6 COMMON MISTAKES MADE WHEN CHOOSING A HOME CARE AGENCY
While there is a lot of information available on what questions to ask when looking for a home care service, it’s just as important to know what wrong decisions to avoid throughout the hiring process.
In this article, Stay Home Forever brings to light some of the prevalent errors that could put the lives of a loved one at great risk. They have put together a list of the most common mistakes people make when choosing a care provider and how you can avoid them.
1. Lack of clarity about the range of services available
When you start looking for a home service, it will possibly be for a specific reason. Your parent might be recovering from an illness or surgery, or may be in the early stages of dementia, Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s, or might just be having mobility issues with age.
So today, you might be looking for a PSW to visit regularly, but as time passes, they may require housekeeping services, shopping assistance, food preparation assistance, or simply assistance in getting out of the house to enjoy the beautiful weather.
Make sure the agency you pick offers a wide range of services and who are flexible enough to work with your parents. Make that one decision, the only one you’ll have to make about your parents’ care.
2. Not checking if staff is properly trained or qualified
Verify that the agency has all the necessary documentation in place for every staff member who will be working with your parents.
Some of these documents include certificates (PSW/Nursing), proof of vaccines, valid police checks, and documentation of appropriate experience. Regular trainings should be held to ensure staff is equipped with latest regulations to all forms of care. All employees must be fully insured and covered by WSIB. This will ease pressure on you in case of any accidents within your home.
3. Making price the only criteria
The cost is not the only or even the most significant factor to consider when choosing a home care agency. Not when it comes to your parent’s safety and care. Ensure that your caregivers have received sufficient training. Meet them to understand if they truly empathize and will care for your parents the way you want them to be cared for.
Also, be aware that due to high demand in Ontario, there may be non-certified caregivers in service currently who may not be qualified professionally.
4. Hiring an agency without due diligence
Check to see how long your prospective agency has been in operation. Are there any Google or Facebook reviews available? Is your agency’s name known to the discharge nurse at your local hospital? Inquire about previous client testimonials or recommendations.
5. Forgetting to do the cost breakdown
If you request a variety of services to be performed, ask for a breakdown of each component to make sure it’s affordable.
For example, housekeeping will be a different cost than PSW or Nursing care. This deep-dive into pricing will help you plan a monthly budget that is affordable yet optimum to all needs.
6. Taking a decision based on your convenience, not your parents
While your parents’ bodies might be getting old, their minds may not. They want to be heard, and their views are taken into consideration. Listen to them, and make sure they get the opportunity to meet the agency with you and participate in the decision-making process.
To avoid these and other mistakes, reach out to the experts at Stay Home Forever. We are a senior care agency that offers a wide range of services to seniors and anyone looking for ways to live life to the fullest in the comfort of their own homes. We provide decision-making assistance to seniors and their loved ones that are tailored to their specific needs. We design a care plan together that transforms any concern you may have into a confident decision.
Our services are available to clients across Toronto and all of GTA. Ajax, Barrie, Bowmanville (coming soon), Clarington, Innisfil, Mississauga, Orillia, Oro-Medonte, Oshawa, Pickering, Ramara, Severn, Springwater, St. Catharines (coming soon), Toronto, Uxbridge, Vaughan, Whitby.
For a complete list of our services, please click here. If you have any questions about elder home care, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact us here.