Parent Care Blog
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11 Keys for Choosing Home Health Care Agencies

When the time comes to look at health care for your parents or other family members in need of assistance, there’s a lot to consider. How do you navigate this tricky part of life in a way that still affords everyone their dignity and doesn’t make anyone feel like a burden? Who can keep your parents feeling loved and tended to? There are several important things to look for in home health care agencies, and they’re worth finding to ensure that the people you love most get the best care possible.

11 Keys for Choosing Home Health Care Agencies

1. Look for Personalized Care

When you go to the doctor, there’s no one special pill you can take to cure any medical issue. The same must be said of home health care – there’s no one way to look after every patient. The best home health care agencies will come to your home for a consultation, where they can observe the needs and routines of your parent. From there, they’ll tailor a thoughtful care plan specifically to suit your parent’s needs.

That might involve day-to-day tasks and errands but also bigger picture aspects – will your parents require daytime companionship or overnight care? Will your nurse need to be multilingual? How long will a carer be needed? All these questions and more will be carefully considered to ensure your family is getting the absolute best care possible.

2. Part of the Family

A carer will spend so much time with your loved ones that they can end up as another family member. So why not find a carer who you’d want to be part of your family? The best aides are caring well beyond the job descriptions and look after your parents as though they’re their own.

That means getting to know them, communicating clearly and openly with them, noticing and slotting into the family dynamic, and above all else, treating your parents with respect and affection. They’ll deliver light and joy to your parents when you can’t, and make certain that they’re embracing and relishing this time in their lives. An agency that puts family first is an agency you can trust.

3. The Agency Works as a Family, Too

And how can you ensure carers will treat your parents with heart and soul? Look to the health care agency they’ve come from. The best agencies will have their transparent systems of open communication in place, constantly checking in with one another and making sure all employees are getting the help they require to do the best job possible. A better business means better care for your family.

4. Flexible With Their To-Do Lists

While a good carer might come to work knowing what their usual duties are, the best ones will be willing to adapt to whatever those in their care require. While their tasks might usually involve grocery shopping, dietary monitoring, laundry, and grooming, they’d be more than happy to help out with transportation or emotional support if required.

5. Short-Term As Well as Long-Term Care

Perhaps your loved one only needs temporary care as they recover from surgery, momentary disability, physical disability, or whatever else. Trained aides can help with simple but critical steps such as walking, turning, positioning, and helping to improve ones’ range of motion. They can also assist in daily activities that have become a lot harder.

If, however, your parents require ongoing assistance, then a good home health care agency provides that, too. An agency that can offer both has lots of experience with all the issues that might arise as you care for your loved ones.

6. Willing To Help You With Your Finances

Arranging care for one’s parents or relatives is a task that can be complicated and emotional – so when, on top of that, things start to get expensive, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But an expert health care agency will do everything to make you feel at ease with your finances, understanding that peace of mind extends to not worrying about your budget.

So whether it’s guiding you through a long-term financial strategy, offering advice on supplemental insurance, or even do the comprehensive research on subsidies and Medicaid for you, you should feel like your agency is looking after you, rather than their wallet.

7. Trained Care at Every Level

It goes without saying that your loved ones must be in the safest and best-equipped hands, no matter what level of care they’re receiving. While nurses must be registered and health aides must be certified, it’s important to look for qualifications and evidence of training in every role.

Agencies that focus on professional development and offer programs and Continued Education for their employees demonstrate not just the best care for your family, but also an admirable passion for teaching and affording people opportunities.

8. A Personal Say in Care

What if you’re worried about the person looking after your parents? Or maybe you have someone you trust who you’d like to take on a carer role? Good health care agencies now offer services that allow you to select, hire, train, and even dismiss assistants.

So, not only do you get a say in who steps into this carer role, but they could be someone you already know and have confidence in – or perhaps even a family member, who can be paid for their time and work.

9. Honored to Serve

Carers should think of the chance to look after and get to know your parents as more than just a source of income, though, of course, it is that. But it’s also a privilege, and the best agencies offer you carers who know that; carers who consider this job their life’s purpose and are thrilled to be playing a part in your family’s history.

10. Ready To Take Your Call

Whether there is already a carer by your parent’s side or you’re still considering the best route to take, the best agencies will be happy to chat over the phone and field any and all questions you might have. So if you need to make any updates to your carer’s routine, or you’re wondering if the agency has a service on offer to fit your family’s needs, you can just pick up the phone – a good health care agency will always be on the other end of the line.

11. A Variety of Offerings

The best agencies recognize that the elderly aren’t the only ones in need of looking after. Newborn babies often require just as much care and attention – often more! Newborn caregivers are specifically trained to look after babies and can assist with bathing, feeding, maternity services, and medical monitoring until your baby grows stronger. A good service can provide help for anyone in your home who needs it!

No one should ever feel stressed or guilty at the thought of leaving their loved ones in the care of someone else. By looking for home health care agencies who are compassionate, attentive, considerate of your finances, and truly happy to be a part of your family, then you’ll know your parents aren’t just in safe hands – they’re enjoying their golden years. Call Parent Care Home Care to learn more today.

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