Senior In-Home Care | June 11, 2024
Do you know what questions to ask a senior in-home care provider? Family caregivers often learn that they need help caring for a senior parent. For some, it’s hard to manage caregiver responsibilities alongside the responsibilities at work and home.
However, giving up some of the responsibility to someone else can be difficult. After all, how will you find a caregiver who provides the same degree of quality caregiving and devotion that you provide your loved one?
To help you accomplish this, Comfort Keepers® has assembled a list of important questions to ask when choosing a senior in-home care provider.
Inquire about an agency’s reputation with resources such as the Better Business Bureau, local senior service and healthcare providers, your community church, neighbors, and friends or family members.
Well-established providers generally have higher staff retention rates than fledgling organizations and thus offer more experienced, trained caregivers.
This will do more than help you compare services and fees. The quality of the informational materials you receive may indicate the care an in-home care provider gives to all aspects of its operations. Also, ask for references.
Look for agencies that balance experience and training with a person’s innate gift to serve and care for others. No amount of experience makes up for a lack of true compassion.
It is also essential that an agency thoroughly screen and interview candidates. This should include criminal and other background checks, personality assessments (which can identify people who possess caregiving qualities), interviews and reference checks.
Also look for organizations that provide training to candidates who pass the screening process and require that caregivers, once hired, complete ongoing training to maintain and update skills.
Ensure that the agency you choose is insured and has coverage to protect your loved one and your family. The provider should carry professional and general liability insurance, with bonded employees and able to support employees with workers’ compensation.
Some agencies, such as Comfort Keepers®, make regular quality assurance calls and visits to ensure that caregivers are consistently delivering quality care. It is also recommended to ensure that all caregivers are regularly and closely supervised by a qualified company representative.
An in-home assessment will help to discover the senior’s needs and help you determine whether the organization can meet them to your satisfaction.
A written care plan prevents misunderstandings. You can use it for reference when calling the in-home care provider with concerns. To be effective, the plan needs to be developed with your input and flexibility so it can be updated as your loved one’s needs change.
Reputable in-home care providers will assign a new caregiver when a match does not work out.
Ask how the agency or caregiver will deliver services in situations like a power failure, snowstorm or natural disaster. Does the organization provide 24-hour telephone service for handling emergencies during weekends and holidays?
Confirm up front whom to contact—and how—when you experience problems or have questions or requests.
Additionally, family caregivers frequently realize that they require assistance in caring for a senior parent. Finding a caregiver who matches the level of quality care and dedication you provide can seem like a daunting task, that’s why we’re here!
Our trained caregivers will ensure your loved one is comfortable, independent and safe in their home. On top of that, we will also aim to enhance their overall health, quality of life and general happiness.
Comfort Keepers of Edmonton offers a wider range of senior care services. We offer retirement care, respite care, senior care, companionship care, end-of-life care, post-surgery care, palliative care, personal care, and senior living transition services. If you are concerned about the health and well-being of your aging loved ones we can help with 24-hour care and more!
Empathetic care starts in the heart and allows us to meet our client’s needs. Our trained caregivers are selected with one specific quality in mind, empathy. We strive to stimulate our clients emotionally, mentally and socially, thus enhancing their overall quality of life.
Our Interactive Caregiving™ provides a system of care that addresses companionship, safety, nutrition, mind, body, and activities of daily living (ADLs). The system increases seniors’ sense of well-being, independence and companionship by focusing on Senior Mind, Senior Body, Senior Nutrition, and Senior Safety.
Comfort Keepers® Edmonton is an Approved Service Provider for the Client Directed Homecare Invoicing (CDHCI) Program Offered by Alberta Health Services.
CDHCI is a great program provided by Alberta Health Services (AHS), allowing clients to choose an approved agency like, Comfort Keepers Edmonton for Personal Care, Respite Care and Homemaking needs. The chosen agency can then bill AHS directly for services rendered for approved hours through Alberta Blue Cross. Read more about the program HERE.
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