Home help care services are convenient as long as they are readily extending you dedicated services at affordable costs. Families are happy to receive health services from qualified and professional staff, whereas the nurses are also compensated for their great services quite well along with fringe benefits.
However, you should put forth certain questions in front of the home help services providers before signing a contract with them. You shouldn’t be hesitant because reputed and professional health care service providers will be more than happy to offer answers to ward off your apprehensions.
1. How Long Has Your Institution Been In This Business And What Is Their Background?
Everyone looks for reputable and professional home help care institutions that have a successful track record spanning for years. But what you should do, is gather primary information about the institution’s ownership, legal standing, registration, services rendered, certifications, expertise, and licensing as well as the background of the professionals who run it.
2. What Are The Credentials Of The Home Care Aides And Nurses?
It is highly significant to enquire about the credentials of home care aides and nurses. These include formal qualifications, certifications, specializations, training, experience, etc. Also, ensure that these health workers hold valid licenses to practice in your state, as well as have no felonies registered against them.
3. How Does Agency Monitor The Progress Of The Worker As Well As How Can The Family Provide Feedback?
Every reputed home help services institution ensures developing quality assurance measures as a yardstick to monitor the progress of their health aides. One of the ways is to visit the homes of individual clients and take physical note of the performance of the health workers. Otherwise they may call up the client to enquire about progress, developments and gather feedback according to specific needs.
Also ask who to contact in case you want answers to certain questions regarding any special needs of your patient. Asking this will ensure that you will be directed promptly in the hour of critical need.
4. What If A Nurse Or Home Care Aide Is Absent On A Particular Day?
This is a very important question as it might hamper your work schedule. There can be instances when the health work aide or the nurse can fall sick which will be a legitimate day off. However, you need to ensure the kind of protocol substituted by the institution to cover up the absence. Established home care providers have plans already put up in case of absences of health workers. Usually, they send in another health worker to compensate until your designated worker is back. Ask about the substitute health aide in case the health worker fails to register his/her absence with both you and the institution.
5. Can The Company Provide Testimonials Or References?
Mostly, reputed and professional home care service providers facilitate references from renowned health specialists, social workers, head nurses, as well as clients. Also, there are pages on the website that are absolutely dedicated to the testimonials from customers who have hired their services in the past.