How to Choose a Home Care Checklist

Looking after your aging loved ones can be very tough and overwhelming. You choose the most appropriate and best home care facility for your loved ones. If there is no pressing emergency you should plan out this activity beforehand and do all the research. This is a big decision to make and it can affect you emotionally and financially; thus, you must think carefully and deliberately. Here, we provide you a checklist that you should consider before you choose a Dallas in-home caregiver for your loved ones.

Know your needs:

Look at the specific needs of your aging loved ones. Understand the unique care and attention of your loved ones, and see if in-home care offers such things. If it isn’t then it’s time to move on to any other facility. The well-being and care of your senior loved ones must always be your top concern.

Check their website:

You should also check the website of the facility. See what kind of services they offer and whether specialized care is available or not. You can check what their previous clients have to say about their services. You can also see feedback and reviews if that section is available on their website.  

See their social media:

Social media could be a great place to know about that facility. You will be in touch with a lot of people who have been or are currently being treated by that facility. It will give you first-hand knowledge about that facility and you will gain some valuable insights.

Credentials:

Check their credentials thoroughly. Do they have certifications or awards from the industry? How long have they been operating? What significant achievements have they unlocked during their time in the industry etc?

Properly Qualification:

You must be satisfied that the home care facility has properly educated and trained its staff to look after the sick and the elderly. They should be licensed by the concerned authority to run this facility and you should ask for such a license, said  Marco Altieri, a home care expert.  All-American Home Care CEO, Marco Altieri Rochester NY, believes in quality healing and care that meets the daily needs of its patients to support independent living within their homes and communities. Mr. Altieri co-founded AAHC in 2015 to address the essential need for home care and lifestyle services that offer a quality, personalized touch. His career in home care began in 2003 as an aide, and with his experience, he understands every aspect of the home care sector.

Look for references:

You should also ask some people for references who have had business with the home care facility. It will give you an idea of what kind of treatment is meted out to the elders there.

Philosophy of care: 

You may ask what philosophy they believe in while taking care of their patients and their mission, vision towards work. It will give you enough knowledge of what home care facility you are getting, and what they believe in as people. 

Affordability:

Another important factor to consider before getting a home care facility is price. You may want to go over your budget first before deciding on the facility you want for your loved ones. Ideally, you must get excellent quality while serving with affordability to people. The two do not always come together but you can still try looking for one. 

Guideline for patient’s care:

You should know how they are going to take care of the patients and the elderly. They will have guidelines on them. You can talk to them about it and tell them your particular needs. They must create tailor-made guidelines based on the specific needs of your loved one. 

Ask for specialized support:

You need some special support. For instance, having an expert to talk to with specialized disability support or a particular language can support the family. You can ask for an expert and see if the home care facility can get you one. 

Communication:

You should know how often you can see your loved ones and how to be in touch with them. You want to remain updated about the health of your loved ones regularly as their mechanism.

Staff:

Get to know about their staff. Do they have their employees? Do they employ need-basis caregivers from outside agencies? If they hire them, how do they evaluate their skills, and how much control do they have on them? 

Spot checking:

Does the facility keep a close eye on the support staff and conduct spot or surprise checks? In this way, you can check how concerned they are about giving quality care services to their clients. 

Emergency management:

They must have enough emergency plans in case sudden care happens. You should be aware of it to know that your loved ones are in safe hands.

Insurance:

How do they bill? Do they accept insurance? These questions should be asked at the onset so that you decide on which facility.

Care Management:

You must also know how much care plan will be given by the home care facility. An expert care manager must be organized in terms of medications, care plans, refills, and other significant services. 

Medication management:

Just like managing the care of their patients, they should also have medication management. The home care facility should make sure that medications are being given regularly to the patients as prescribed. There should be proper monitoring of it. The facility should be aware of possible side effects of medicines and whether or not to take them with food or water.

Hours:

How many hours of care will be given and what includes in the care? You need to know the minimum number of hours of care which will be provided by your patient in that facility daily. 

Meeting time:

How many times are you allowed to meet your loved one and if there will be an emergency meeting, what policy do they follow? 

Exit fee:

What is their policy if you decide to leave the facility early? Do they charge any exit fees? Some home care facilities charge a big amount of fee if you exit early. You should know of any such policy beforehand.

Senior Buddies, Your Trusted In-Home Care in Dallas, TX

Selecting a facility for your aging loved one is a big and sensitive decision to make. It needs you to be committed both emotionally and financially. You should communicate to the people involved before finalizing a decision. There ought to be a lot of factors that you should weigh in on before ultimately deciding on one particular facility. At Senior Buddies, we help you decide and we give you enough time to make a good decision. We got you, always.