Most people have heard about in-home care for seniors, but a lot of times, it’s assumed that this care revolves around medical needs. This isn’t always the case. Some home care for seniors relates to helping an older individual with daily living activities, such as meal preparation, dressing, and bathing. For those who can’t always be there for an elderly loved one, this kind of service can bridge the gap and offer lots of benefits.
However, it’s essential to choose the right option for in-home senior care, so that means knowing a little about how these services work.
What Kind of Care Does the Person Need?
Before choosing an in-home senior care service, it’s essential to determine what kind of care is needed. For instance, one individual might need help with housework and remember to take medications while another may want companionship, meal preparation, and transportation. Consider what your aging loved one needs help with and then weigh the different care options against that. Being aware of what care is needed is essential when choosing the right provider.
To have an idea of what kind of care is provided with the in-home senior care company, some of the most common services include the following:
- Ambulating
- Bathing and hygiene
- Dressing
- Eating
- Housework
- Managing finances
- Meal preparing
- Medication management
- Shopping
- Toileting
- Transferring
- Transportation
What Questions Should You Ask the Care Giver?
When it comes to choosing in-home senior care, you want to be sure you’re getting the best services possible. Asking the right questions of potential providers can go a long way toward ensuring that. Make a list of questions that you want to ask the services you are interested in. A few that you might want to add to the list include:
- What kind of staff are provided, and how are they selected and screened?
- During what hours are care available, and what services aren’t provided by your company?
- What kind of support and training is provided to the caregivers?
- What is the cost of service, and how are the prices determined?
- Do you provide satisfaction reports and references for your caregivers?
- Who owns the agency, and how long have they owned it?
After speaking with potential in-home senior care companies, make sure to check their references. Having someone who is professional and dedicated to outstanding performance is essential. Knowing whether past clients are satisfied will give you a good indication of whether it’s the right company for your needs. From there, you can decide who stands out.
Make sure to talk to current or former clients, including their family members, to get an idea of how the entire experience is. Ask about the quality of the caregiver, how responsive and professional the company is, and how they rate the value and quality of the services provided. This will give you the information you need to move forward and make a decision about whether the company is right for your needs.
