Every family starts their search for home care in a place of anxiety. Maybe mom fell and bruised herself. Maybe dad has not been eating and the doctor has now told you someone needs to check on him every day. And now, it’s your job to find a stranger who can be trusted to enter your parent’s home and help them with the most intimate of tasks.
This is not like shopping for a car or a plumber. You can’t find an immediate set of metrics to compare. All of the agencies say the same thing on their website. The stakes feel high because your parents needs are on the line.
So how do you find the agencies that make empty promises versus those that actually provide great care?
Pay Attention To Their Response To Basic Questions
Here’s the deal. You can learn so much from how an agency responds after you first make contact with them.
Contact a few different agencies. Notice how quickly they respond to you. Are they direct in answering your questions or do they give you vague sales-y responses?
Ask them how they screen their caregivers. Good agencies should be able to tell you all about background checks, verification of references, and about any certifications that are required. If they fumble the answer or give you vague statements about “thorough vetting”, that’s a red flag.
Ask what will happen if a caregiver does not show up or calls off. Good agencies will have mechanisms in place to ensure your parent does not get left hanging in times that they expect assistance.
The Training Question Nobody Asks
Most families ask if the caregivers who work for the agency are trained. But a better question is: what are they trained in and how often is their training completed?
Some agencies send caregivers into the world with little training to speak of while other agencies utilize ongoing training programs that focus on issues like dementia care, fall prevention, medication reminders and changes in patient status. This question could change everything down the line when your parent has an issue that the caregiver has never encountered.
Ask if caregivers are trained in any matters relating specifically to your parent. If dad has Parkinson’s or mom had a stroke, the person who will be helping with these issues should know this about your parent. Elder care alone does not always account for these nuances.
The Supervision That Makes Or Breaks Quality Care
This may be one of the biggest deciding factors in whether an agency is average or excellent: supervision of their caregivers. Some agencies work on an “out of sight, out of mind” principle while others will be sure to check in on caregivers routinely.
Ask how often an agency will be in contact with your parent or how often they will see them. An excellent agency will have a system of making sure caregivers are performing their duties and also checking on how satisfied parents are with their caregivers.
Ask if caregivers will get regular evaluations and if there are any professionals overseeing their work. Confirm whether there are professionals who can be contacted in an emergency who have full authority to make decisions instead of just passing on messages to others.
When families search for Home Care Harrisburg services or providers in their area, those with these systems outshine all other agencies because they can proactively solve problems before they turn into disasters.
You Meet More Than Just An Agency
This might seem obvious but not every agency allows families to meet caregivers before they begin to provide care to your parent—and this should be a deal-breaker.
A good agency will come and meet with you and your parent prior to providing their first service. The meeting should incorporate everyone so that they can gauge how the interactions go, whether your parent is comfortable with the caregiver and whether the caregiver asked the right questions about their routine and preferences.
Observe how the caregiver interacts with your parent during the meeting. Do they talk to them or just you? Do they only answer questions asked by you? Do they seem rushed and impatient? Your gut feelings during this meeting are worth more than you think.
What Does The Contract Say (Not Just The Price)?
Contracts have a lot more in them than just the price of services and policies regarding payment.
Don’t just skim over these points when you are signing up with an agency.
Pay attention to how much notice they want if you want to cancel services. What about change in services? Some agencies want you to commit to a minimum amount of hours while others might charge you if you cancel an appointment in the hour immediately prior to its scheduled time.
Ask if there are any additional fees for services such as holiday services or last minute requests. Many agencies charge these fees and families often forget about them until they need something urgent from their caregivers.
Get a sense of what is and what isn’t included in your payment plan when it comes to services rendered. Hidden fees are rampant in this field and can add up like crazy.
Ask what their policy entails if the caregiver does not mesh well with the parent. Or if you have any other issues with caregivers that have been assigned. Will they allow you to switch without charge? How long will it take them if you request a change?
Red Flags That Make You Want To Look Elsewhere
If you notice any of the following red flags, start running:
If the agency makes you feel pressured to make a decision right away and like you will regret it if you look elsewhere, that’s a bad sign. Good agencies understand that this is a big decision for families when searching for assistance for their parents.
Ask if they could provide other families who could give a reference to their services in writing? If they can’t provide that, that’s another red flag. Most of the time agencies are proud to share current clients (with their permission) who will speak highly of the agency’s services.
If they make promises about the services that non-medical aides can provide and it seems even mildly medical, make sure it’s not done unless the caregivers are medical professionals. These caregivers have limitations and the agency should respect these limitations.
Finally: if the pricing is too good to be true compared to other agencies, it probably is. This could suggest that aides working for these agencies are not well-paid and this could cause turnover or it could mean corners are being cut when it comes to training caregivers and screening them.
The First Month Is The Real Test
Even with all the vetting, it’s during the first month that families will know if they made the right or wrong decision so keep your eyes peeled. Is the caregiver able to show up on time every time? Are they able to accomplish the tasks they have been assigned to assist your parent with? If things are slipping through the cracks, this is not a good sign.
Has your parent taken a liking to the caregiver during this time? Remember: no one can replace adult children when it comes to companionship so if your parent is still miserable when you’re not around, something is not working.
Good agencies will also contact you after these first few weeks so pay attention when that happens too; if it does not happen—especially if problems start arising—get out of there. Do not wait for issues that might arise to ruin everything, but voice your concerns as soon as possible so problems do not become bigger problems later on down the road.
What Families Do Wrong When Finding Home Care
The most common mistake families make when searching for home care is making decisions based solely on price or availability.
It is tough out there looking for affordable care options and when parents call in with needs, families often need someone available immediately so they run the risk of providing their parents inadequate care from inexperienced agencies.
However, keep these words in mind: “you get what you pay for” and “beggars can’t be choosers.” While those phrases may not apply to choosing a car or a plumber, they absolutely apply when it comes to selecting an agency who will send someone responsible for your parent’s care day in and day out.
Choosing an agency who is able to send someone right away might be compromising because this means that other elderly people needing assistance are satisfied with their services.
Spending a week or two—and really doing your research—about which agency might be best suited for your parent almost always pays off. Your parent will be far more comfortable and experience far less problems than if you had rushed into things.
