Choosing a Home Care Agency in Portland

Choosing a home care agency for your loved one in the Portland, OR area can be challenging. It is a decision that affects everyone involved both emotionally and financially. Before you decide on an agency for your loved one in Portland, Tigard, Milwaukie, Beaverton, Lake Oswego, or the surrounding area, it’s important you take the time to interview and compare several different agencies. Taking the time to learn about an agency’s history, services, and approach to care will give you and your family peace of mind that you’ve chosen the right home care agency for your loved one in Portland.

Evaluating a Home Care Agency in Portland

Once you’ve complied a list of potential agencies that will meet the needs of your loved one in the Portland area, some helpful question to ask each home care agency include:

• Are you licensed and insured?
• How long has your agency been assisting seniors in the local area?
• How will you create a care plan for my loved one?
• Will I be consulted when you create my loved one’s care plan?
• Are your care plans flexible, and will they be able to change as my loved one’s needs change?
• How do you choose new caregivers to add to your team?
• Do you perform background and reference checks on potential caregivers before they interact with clients?
• How will you assign a caregiver to my loved one?
• Is there a process I can go through if I feel the fit isn’t there between my loved one and their caregiver?
• How do you monitor your caregivers?
• How will you document the care you provide to my loved one?
• Will I be notified if my loved one’s care changes?
• Is there someone I can speak to if I have a concern or complaint about my loved one’s care?
• Do you have a 24-hour line available if there is an after-hours emergency?

In addition to these questions, it’s important you ask a potential home care agency for references from doctors, discharge planners, and families in the Portland, OR area. By consulting a home care agency’s references, you’ll get a first-hand look at their approach to care and the way their business is run.

For more advice on finding the right home care agency for your loved one, call Visiting Angels^® Portland today.