Two Common Mistakes in Choosing A Home Care Agency
When choosing a home care agency, there are many factors to consider. These can include: does your loved one prefer 24 hour care, or will they be satiated with daily care? How many homecare providers are needed for your loved one? Are there any occupational therapists that will need to be employed?
With so many questions, and an equally lengthy process of choosing, it’s only natural that some mistakes are made in the search process! Thus, to save you some time, the following will explore two common mistakes in the home care search, and the best way to avoid them.
If you are searching for a home care agency, here are two common mistakes to avoid!
1. Being Unclear in the Scope of Work
A major mistake that many home care searchers make is not being clear about the expected scope of work. Many people choose an agency without arriving at an understanding of what the agency will be doing. This leads to a later realization that you and the agency are following different scopes of work!
With all things, the secret to avoiding this pitfall is communication. So, from the very beginning, it helps to be as clear as possible on your expected scope of work. Do you expect the provider to complete daily housekeeping tasks? Would you like the provider, or the agency, to complete a scheduled ‘check in’ where they disclose any happenings?
If you have expectations like these, it is imperative that you voice them and that you also get them in the writing. It may seem tedious and redundant, but this commitment to communication will save you future miscommunication!
2. Focusing Solely on the Price Tag
Another major mistake that people make is focusing only on the price tag. This pitfall is to be expected: we live in a commerce based society, it’s only natural to focus on the cost of the service. Yet, when you focus only on the cost, you lose sight of everything else!
When choosing a healthcare provider, it helps to focus on three things: the skills of the provider, the personality of the caregiver, and the financial cost. A 2014 article by US News & World Report backs up this claim, stating that “if you focus so much on the financial side, you short yourself on the other two.”
Thus, when searching for a nursing agency, make certain that you look beyond the price tag!
