Deciding for someone else to take care of an elderly person is a very difficult and stressful experience for the family. Family members may feel guilty for not being able to take care of their loved ones and that is why they seek the best care possible. It is important to have a plan and to stick to it so the senior gets what he/she needs from qualified caregivers.
To thoroughly interview home health care agencies may help to dissipate any doubts they might have. It is essential to know important question to ask them and what answers to expect. The former will help you to decide whether or not the home health care agency meets the standards you are looking for.
Here are some suggestions on what should be asked to a home health care agency.
How do you select and train your employees?
It is imperative to know that your loved one is going to be taken care of by a qualified caregiver. How is the selection process to hire their staff? Are applicants’ background checked? It also important for agencies to stay up-dated on the latest methods while training their employees to provide clients with the best home care possible. Some other agencies keep their staff permanently attending training courses, but this might not be the best option since they may not offer the best care possible when compare to a better trained caregiver. The choice will be yours.
How is quality control monitored and ensured within the home care agencies?
To avoid accidents, poor care or even abuse is why agencies should be periodically monitoring the employees services. Through this monitoring process home health care agencies can ensure that elderly people under their care are well cared for.
Can you have access to a list of references to know more about the agency?
If so, are they also willing to present you with the information once you ask for it? You have to know that as much information they are willing to share with you the more you can find out about that specific agency. Any agency with a bad background, such as a history of complaints, might not be willing to show you information since that can turn you away as a new client.
In the end the decision of which home care agency you choose is down to you, trust your instincts and of course look for the basic niceties in the staff – polite, well dressed, educated, etc.