What should we look for in a home care agency or home care professional? This is a critical question, so you need to take the time to consider the pros and cons. The three things that must be considered are level of care, payment structure and reliability.
Level of care
What level of care will you need? Making sure that the home care agency is able to provide the level of service to ensure patient and/or client outcomes are met is critical. Here are a three questions to ask the agency.
- What are the different levels of care you offer?
- What is your assessment process?
- What type of training and/or licensing do you require of your providers?
Payment Structure
How do you plan to pay for the services being provided. Are you considering using long-term care insurance, Medicaid or Medicare, cash payments, or some other means. The following questions should be asked regarding payment for services.
- What types of insurances if any do you accept, and if you do not accept insurance can the agency assist with getting reimbursement?
- What types of payments are accepted? Check, credit card, bank transfer and/or online.
- Do you have different payment terms, and are there any discounts and/or fees associated with the payments terms
Reliability
Make sure you can count on your service provider being there. Trusting that the service provider is able to meet the scheduling requirements, and types of services expected as scheduled is critical to any agency’s success. Therefore, your ability to know that you can rely on them is all that truly matters. Make sure you ask your agency.
- What kinds of updates do you provide regarding the proposed schedule for providers?
- What are your standards for missed days, lateness, or shortened visits?
- How can I be assured that my provider is on the way?
When it comes to your care or the care of a loved one it’s important that you choose and agency that puts you first. It doesn’t have to be a stressful experience, in fact the objective of home care is to help relieve stress. Take your time and choose carefully.
I cannot speak highly enough of Hawaii Home Care. At the moment they are taking care of my mother, who is in poor health, and my stepfather, who is nearing the end. The caregivers are endlessly compassionate, as well as being highly professional, and Lou and Nida do whatever is needed, combining professionalism with great flexibility and kindness. Hawaii Care is a small agency compared to many, but in our experience it’s one that you can really trust to do the very best for your family.