After carefully weighing all your elder care options, your family has decided to hire a professional in-home caregiver for your aging mother. As the primary informal caregiver, it’s your responsibility to screen home care providers based on Mom’s needs. But when all eyes are on you, choosing a caregiver isn’t always easy with everything else on your plate. To ensure that your choice is the right one, here are four screening questions to ask any potential home care provider during the search process.
What Services Do You Offer?
Initially, your senior may only need a little help performing activities of daily living (ADLs), like light housework, meal preparation, or running errands. But if they’ve recently been diagnosed with a serious illness or will be having major surgery, they may require around-the-clock or live-in care to maintain an independent lifestyle.
It’s best to find a provider that offers a complete menu of in-home services, including personal care, household services, transportation, dementia care, and more. Be sure to ask if the agency requires mandatory staff training and if their caregivers are certified based on your state’s requirements.
What is Your Reputation?
In addition to recommendations from family, coworkers, and friends, you’ll also need to research what others have said about the agency. Online reviews from clients and their families reveal much about an agency’s reputation, along with testimonials from current and former employees. Has the provider received any industry awards based on the quality of care they provide? How long have they been in business?
Reputable home care companies also conduct drug tests and extensive background checks on their employees, including criminal and driving records. While you’re at it, check to see if the agency meets all your state’s certification requirements.
How Much Will It Cost?
Contrary to what you might think, Medicare does not cover elective home care services like personal care or household services. While your choice of a home care provider should not solely rely on cost, it will inevitably play a role. First, determine how much your loved one – or you – can afford based on your monthly budget.
In most cases, the cost of in-home care relies on the number of hours the caregiver spends with their client, along with the type of services they provide. Before making your choice, research each company’s hourly rates, as well as how much they charge for daily and overnight visits.
Can I Interview Your Caregivers?
Once you’ve narrowed down your search to two or three candidates, it’s time to move on to the interview phase. Schedule a screening interview with each potential caregiver to ensure that their personality and work ethic align with yours and – most importantly – those of your senior.
During the interview, don’t be afraid to ask the supervisor for references from previous clients, along with proof of insurance and other certifications. This is also the perfect time to discuss your loved one’s plan of care and how the provider would meet their needs as they change.
Other questions you should ask during the screening interview include:
- What’s your backup plan in the event of an emergency or illness?
- Will the primary caregiver be providing most of the care?
- How do you measure the competency and performance of your caregivers?
- How do you decide if a caregiver is a good fit for a client?
- Do you conduct periodic drug tests on your employees?
- Is a registered nurse (RN) or equivalent case manager available 24/7?
Finding the best home care provider for your loved one can be challenging, but it is possible with a little planning and perseverance. In the end, finding a reliable caregiver should help you all sleep better at night knowing that your senior is in good hands!
Your Family-Trusted Home Care Source in Indianapolis, IN
When you need a reliable in-home elder care provider in Indianapolis, IN, look no further than Senior1Care. As your family-trusted home care source, our dedicated, compassionate professionals deliver exceptional care to individuals seeking dependable ways to maintain their independent lifestyles. While proudly serving clients and their families since 2006, our unique scope of services ranges from personal care and household services to dementia care, family consultation, and geriatric care counseling.
We are a local, family-owned, and operated home care company with services that can be uniquely tailored to meet each client’s needs. To learn more about Senior1Care now or schedule an assessment for a senior in Indianapolis, IN, today, please visit us at www.senior1care.com.
