What is home care?
A home care agency provides services that do not require a licensed professional or a physician's prescription. A home care worker can help a person with activities like remembering to take medications; preparing meals; transferring from chair, toilet or bed; bathing; getting dressed; light housekeeping or transportation to and from doctors' appointments. A home care worker can also provide companionship to an older adult or an adult with a disability - engaging in a favorite hobby, watching movies or simply conversing.
What to ask?
When you interview a home care agency, there are a number of important questions to ask:
- May I see a sample service agreement?
- How do you supervise and oversee the care provided by your caregivers?
- Are your services covered by long-term care insurance and will you process the paperwork?
- Are the caregivers your employees?
- Who is responsible for paying taxes and Social Security for the caregivers?
- What type of training do your employees receive when they’re hired?
- Do you conduct criminal background checks on your employees and are they bonded?
- How long have most of your employees worked for you?
- What is the background of your average caregiver?
- How do you ensure that the caregiver and the person receiving care will be compatible?
- Please describe how workers have been trained to communicate with people who have cognitive disabilities such as dementia.
- Can you put me in touch with someone who has used your services?
Just remember
- A home care agency provides non-medical services that ease the burden of caring at home for an older adult or an adult with a disability.
- A home care worker can provide everything from companionship to assistance with daily activities such as transferring, bathing, dressing, meal preparation, medication reminders and light housekeeping.
- Home care services are not covered by Medicare. They may, however, be covered by long-term care insurance and - depending on your situation.
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