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Choosing home care for a loved one is an emotional choice that is made through the heart. You are trusting the caregiver with a parent, grandparent, spouse, or yourself. The rise in demand for quality home care is leading to greater awareness of the importance of asking questions by families regarding who they choose to receive care from.
The most obvious questions that arise are, is this agency trustworthy? Are there qualified people to care for me or a family member? Are there established standards in place for this type of care?
This is why certification, structured training programs, and hiring qualified professionals are critical components of the home health care process. Let’s jump into detail!
As families have increasingly used non-state supported home care as opposed to State funded assisted living facilities, the home care industry has experienced tremendous growth. With this rapid growth, there’s both exciting opportunities and significant challenges.
Not all home care services are created equal. There are some agencies who provide informal assistance like services with no formal education while others are licensed home care agencies.They have established policies, procedures, and professional educational requirements.
That is why the presence of oversight in home care is so important. A legitimate home care agency does not simply claim to provide quality home care, but also offers!
You would never hire a nurse without credentials, and you shouldn’t settle for unverified care either. Professional caregivers through certified home health agencies typically possess credentials including:
Many of these certifications come from structured caregiver training programs that prepare caregivers to assist with all of the components of caregiving. Basically, it includes assisting clients with mobility issues through providing medication reminders to offering compassionate emotional support to their clients.
Even the best agencies follow the same methodology and evidence-based, structured programming practices that have been proven to improve real-life outcomes for seniors and individuals with complex needs.
Agencies that provide accredited home health services are typically committed to investing in specialized programs for individuals with memory loss and Dementia. Programs such as DementiaWise allow clients to receive care that demonstrates a commitment to both preserving the safety and dignity of clients with memory loss.
On top of that, it even provides a connection and sense of emotional well-being for clients while providing care for an individual with memory loss.
Structured programming ensures that the development of a client’s care plan will include a pro-active rather than a reactive approach to potential issues. Top rated home care agencies distinguish themselves from the average agency through the implementation of these best practices.
A comprehensive home care provider will have more than a physical vision of home care for their clients. It will include enhancing an individual’s social connection, providing meaningful engagement and activities, providing proper nutrition and emotional well being.
It is important to understand the difference between informal and professionally certified caregiving.
The idea of informal caregiving generally refers to the support and assistance given by family and friends to a person who requires help with their personal care and activities of daily living. Informal caregivers do not have a formal training background nor structured documentation to provide accountability and organizational support.
On the other hand, certified home care agencies are held to higher standards for the care. Certified home care agencies provide:
Thus, it helps families know about client-directed care (CDC) and government support.
Client Directed Home Care Program allows you and your family to manage your care while receiving structured support from the community.
As a result, it allows you and your family to experience the flexibility of self-managed services without compromising professional safety standards.
Families that do not follow to the established protocols set by their caregiver or the agency are putting themselves at risk for many issues, including:
Without the benefit of home-care certifications and an affiliated certified home-care agency, families cannot expect to have certainty.
Moreover, due to the increased demand for quality care and the demand for safe caregiving, families are striving to find and identify a good home care provider rather than risk relying on family or friends for assistance.
When families are looking for home care assistance, most of their attention goes towards finding a reliable caregiver. Additionally, the qualifications of caregivers do carry importance.
The best home care agencies, however, not only hire caregivers, but also create systems, processes, and structured programs like Veterans Independence Program that ensure the protection of your loved one’s safety every day.
Homecare for individuals with Alzheimer’s, memory loss or any form of Dementia goes way beyond just the companionship of a caregiver. Programs such as DementiaWise have demonstrated a level of commitment to safety, compassion, and structured care practices.
Additionally, it will provide the caregivers with specialized instruction through structured caregiver training programs. Mainly, it includes:
Falls are one of the leading causes of injuries in older adults. A licensed home care provider offers fall prevention programs such as “Matter of Balance” and “Gaitway Fall Prevention.” The goal of a fall prevention program is to do the following:
Certified home care providers provide a framework to ensure their client’s home care plans are developed based on safety.
Home health care encompasses much more than physical needs. Mental and emotional well-being play an extremely important role in the care of seniors at risk of being socially isolated.
Most accredited home care agencies offer structured types of engagement programs to support clients in improving quality of life, memory, and mood.
It is a music-oriented engagement program that uses sounds and music from an individual’s past to promote good feelings and memories from the past. It is particularly useful when providing care for persons with Dementia and seniors in the early stages of long-term support.
Nutrition is the foundation of physical health. Care Kitchen is a program where caregivers assist clients with weekly meal planning, discussing dietary needs, and educating clients on safe food preparation. It is particularly beneficial for the elderly who may be living with chronic health problems or need to be on specific diets.
It provides engagement to clients that aids in supporting the individual in maintaining identity and sense of purpose. The program offers activities related to a person’s hobbies, previous occupations, and personal interests. It includes gardening, light crafts, socialization, etc., to promote emotional well-being.
| Category | What to Check |
| Agency-level programs & credentials | Dementia-care program, fall-prevention program, support programs (diet, meal, social, music, memory), evidence-based care philosophy, quality assurance & supervision, bonding & insurance. |
| Caregiver-level credentials | Certified caregiver, first aid, specialized training if needed, background check, privacy & compliance training. |
| Care process & oversight | Personalized care plans, in-home assessment & reassessment, ongoing supervision and evaluations, flexibility to adjust care based on changing needs. |
| Transparency & accountability | Written documentation of programs, clear explanation of care plan, open communication with family, approval for additional services, clarity on cost & services. |
In picking your family’s home health and personal care agency, it is about the safety, care and long-term peace of mind for your loved ones. A reliable home care agency offers comprehensive home health and personal care certification training for their staff to provide consistent support to the families they serve.
Choosing to use a licensed home care provider or certified home care agency means that you will use a system that offers accountability and professionalism with real outcomes.
When looking for the right home health and personal care agency, you should ensure that you select an agency that provides accredited home care services and evidence-based programs. Hence, making the right choice today will provide peace of mind to you and your family for the future.
Certified Home Care is a professional home support service provided by caregivers who are certified and comply with established guidelines for quality standards for in-home care.
Certified Caregivers are professional caregivers who hold various credentials related to personal support workers, senior caregivers, elderly caregivers, etc. These professionals are qualified to provide safe, high-quality support and assistance in the home to individuals in need.
Make sure you select an agency that is fully licensed and accredited, and provides a full range of home care services according to established standards and protocols. Verify that any caregiver is trained and has completed the appropriate certification requirements for the services they offer.
You should ask what type of agency they are, the type of caregiver certifications held, the training programs offered for caregivers, whether or not they offer client-directed home care services, and the agency’s home care quality standards.
Additionally, you should also ask whether background checks are performed, and if there is supervision of caregivers.
By utilizing a certified home care agency instead of hiring a caregiver directly, you can verify that they hold and have completed the appropriate certifications like PSW or Senior Caregiver Certification. You should also review the caregiver’s experience, references, and training history.
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