loved one’s home.

If you see warning signs of disorganization from the beginning, heed them.

What standards does the agency use in hiring staff?

Does the agency perform background checks on people?

What training do caregivers receive before they are dispatched to go and provide care?

Is there on-going training for caregivers so they continually improve their craft of providing care?

These are important questions you can ask the agency and staff yourself.

Client/customer service

Are they polite on the phone or do they seem in a rush to hang up on you?

When you register a complaint, how quickly do they rectify or resolve the situation?

Field Oversight

Does the home care agency you’re planning to choose have managers come and observe caregivers in the field?

This is important.

Every job in the corporate world has managers who oversee workers to ensure that the highest quality of service is provided.

If the agency does not send out people to observe your caregiver and provide guidance where needed on how to improve caregiving, you should think twice about choosing them.

Do caregivers show up on time?

This is another place to check the quality of both the agency and the caregiver.

You have heard the phrase: time is money.

If you have to go to work and a caregiver is supposed to come and take your place but they are late, this could make you late.

Do caregivers genuinely care about your loved one?

This particular point ties back into company culture.

Yes, individual caregivers have different personalities but one thing that needs to be glaring is the fact that a caregiver genuinely cares about your loved one.

If a caregiver does not pay attention to the likes and dislikes of your loved one or leaves them in dirty underwear, for instance, when it is their responsibility, this is a serious red flag.

Do they respect individual needs, concerns and preferences?

One of the advantages of home care is the fact that it helps your loved one to continue to live in their beloved home while they receive all the help they need.

You and your loved one may have individual needs and concerns that you would like to be respected.

For instance, your loved one may be a stickler for making their bed every time they wake up.

It seems mundane but that is their preference. A good home care agency will train staff to respect the needs, concerns and preferences of your loved ones.

Transparency/Clear communication

An excellent home care agency is transparent and clear in their communication from the get-go.

If you cannot get that from an agency, they may not be the ones to choose.

 

At Green Tree Home Care, we are happy to say that we meet all these criteria. If you are in the midst of choosing a home care agency, we hope you will consider us.

If you live in the Greater San Diego or Orange County area and you need care for your loved one, we are more than happy to help with our 24/7 call service.

Give us a call today for a FREE consultation.