The old adage that says you get what you expect is certainly true in home health care. That’s why it’s important to let your expectations be known before you hire a carer to provide live in care for your loved one. If you discuss the details of the service that they are to provide before they begin work in the home of your family member then you are more likely to be completely satisfied with the service they provide for you. How do you set high standards and how do you inform the carer of your expectations? Simply follow the guidelines below and your loved one will receive the care that they need.
Services and Activities: Begin your working relationship with a home health care agency and carer with an honest and open discussion of what you want them to do for you. 24 hour care at home involves the services that you need and the activities you want your loved one to participate in. If you inform the agency of some of the hobbies and other activities that your loved one enjoys, the agency will be better able to match the right carer with your loved one. Be sure to solicit help from your loved one about what they want, what they need, and any new activities that they would like to try. The more detailed your discussion with a potential carer the happier and more content your loved one will be. You will also have peace of mind knowing that the care for your loved one is in good hands.
Special Needs: Does your loved one have Alzheimer’s, arthritis, or are they limited by mobility issues? These are all conditions that also need to be discussed with a live in carer. You want to be assured that they have specialised training in some of these areas so that your loved one will remain safe and in trained hands. It will also be better for your family if the carer has experience in any of these specialised areas. If your loved one has had surgery, been involved in an accident, or has simply grown older and more feeble around the house, the carer can attend to these individual needs with the proper care and attention.
Final Instructions: Part of your job as a responsible family member is to let the carer know that they have your support and help. Ask them to contact you if they have any questions and inform them that you are there to discuss any issue with them whenever the need arises. By offering your support and help you are letting them know that you are approachable and easy to work with. This will make their job more rewarding and lessen the amount of stress they may feel if a situation arises that needs adjustments or modifications. Working together as a team will give your loved one a feeling of confidence and comfort in their new system of care.