Families looking for caregivers to provide help at home for their loved ones got a scare recently with a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. The study, conducted by Northwestern University, examined the hiring and screening practices of 180 responding homecare agencies, and concluded that families need to be cautious that the agency is not misrepresenting their caregivers’ skills and their agencies’ training and supervision.
The reality is that not every homecare agency offers the help a family may need. Some agencies may not provide adequate screening or training and finding the right fit between the caregiver and the client, and finding an agency that can truly provide the care that’s needed, can be difficult. The situation is often made even more challenging because it may be an unplanned need, making it both more important and harder to be selective in evaluating an agency and an individual caregiver.
To make sure that families get qualified help, the study suggested ten questions to ask. Richard Bitner of Visiting Angels suggests that families ask not just those questions but a few more to ensure the right fit:
15 questions to help you find the right home care agency and caregiver
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