After having “the discussion” about home care with your aging mother, she’s agreed to accept some professional help around the house. Once you’ve selected the best home care provider for Mom, the real work begins as you coordinate services and plan for her current and future needs. Although coordinating services with a home care provider isn’t always easy, it is possible to ensure that your loved one’s needs are consistently met – and their wishes honored – by taking these steps.
Assess Their Caregiving Needs
Based on your initial care assessment, determine what’s lacking or getting overlooked in Mom’s current routine. Is she having trouble performing activities of daily living (ADLs), such as bathing, dressing, meal preparation, or getting around? Does your mother have any medical conditions that may eventually require specialized care, for example, dementia or arthritis?
Once you’ve assessed your loved one’s needs, schedule a time with their caregiver(s) to ensure they have the training and experience necessary to handle the job. If you think that your senior may need additional services as their condition worsens – for instance, physical therapy or 24-hour care – anticipating those needs together will help ensure a more seamless care transition once that day arrives.
Communicate Openly and Often
Keeping with the last point, communication is always key when partnering with a home care provider. Don’t hesitate to ask your loved one’s caregiver for periodic updates on their condition and changing needs. Once you’ve discussed Mom’s health status, be sure to share what you’ve learned with other family members.
If the current caregiver is failing to adequately meet your senior needs – or their personalities don’t mesh – discuss the situation with a supervisor so that they can find a suitable replacement. Most reputable home care agencies will provide periodic updates and offer caregiving advice – for example, ways to modify your loved one’s home to create a safer living environment.
Use a Team Approach
When devising a senior home care strategy, the tendency is to try and do everything yourself or rely too much on a trained professional. However, neither approach is optimal when your loved one’s health and well-being weigh in the balance.
Instead, form a caregiving team comprised of trusted family members, community volunteers, and friends. Take an inventory of all the resources at your disposal and assign tasks based on each member’s time and talents.
In addition to you and Mom’s in-home “personal assistant,” recruit specialists like doctors, nurses, physical and occupational therapists, dieticians, and pharmacists to fill in any remaining caregiving gaps.
Eldercare specialists like elder law attorneys, benefits counselors, financial advisors, and certified public accountants can also be key additions to your care team. A geriatric care manager can offer invaluable insight for organizing, monitoring, and facilitating your loved one’s care as their needs become more complex.
How to Find the Best Home Care Provider
Successfully working with a home care service provider starts with finding the best one for the job.
These tips will help ensure a better-informed decision:
- Seek referrals from friends, coworkers, neighbors, and other trusted sources.
- Research the provider’s reputation via online reviews, along with testimonials from clients and past employees.
- Determine if they offer all the services your loved one needs, including any they might need in the future.
- Find out how they communicate with clients and their families
- What is the backup plan if normal communication channels are down.
- Ask if you can conduct your screening interview with the caregiver before “signing on the dotted line.”
Your Family-Trusted Home Care Source in Northwest Boston
Finding a trustworthy home care service provider can often be a daunting task. At Assisting Hands, our in-home senior care services allow clients in the Bedford, MA, area to remain comfortably in their own homes. Our trained, dependable caregivers and personal assistants can help your family overcome its eldercare challenges while making your loved one’s home an even better place to be.
Our turnkey home care services include everything from companionship, meal preparation, medication reminders, and transportation to light housekeeping, laundry, and personal care assistance with bathing and dressing. From a few hours a day to around-the-clock care, our customized in-home care solutions have got your family covered. To learn more about Assisting Hands Home Care or schedule a free consultation for a senior in Northwest Boston, click here now.
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