One of the most sought after services is that of in-home care. Because of this, there is an ever-increasing growth of in-home care service providers. While this growth does make it simple to acquire a wide range of in-home services, it also makes choosing a service provider a bit difficult. Let’s dive right in and take a close look at what in-home care is and how to choose the best service provider.

Understanding In-home Care

When a person receives in-home care, he or she is provided one-on-one assistance from a nanny, loved one or service provider. For the most part, a service provider is hired when a loved one is not able to provide the in-home care that is needed. Even though paying for such services can be quite pricey, the peace of mind gained by the loved ones of the person receiving the care is priceless.

Common In-home Care Services

When receiving care in the home, a service provider can provide both medical and non-medical assistance. From the administering of medications and injections to helping with regular daily living tasks, such as giving baths, there are many benefits gained from partnering with an in-home care provider. Other common services provided include:

– Personal care
– Meal preparation
– Supervision
– Light housekeeping
– Assistance in using the toilet
– Assistance in getting dressed
– Running errands
– Shopping
– Assistance in eating
– Assistance in walking
– Providing transportation
– Companionship
– Using the phone
– Managing money

How Much Do the Services Costs?

The amount of money that must be paid to acquire in-home care depends on the agency the services are obtained through. Furthermore, the amount of services that are needed affect pricing. For example, a person who requires only two to three different services will of course pay less money than someone who requires seven or eight services. On average, however, a person can expect to be out anywhere from $60 to $300 a week or more for in-home care services.

Tips for Choosing the Best In-Home Care Service Provider

The first step in choosing the best in-home care service provider is acquiring several names of different providers. After this, a thorough research needs to be conducted on each provider. While completing this research, the following questions need to be asked and answered:

– How long has the service provider been carrying out in-home care services?
– Does the service provider provide any type of documentation upon request, such as a detailed “Patient Bill of Rights?”
– How many employees does the provider have, and are each of these workers properly trained?
– Does the provider create a treatment care plan, and if so, are family members and loved ones included?
– When changes take place to the treatment care plan, are family members and loved ones notified?
– Is everything documented? For example, on a daily basis, or at least every day that services are provided, are the details of the services documented?
– Is documentation of services provided given to both the patient as well as his or her family members and loved ones?
– Is education provided to family members and loved ones in regards to how they can better help the person receiving in-home care?
– In addition to the workers providing in-home care, is their supervisor who comes by at least once a week to make sure proper care is being provided?
– Who is to be contacted when a patient, family member or loved one has a question or complaint?
– What is the complaint process?
– What are the associated fees for the services rendered?
– Are invoices and receipts provided for the acquired services?
– Are payment plans made available?
– What type of emergency plan does the service provider have?
– Are the services available 24 hours a day, seven days a week?
– Does the service provider abide by confidentiality laws and regulations?

After each of these questions have been answered, it will become much easier to choose the best in-home care service agency. Just keep in mind, each service provider will likely have different prices for the services provided; however, the pricier services do not always translate into better care. Because of this, it is always of the utmost importance to check references of each and every in-home care agency.