There are many things to fear when your mom or dad decide to age in place or live out the rest of their lives at home. Luckily, there are tons of ways to keep your senior loved ones comfortable and safe during the aging process. It requires support from family, doctors, and 24-hour home care specialists. But how do you choose the right 24-hour home care service? Here are some of the best things to consider when choosing a professional caregiver.
Evaluate Your Loved One
Instead of assuming what your mom or dad needs, which can be insulting, ask them what they need help with. There are things 24-hour home care can and can’t do. If they need someone to administer medication, they may need a different professional. However, if they just need help sticking with a routine, grocery shopping, or even getting dressed for the day, these are all things that 24-hour home care can help them with. They may need someone there day or night, and that is something to discuss with the agency and your parents. But before you decide anything, it’s time to focus on what your loved one needs and who the best professional is to hire.
Set Up a Consultation
One of the best things about aging in place is that there are many options. You have tons of agencies with different prices who offer several different types of caregivers. You should first ask friends and family if they know anyone they trust and do your research. Once you have found a company you love and trust, it’s time to book a consultation. This doesn’t mean you’re locked into a price or anything, but it gives you a chance to get to know the company better and ask in-depth questions. This is one of the most important steps when looking for the right home care provider.
Interview as Many People as You Want
Any good agency will encourage you to interview as many caregivers as you need to find the right fit. You may want to do this in two stages. First, you and your siblings can interview a caregiver. Once you give them the okay, they can meet with our senior loved one to see if it fits. It is so crucial you never rush this process, and you find someone your loved one wants to be around and who has experience with some of their issues. If your loved one needs help bathing and getting dressed, it can be a very vulnerable position for them. They will need to be with someone they get along with and trust. Never rush this process because it can take time, and they will have to work on building a relationship together.
Keep Following Up
Once you find the right person, hire them on a trial basis. This allows your senior to get comfortable with them, create a routine, and get to know each other. Always check in with your senior to see if there are any areas that need to be improved. Then check in with the caregiver to see if they think there are other areas that need to be focused on. It is so important for everyone to be on the same page.