How to Choose a Home Care Agency

A home health care agency is often used by loved ones and family members of the elderly or disabled. The agency arranges for health care workers to visit the home and take care of necessary things such as cleaning around the house, feeding the individual and grooming them. As this is a serious decision, you shouldn't rush into choosing a home health care agency.

Instructions

• 1

  Decide on the type of services the patient needs. This varies depending on the individual, but you may need someone to clean around the house, handle grooming or prepare meals for the patient. You may need several services, or you may need just one thing taken care of.

• 2

  Ask questions relating to the price and decide if those prices fit your budget. Medicare or Medicaid often pay for some of the services, especially those deemed medically necessary, but you'll probably have to handle some of the costs yourself. Cleaning around the house and cooking generally aren't covered by private or public health insurance.

• 3

  Contact the patient's doctor and the discharge or aftercare planner at the local hospital. These people can often help by recommending different health care agencies in your area. You may need to schedule an appointment where you can describe the exact help needed and get help on finding an appropriate agency.

• 4

  Request references from each provider and talk directly with those references. Reputable health care agencies have former patients and family members of those patients available as references. Talk with each one about their experiences, both positive and negative. As for their opinions on what they think you should do.

• 5

  Pick a home health care agency by visiting the agency and talking with some of the workers. The best thing you can do in this situation is to talk with the people who will be looking after your loved one. You can even ask about following a worker around for the day to how they interact with other patients.