Home Care Live-In Workers vs Shift Workers

Home Health Care Basics

Most in-home care is non-medical by nature. Options in this category include companionship, meal preparation, laundry, housekeeping, transportation, shopping, and possibly money management. 

Non-medical care professionals can also assist with essential daily activities, such as bathing, eating, dressing, and more. Homemakers or home aides typically provide non-medical home care.

Questions to Ask Home Care Providers

Hiring a home care professional can be an emotional and nerve-wracking decision. That said, it’s critical to approach the process with a clear-eyed, level-headed disposition to ensure the senior in question gets the best care possible.

Some questions you should consider asking potential home care providers include (but are not limited to):

• How long have you been a home care provider? 
• What certifications do you have?
• Will you develop a customized care plan for my loved one?
• How will you consult with their physician before and after starting the position?
• How do you respond to emergencies or scheduling changes?
• Can I have a copy of your rights and responsibilities of providers, patients, and caregivers?
• How do you handle billing and expenses?

Also, it’s essential to avoid making common missteps during the hiring process, such as:

• Making assumptions about what a caregiver can and cannot do. If you’re unsure of any details at any point in the process, ask questions. If your caregiver(s) work for an agency, policies and contingency plans will differ from organization to organization, so be sure to cover all your informational bases.
• Setting unclear expectations and care parameters. Just because home care professionals may advise a particular kind of care doesn’t always mean it’s key to enhancing a senior’s health and well-being in the short-term. Ensure that the caregiver understands which immediate concerns to address first. If you can’t provide them with a definitive answer, don’t be afraid to ask for a second opinion from their doctor.

As a family member, the transfer of crucial knowledge goes both ways. You need to be prepared to answer at least the basic questions about a senior’s current health conditions, medicinal regimen, care needs, likes, and dislikes.

What to Expect on the First Day | Home Health Care

Whether the caregiver has been hired through an agency or not, your family may have already met them. That said, it’s important to make them feel welcome and start the proceedings on the right foot.

If the caregiver has been hired through an agency, the care supervisor will almost always accompany the professional to ensure that everything runs smoothly and that all sides have their questions answered and their tensions eased.