How to Learn About Home Care

Home care refers to live-in and daycare given to children, elderly and disabled patrons in homes. This home care can include health care, housekeeping and companionship. The home healthcare industry is a fast-growing, service-oriented industry in continued high demand due to the needs of an aging, working society. Career professionals for home care are in high demand, and job prospects are thought to continue into the near future. Families of homecare patrons often have to spend a lot of time, money and effort finding appropriate homecare attendants to care for their loved ones. In addition, families often experience much stress in this search process. Luckily, families can and should research home health care through many sources to find the right agency and/or professional to work with them.

Instructions

• 1

  Ask family, friends and work colleagues about home healthcare agencies that would allow you to locate appropriate providers. Talk to other caregivers how they are caring for their children, disabled loved ones or the elderly, and whether they are using a homecare professional.

• 2

  Contact state and local agencies that advertise at medical facilities, such as hospitals, pediatricians and private doctor practices in your town. You can also find agency services related to home health care in the newspaper and television. For instance, Care Pathways is a website that lists homecare agencies by state. This company also has a free CareMatch service that will attempt to match you with an agency that provides the types of service you desire. They primarily work with disabled and elderly care agencies.

• 3

  Purchase or borrow books on home health care at local libraries, urgent care centers or state run offices, such as social security, disability services or childcare services. Also, search Amazon.com for directories on homecare agencies, services offered and financial help available in your state.

• 4

  Search the Internet for Federal agencies, such as Disability Services, Medicare that have information on getting homecare services. For example, the National Association of HomeCare and Hospice is an advocacy for safe and legitimate adult home care. Their website has a plethora of resources to assist families in finding safe, reputable and affordable home care. The Child Welfare Information Gateway is a website that lists U.S. government agencies that are helpful for finding agencies, financial aid and information on homecare resources for children.