Choosing a senior care agency for your aging parent or family member is one of the most important decisions you can make for his or her long term health, happiness, and safety. It’s essential that you choose someone you trust, and that you feel confident in the agency’s ability to provide quality, compassionate care.
But making that decision isn’t always easy. How do you know if the agency will be available when you need them? What services do they provide? How will the caregiver treat your Mom or Dad?
Getting satisfactory answers to your questions should rank high on your list of priorities when evaluating the options available to you. Before you head into an interview with an agency representative, carefully consider what you want to ask so you will have peace of mind with your decision.
Choosing a Senior Care Agency: Ohio Residents Should Ask These 10 Questions First
As you select a home care agency in Ohio, take your time in getting to know their services, approach to care, and reputation. Print out this list of questions to ask during your interview, and be sure you feel 100% comfortable with each answer:
- How long have you operated in Ohio?
- Do you have a business license and liability insurance? Do you belong to any professional industry associations?
- Do you involve family members and the client himself or herself in developing the care plan? How do you determine when changes need to be made?
- How do you document patient care? Do you assign specific tasks that the caregiver must perform? Do you provide a copy of the care documentation for family members?
- Do you provide access to services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? Is someone available to answer questions or respond to emergencies at all times?
- How do you select, train, and manage your caregivers? What is your interviewing process? How many interviews do you perform before hiring a caregiver?
- How do you oversee the quality of care each client receives? Do supervisors make visits to the client in his or her home?
- Who can we call if we have questions or complaints?
- Do you charge any deposits, fees, or extra costs in addition to the service charge?
- Do you have a national company doing surveys on your clients and caregivers to measure quality and satisfaction? How does your agency do in these surveys? Have you won any national awards?
As you speak with agency representatives, be sure they answer each question fully and that you feel confident in their ability to provide adequate care for your loved one. The more questions you ask, the better you will understand how the agency operates and what you can expect from your family member’s caregiver.
If you are looking for more information about choosing an agency and evaluating the quality and range of services, download our free Guide.
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