It can be difficult to make the decision that you or your loved one needs home care. Having made the decision, many family members feel overwhelmed when trying to work out who should be providing that care. With over a million Australians receiving inhome aged care support [1] there are lots of service providers, and lots of things to think about. Should you hire someone privately to help, or go through an agency? How do you know the workers coming into your loved one’s home are qualified? What happens if the situation changes, and a different level of care is needed? At Home Care Assistance, we understand that it can be difficult to know where to start so we have put together this list of things to consider.
- Consider the needs of your loved one.
Regardless of how you obtain services, it is important that your loved one’s care needs are met. So, a good place to start is to write down all the things your loved one needs help with.
- Establish your budget.
Whether you are receiving funding for the care package for your loved one, or self-funding the care, it is important to know what your budget is.
- Do your research.
Research online for home care providers in your area. It is also a good idea to ask around and see who your friends and family members recommend.
- Consider the practicalities.
You might prefer to hire individual workers to perform specific tasks for your loved one. This will provide you with more control. However, it also makes it your responsibility to vet the Care Professionals as well as juggle schedules or changes at short notice if a Care Professional is unable to attend work. Going through an agency, such as Home Care Assistance means that the agency takes care of vetting Care Professionals, juggling schedules, and dealing with any issues that may arise.
- Talk to the potential provider(s).
If you are placing the care of your loved one in the hands of another person, it is important that you, and your loved one, are comfortable with them. So, make sure that you talk to them and let them know what is important to you as well as ask any questions you may have.
- Keep the communication open
Whether you hire Care Professionals directly, or go through an agency, it is important to keep the communication channels open. This is not only important in the early days to ensure everything is going as it should be, but also on an ongoing basis as the needs of your loved one changes. An advantage of going through an agency such as Home Care Assistance is that it can be easier to adapt the level of care provided as your loved ones needs change.
Making the decision regarding who should be providing home care for your loved one can be difficult and complex. However, if you take these factors into consideration and take it step by step then this will help you make a decision, and find the right care for your loved one.
Support of a home care agency like Home Care Assistance, can bring enormous benefit and comfort to your quality of life while living independently at home. Home Care Assistance has viable solutions when it comes to supporting independent living. For more information, get in touch with a Home Care Assistance near me today.
[1] https://nationalseniors.com.au/news/finance/in-home-care-reform-what-you-can-expect
