Proper caregiving of the elderly in our families or people living with disabilities is very important to their recovery journey and overall physical and emotional health. If you have decided to outsource caregiving services for your loved ones, the best option is to work with a home care agency. With the number of COVID-19 infections surging every day, home care is becoming the most secure form of caregiving for seniors as they are less exposed to this deadly virus. Today, there are hundreds of home care agencies, and choosing the right one can be a challenging process especially if you don’t know what to expect from a good home care agency.

Your loved ones deserve the best care. There are certain minimum standards that a home care agency must achieve for you to have confidence in their home care services. In this guide, we shall focus on the benefits of hiring the right home care agency for your loved ones amid the pandemic.

1. Safety is guaranteed.
   One of the things that families looking for the right home care agency can’t compromise is the safety of their loved ones. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed home care agencies to be more proactive when it comes to taking necessary safety measures. The agency of your choice should demonstrate the precautionary measures it has taken to ensure its clients and caregiving staff are safe.

   A good home care agency protects your loved ones’ dignity and their basic human rights. There are also enough caregivers to ensure your loved ones get adequate attention and worthy services that are not rushed. If the caregiver assigned to your loved one is going to leave on short notice, you are informed immediately so that you can be actively involved in getting a suitable replacement.
   

2. Experienced caregivers can offer personalized services.
   For seniors and persons living with disabilities, every person’s care needs are different. That’s where the need for experienced caregivers comes in. Before you settle on a particular home care agency, it’s important to ensure that you have confirmed that the caregiver that will be assigned to your loved one is licensed. They should also have the relevant experience and training in that particular area before they can take care of your loved ones.

   A good home care agency has experienced home caregivers who are well-trained and experienced in handling common senior health conditions such as Alzheimer’s, dementia, diabetes, wounds, and high blood pressure, among others.

3. Excellent emergency response is put in place.
   A good home care agency should have experienced in-home caregivers who are well-trained in how to handle emergencies and accidents. The staff should also know how to give your loved ones their medications and store them safely. Your loved ones should also be educated about the medicine and necessary support to be provided so that they can develop some level of independence.

   All the home care equipment used by your prospective home care agency and its staff should be of high quality and well-maintained to minimize any damage or accidents.

4. You are involved in decision-making.
   Hiring the right home care agency means you expect you and your loved ones to be treated with the right decorum. If the agency assigns a new caregiver to provide the home care services, they should be introduced to you and your loved ones officially. The staff chosen should also have the right qualifications and experience in care services that your loved ones require.

   If a major decision has to be made, a good home care agency will always ask you to consent to the recommended care and clearly explain the possible outcomes. When the agency’s in-home caregivers understand your loved ones’ health needs and personal preferences, it becomes easy to establish good relationships and offer their seamless care services.

5. A continuous care assessment plan will be provided.
   Your prospective home care agency should have the ability to develop a written care plan by closely consulting you, other family members, and your loved ones. Holding such discussions help caregivers define specific care requirements, treatment plans, and the required professional support.

   Having a written care plan will help the assigned home care staff to understand the required personalized care that they need to provide for your loved ones to recover and feel valued. It will also outline their working hours and the steps they need to take in case of any emergencies. The plan is frequently updated to reflect your loved ones’ most present preferences, goals, and recovery journey.

6. You are highly protected from any contingency.If you happen to hire a private home caregiver without proper due diligence and they harm your loved ones or steal your valuables, you will have no one to place the blame on. However, if you hire the right home care agency, they will provide you with well-vetted and trained home caregivers. Home care agencies are also required by law to have insurance policies to cater for such eventualities, something that can give you and your loved one’s peace of mind by knowing that your risks are minimized.If your assigned caregiver is not available due to job changes or happens to get some medical emergencies, a good home care agency can communicate in time and provide an instant replacement to ensure your loved ones continue to get proper care around the clock.
7. The staff is given much-needed support by functional management.When you have a well-functioning and objective home care agency management, you can be assured of high-quality, efficient, and personalized home care services for your loved ones. A written care plan helps the caregivers to know what is expected of them. They can know the needs of each care receiver, something that helps them connect with them at a personal level.Where there is a good management system, caregivers are given a good platform to share their views. This information can help address any problem or improve the quality of service. Managers of properly functioning home care agencies take the concerns and improvement ideas raised and incorporate them when making any future resolutions and plans. Great managers understand their responsibilities and they acknowledge mistakes in case of a gap in proper home care service delivery.

Conclusion

Home care has been proven to be one of the most cost-effective forms of healthcare delivery. Patients get to recover faster when they’re well taken care of in the comfort of their homes. A good home care agency should provide a care plan for your loved ones that meets your budget without compromising the level of client satisfaction. When selecting the best home care agency, you should be guided by the needs of your loved ones and choose the one that guarantees the best home care services for them.