Hiring anyone often takes practice to get better at it. If you’ve ever had experience with hiring for a business — as an owner, manager, or in some other capacity — you understand this. At first, you probably didn’t hire very well. Maybe you got really lucky on one great candidate but then had five hires who were, in a word, mistakes.
Fortunately, you could terminate, change your mind, and look for somebody else. In the meantime, it might cost you some items, cash from the registers, or customer satisfaction. Those are all things that will negatively impact your business, but they are also things you can recover from in most cases.
But what about when it comes to finding the right home care for an aging parent, like your mother? What if you hire the wrong home care for her? What if you go about it in the wrong way?
Most people don’t have experience hiring for home care, but making a mistake in this area can cost in ways you don’t even want to think about. That’s why it is essential that when you are looking into home care and realize that in-home care is the best way to go because that’s exactly what your aging mother or other loved one wants (to age in place), that you take your time and do it right the first time around.
We put together a few tips for hiring the right home care support for your elderly mother, father, grandparent, spouse, or other loved one.
Tip #1: Always hire through a Home Care Agency.
A lot of people may lean toward hiring an independent caregiver, but they do that to try and save money. When you boil it all down, hiring independently or through an agency comes out to close to the same amount of money.
So, in short, don’t hire based on how much it costs. Instead, look at what your mother or other senior will get in this relationship.
With an independent home care aide, if they are sick, who is going to support that senior? You might have to take time off from your job, and you might not even know if that caregiver doesn’t reach out and let you know in time.
With an agency, there are plenty of other home care workers in that agency who can step in if the primary aide is unavailable because of sickness or some other last-minute emergency.
Also, when you hire an agency, the aides are often well-trained and supported, and have great emotional support from their fellow home care aides and the administrators to ensure they do well in their responsibilities.
Tip #2: Include mom in the process.
Include the senior in the hiring process. Talk about this type of elder care. When you sit down and discuss things with the caregiver or have questions about the agency, make sure your mother is included in that process, if she wants to be and is lucid enough to understand.
The more included she is in this process, the more comfortable she will be with the provider who is chosen, ultimately.
Tip #3: Determine the level of support she needs.
Does she need a couple of hours three days a week? Does she need eight hours five days a week? The more you have clarity on this topic, the easier it’s going to be to find the right home care provider for her.
Tip #4: Ask specific questions about home care and the potential aides.
You want to get a clear idea of who these home care aides are, who would be working with your mother, and any other specific questions you have about the agency, how they operate, and how they deal with specific situations and scenarios.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions. And don’t be afraid to talk things over with your mother so you can both make the right decision for her.
If you or an aging loved one is considering Home Care in Smithtown, NY, please contact the caring staff at Help at Home today at (631) 859-3435
Help at Home is a top provider of home care services in Islip, Babylon, Huntington, Smithtown, Brookhaven, Hempstead & Oyster Bay, and surrounding areas on Long Island & NYC. We serve Brooklyn, Queens, Nassau, and Suffolk Counties.
Whether you or a loved one is recuperating from an illness or a senior requiring care, we can help. Help at Home is committed to providing quality home care at affordable rates. Helping a patient remain in the comfort and security of their home is our goal. We are the best alternative to nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Help at Home caregivers
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