Since Vastland has been in business for some time now, we have pretty much heard every question in the book while meeting with families that are considering our services for their loved ones. So we decided to take some time once a month and tackle one question in detail that may assist you should you decide to hire some additional support to care for your loved ones.
For today’s question, what do you ask a home healthcare agency before signing up for their services?
There are many questions that should be asked of anyone and everyone who will be caring for your loved ones. Yes, I said everyone! When families sign on with an agency, the family normally meets with the Administrator or someone in the office that handles the staff that will be assigned to care for your loved ones. That’s wonderful because you want to know that person as well, as they will be the person you talk to about the logistics of everything regarding the care that is needed and provided to your loved one. However, you also and especially want to talk to the person or people that will be caring for your loved ones. You want to talk to whoever will be in charge of the financial aspect of the agency you choose to ensure that bills are being paid on time, correctly with proper receipts, and how your loved one’s funds will be distributed to meet their needs when it comes to food, hygiene, clothing, and so forth. So while the questions are important indeed, who you ask the questions to are just as important.
Now that that’s out of the way, let’s go through some of the most important questions we believe you should ask potential home health care agencies:
What certifications does your agency have?
The agency should be licensed by the state you are in. Also, ask if they are Medicare-certified.
Can we interview the caregivers?
As stated above you want to hand select those who will be caring for your loved ones and the agency you work with should welcome the opportunity.
Do you provide resumes, references, and reviews?
These should be non-negotiable when selecting an agency to work with. You want to know who you’re working with and how others have worked with them in the past. There’s something to leave to the imagination if an agency doesn’t have these 3-R’s to share with you.
What is the caregiver’s rate of pay?
Caregivers should be one of the highest paid careers out there, right along with teachers, police officers, and firemen. Unfortunately, we have learned that the service industry is on the lower side of the pay-scale. A sad, but harsh truth. With that said, you want to go with an agency that appreciates their staff and shows in many forms including their paychecks.
Are your caregivers bonded and insured through your agency, and do you have proof of this?
If they are not bonded and insured through the agency, the agency should be able to provide proof that the caregiver is insured in their own right.
Are your caregivers required to go through annual in-service training’s?
The health industry is a forever evolving industry that needs constant training and re-certifications. You want to ensure not only that there are training’s scheduled, but that there is also proof that the caregivers are taking the required training and recertifications.
What specific services do you provide?
Depending on what your loved ones need specifically, you want to ensure that the agency you go with actually provides those services. Home Healthcare is designed on an agency by agency basis.
How often are caregiver evaluations completed and what do they entail?
It is the responsibility of the agency to ensure that their staff is performing above the call of duty at all times. To ensure this is taking place, there should be systems in place to evaluate caregivers and address any concerns that may arise based on those evaluations.
Are we allowed to change caregivers, and what does that require?
Again there should be systems in place to address this issue, should it ever arise.
What insurance plans do you accept?
Because most Home Healthcare agencies are privately owned, they make the decisions of which insurances they will accept. With that said, this is a very important question to ask in the beginning to determine if you are even able to work with a particular agency.
How does your price structure work?
You want to know if the agencies price structure is different based on the type of care being requested, i.e. companion care vs. personal care vs. chronic care?
How does your agency respond to emergencies?
You want to know what procedures are in place if an emergency arises.
And there you have it! Twelve questions and reasons why you want to ask each. Sure there are dozens more that can be asked, and as you begin to think about these questions, others will come to you. We suggest you write them down, as they come, so they are not forgotten. Also, remember when meeting with the agencies, you are hiring them to care for people you love and allow that to lead you in your decision as well. Meaning, if the agency can answer all of your questions with expertise and without skipping a beat, but you just don’t feel comfortable working with them, then listen to your gut and keep researching. After all, your loved one’s happiness depends on it.
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