10 Important Questions to Ask Home Care Providers

When you’ve finally decided to hire a home care provider for your parent or loved one. Now comes the hard part: selecting the right provider for your needs. You need help caring for your loved one, but you don’t know where to begin.

Luckily, after some research and testing, you’ve narrowed down your list of potential home care providers to a few finalists. After all, you don’t want to spend time interviewing care providers only to end up disappointed with their level of care and responsiveness.

Instead, you want to find a provider who is responsive and provides excellent care so that your parent or loved one feels cared for while living in their own home as much as possible.

The right provider could be just around the corner waiting for an opportunity like this. Keep reading our article so that you can learn what questions to ask home care providers before making a final decision about hiring any senior home care provider.

What type of care do you provide?

It’s vital that you and your parent or loved one is completely satisfied with the type of care your provider provides. The care should be appropriate for the individual’s needs and desires.

It may be that your loved one wants assistance with certain daily activities, such as showering or getting dressed but is able to do these tasks independently. You can be the one to help them each day with these tasks, but you can’t perform them for them.

Other areas to consider when selecting the type of services your provider will provide are any dietary restrictions, health conditions that need to be monitored, and medications that need to be taken. Choosing a provider who can care for your loved one and their health conditions is extremely important.

How long have you been in business?

It’s important to know how long a home care provider has been in business, as it can give you an idea of their experience level and whether they’ve received any negative feedback from previous clients.

If the provider has a long history of successfully providing home care services, this is a good sign. Look for a provider who has been in business for at least a year, because their experience and skill level are much higher than those who have only been in business for a few months.

How do you charge for your services?

It’s also important to know how your provider charges for their services. You might be surprised at how much you spend on home care, so it’s important to get an idea of how much your provider charges.

Some home care providers offer a sliding scale, which means the amount you pay is based on your income level. Others charge a set rate. Make sure you find a provider who charges a price that is affordable to you and your family’s budget.

Is a contract required? If so, what’s included in the contract?

You want to hire a home care provider who will continue to provide good care as long as necessary. It can be a huge burden to worry about finding new care providers each month. Ideally, you want a provider who will continue to provide home care services for your loved one. Make sure the home care provider you hire offers a durable power of attorney (DPOA) to make sure that happens.

Some areas require a DPOA if you hire a home care provider. If so, make sure the home care provider you hire has a written DPOA contract. A DPOA lets your provider know your wishes for them to continue providing care should you become unable to handle these tasks yourself.

Are there any cancellation fees or penalties if you cancel your agreement?

Home care policies can vary greatly between providers. Some areas require providers to accept all clients, regardless of cancellation policies, while others limit how many cancellations per year a provider is allowed.

Make sure you understand your provider’s cancellation policies before you hire them. It’s also a good idea to speak to your loved one to find out what types of cancellations they’d be willing to accept.

If your loved one has a condition that requires medication administration, such as taking a daily dose of an insulin therapy, you might want to consider hiring a provider who provides daily home care services. Home care policies vary widely, so make sure you understand your provider’s policies.

Would verbal notice be possible before an official written notice is required to cancel the agreement?

It can be a hassle to cancel home care services. It’s not uncommon for clients to be relieved when they are able to cancel their provider and not have to worry about doing so. Make sure your provider offers a verbal notice period before they require a written notice to cancel the agreement.

What are your hours of operation and how flexible are they?

Home care providers have their own work schedules, and sometimes they work less hours than you do. Make sure the home care provider you hire can provide you with the hours you need and any possible schedule changes.

Is there a one-time training requirement before your parent or loved one can be cared for by your provider?

It’s important that your loved one and the home care provider both understand their responsibilities under the agreement. You don’t want your loved one to be in an unfamiliar environment or without the knowledge or assistance they need.

Make sure the home care provider you hire conducts a thorough home care training course for their staff. Some areas require home care providers to be certified or trained. Make sure the home care provider you hire has the appropriate training and certification to provide home care services.

Do you have 24/7 emergency response services?

Home care policies vary widely between providers, and you want to make sure the provider you hire has the requisite emergency response services. Some states require home care providers to have a certain number of certified first responders on staff.

Final thoughts

Taking care of a loved one is a challenge, but it can be made easier with the right home care provider. Finding the right home care provider for your loved one can be difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. By using the tips outlined above and the questions to ask home care providers you can quickly find the right provider for your loved one.

Want to learn more?

Reach us at wecare@considracare.com, or call us at 1-855-410-7971, and we will be happy to assist. Discover more tips in our information booklets or on our resources page.