Witnessing the incapacitating effects of old age on your senior loved ones can be a particularly bitter pill to swallow. They were the loving parents that took care of you and raised you into the man or woman you are today. Now, the tides have turned and the same parents are looking up to you for care.
Unfortunately, this is often the time when most adult children are trying to balance their time between building their careers and raising their own kids. This makes it hard for them to find enough time to dedicate to their aging parents. This is when senior in-home care becomes an option worth exploring.
Here’s a check list of points you should ask a potential senior in-home care agency before hiring one of their caregivers:
| What you need to know about a potential senior in-home care agency: | Why A Peaceful Way Home Care (APWHC) is the right fit: |
|---|---|
| Is your agency licensed, bonded and insured? | APWHC is a fully licensed agency. We also make sure that all our caregivers are insured and bonded so that burden and risk doesn’t fall on our clients. In case of caregiver injury, they are covered by our Workers’ Compensation insurance. |
| Are the caregivers employees or independent caregivers? | APWHC caregivers are employees and not independent contractors. This means our clients will not have to take on any of the responsibilities of being an employer such as taxes and payroll. |
| What hours and days are in-home care available? | At APWHC, we structure a senior care plan that meets our clients’ needs. Whether they need help 24/7 or for just a few hours per week, we’re always there to make life easier for them. |
| How soon can you place a caregiver? | We are highly responsive, so we normally place a caregiver as soon as our clients need them. We’re sure to evaluate the client’s personal situation first and then have a compatible caregiver in place on day one. |
| How do you ensure that you have the best caregivers? | When hiring caregivers, we assess their merits through interviews and subject them to thorough background checkups. All caregivers are licensed with the state and must clear a criminal background check with FBI and Department of Justice (DOJ). |
| Describe the training and continuing education you provide to caregivers. | We make sure that all our caregivers are well prepared to tackle anything. We adhere to a comprehensive training curriculum and offer continued training to our caregivers. |
| Can I get a caregiver who has experience with a specific chronic disease? | For some chronic conditions, we are able to match patients with specific caregivers. For most seniors, we are able to match a uniquely qualified caregiver who meets their other stated criteria. |
| What is your process if the primary assigned caregiver cannot come to work or takes a vacation? | The owner of the agency and Care Managers are available 24/7 for any emergencies. If a caregiver is unable to report to work, it is our Care Manager’s responsibility to find a replacement from our pool of experienced caregivers. In rare situations where we can not find a replacement, the Care Manager must work the shift. We will notify the client or family members prior to the replacement caregiver starting the shift. |
| What steps do you take to ensure the substitute caregiver is able to provide, as much as possible, the same level of care as the primary caregiver? | All of our substitute caregivers are full time employees who work with other clients. All of our caregivers must meet the same requirements in order to be part of our team. Our Care Manager will review the case with the substitute and the primary caregiver will discuss the particulars with the substitute prior to starting the shift. The substitute caregiver will also review the care notebook that is on the client premises upon their arrival. In case of vacation, the substitute will be trained by the primary caregiver at no expense to the client. |
| What does your agency do if the caregiver placed doesn’t work out? | We do our best to place the most compatible caregiver match for our clients. If for any reason the caregiver placed doesn’t work out, we work immediately to place a replacement. |
| How quickly will you be able to respond to an emergency? | The owner (Terry) and Care Manager are available 24/7 (via cell phone). No answering service or answering machine. |
We can refer a caregiver that is uniquely qualified to care for your loved one and who meets your other stated criteria.
Before hiring a caregiver from any senior in-home care agency in Palos Verdes, it’s important that you start with an honest discussion that can lead to an arrangement that everyone understands and agrees to. Asking the above questions will help you choose an agency that’s serious about putting the needs of its clients first.
A Peaceful Way Home Care in Palos Verdes is a quality, in-home care agency, dedicated to finding the most appropriate and compatible caregiver for each client. Call us today at (310) 377-3776 to start the process of finding a quality, compassionate home caregiver for your loved one.
Are you looking for a senior in-home caregiver? Download our interview form with the above questions and use when you talk to potential caregiver agencies.