- Homecare 101
- How to Find Homecare »
- How to Care for Someone at Home
- How to Set Up the Home
- Caregiver Support
- Assistive Technology
- Adult Day Services
- Aging in Place
- Caregiver Burnout
- Caregiver Support
- Communicating with Loved Ones
- Dealing with Grief & Guilt
- Geriatric Care Managers: How They Can Help
- Get Organized: Tools for Caregiving
- Handling Dementia Behaviors
- Hospitalization
- Respite
- Senior Driving Issues
- Alzheimer’s & Dementia Care at Home
- Bathroom, Eating & Drinking Aids
- Emergencies
- Hiring Homecare
- Hiring Home Health Care
- Home Modification
- Home Safety & Fall Prevention
- Hospital Discharge
- Housework, Dressing & Eating Tips
- Injection How-to’s
- Pain Management
- Positioning & Exercises for the Bedridden
Articles
Step 2 of Hiring a Homecare Agency: Assessment, Care Plans & Contracts
Print
Email
Comments (0)
Assessment
Before signing a contract with a homecare agency, an assessment will be made to determine the needs of the person who requires care. Many companies offer this service for free. During an assessment, an agency representative will visit your loved one in the home or at the hospital. The agency representative will ask questions and look around the house if needed. The following issues should be assessed by both interview and observation:
- Physical health
- Medication use
- Amount of aid needed with ADLs or IADLs
- Mental health
- Home safety
- Quality of life
The idea behind an assessment is to figure out what your loved one requires on a basic health and safety level, while maintaining a high quality of life. For example, if it's apparent that the elderly person isn't getting out of the house much, but has no physical issues with leaving the home, the assessment might note that individual's social contacts, and activities that interest him or her, and make recommendations for augmenting that person's social life.
Care Plan
The assessment provides the basis for a care plan. A care plan is a document that explains the client's needs, and how to meet them. A care plan should be reassessed by an agency on a monthly basis and as needed. A care plan:
- Increases consistency of care (this is exceptionally important when multiple caregivers must interact with each other)
- Sets priorities and goals for an individual's care
- Acts as a reference to aid in measuring an individual's progress
Contract
Homecare agencies will have you sign a contract. These contracts can be changed and amended, so before signing it, think about whether there are certain verbal promises that should be written into the contract. For example, if an agency promises you that a replacement caregiver will be provided within a certain timeframe if the primary caregiver is sick or must be absent for a day, you may want to have the agency add that detail to the contract.
Read Step 1 of Hiring a Homecare Agency : Crucial Questions
Posted in: Aging in Place, Alzheimer's & Dementia Care at Home, Hiring Homecare, How to Find Homecare
 Whether you are living at at home with help from outside caregivers or in a senior community, your identity can be stolen at ANY time. Don't let this happen to you. To help you safeguard yourself in every possible situation, Gilbert Guide has teamed with LifeLock, the industry leader in proactive identity theft protection. LifeLock provides a service guarantees and will pay up to $1,000,000 to restore your good name. Enroll Now »  |
|
Gilbert Guide has teamed with LifeStation, a medical alert system that meets–and even goes beyond–the seven requirements outlined above. LifeStation can provide you with the peace of mind and independence you deserve. |
Gilbert Guide has partnered with The Medical Supply Group, one of the most respected suppliers of medical equipment, to give you immediate access to over 15,000 top-quality discounted medical products. And with a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee – you can't go wrong. Shop Now » |
Whether you are looking for supplies for ostomy or diabetic care, aids to daily living, home modification products or specialty medical equipment, we can help you find it.
Leave a Comment