Home Health Care

When selecting a home health care provider to assist either yourself or a loved one it is important to get all the facts in regards to a specific provider before you sign on the dotted line. Because the provider will be charged with taking care of someone who has special needs, you want to be sure that those needs will be met in the best possible way. Failure to sufficiently look into a home care provider can have disastrous results that could end up leaving you or your loved one in a very rough spot.

Here are some items to check before you hire a home health care provider:

1. Are They Licensed: Some states will require special licensing in order for a home health care provider to operate in a legitimate manner. If you live in such a state then you need to ask the home health care provider you are considering to furnish you with proof of their licensing before you hire them.

2. Are They Accredited: There are certain types of accreditation that home health care providers can earn. Some of the more well know accreditations are JCAHO, CHAP, and Medicare. If the home care provider you are looking into has one or more of these accreditations that means they have passed rigorous standards and tests in order to obtain them.

3. What Does the Patient's Bill of Right Look Like: A patient's 'Bill of Rights' will cover all the expected responsibilities of the caregivers, the agency, and the patients alike. It is in your best interest to read through this thoroughly and make sure that you will be okay with all the provisions contained within.

4. How Do They Supervise: Some home care providers will assign supervisors to oversee the activates of certain staff members and some act more like a referral service with no monitoring whatsoever. Be sure to find out how the home health care service you are looking at operates so you can be assured that you or your loved one's caregiver will have someone overseeing them and making sure they are doing an adequate job.

5. What's Their Accountability: What happens if a staff member misses an appointment? What happens if a staff member calls in sick? Does the home health care provider you are considering have an accountability plan in place to ensure that there will always be someone to assist you or your loved one with the your required needs? This is critical to find out ahead of time as the last thing you want is to have someone who requires special assistance be unable to get it due to a lack of accountability. Home health care is a wonderful resource to use provided you find a worthy home health care provider. By knowing the answers to some key questions beforehand, you can rest assured that you or your loved one will be provided with the very best care form a home health care service you will be able to trust.