Tips to Choose a Trustworthy aged care Agency

Posted by GeorgeVelvet on March 20th, 2014

When choosing an aged care service, people have lots of confusion because of lack of complete knowledge. Do you have a family member who is aged and needs help with his/her health and personal care? The following tips will help you narrow down your options when choosing the ideal home care service for your loved one.

The most important way to analyse any aged care service provider or agency is to get references.Ask them to provide references of at least 2 or 3 families that they have serviced in the past.Contact these families and ask them about their experiences with the care provider and the agency. Find out if the agency or care provider is accredited to some recognised organisation.

Ask the personal care provider or agency if they have any literature that explains the complete range of services offered, the fees and any requirements. Professional agencies will have a bill of rights or similar document that lists the duties and rights of the care providers, care givers and care recipients.They may also have annual reports or educational materials that provide useful information.

The aged care provider is usually not a specialised medical professional. Ask the agency if they will assign qualified supervisors for overseeing the quality of care received by your loved one. How often will these professionals visit for inspection.Ask them how they will deal with and resolve any issues. They must have policies in place for ensuring that the caregivers perform correctly.

Not every personal care agency will be able to provide care giving services 24 hours a day and round the week. The caregiver can have his/her own issues and may not be able to attend because of certain emergencies. In such a case, the agency must be capable of providing a replacement without making you wait. Inquire this aspect of their service, and better get it in writing in the contract.

The next point to ask to the aged care agency is whether they offer any insurance against malpractices and have personnel policies. An agency that hires its staff through strict screening and supports them through protections and policies is highly likely to provide dedicated aide support.Inquire about the kind of background check they perform. Also inquire if the course of treatment is documented by the caregiver. Ask them if they provide all the services that your loved one requires. This can include occupational therapy, physical therapy and many other requirements specified by the doctor.

Does the personal care agency have a detailed list of the tasks that a caregiver will carry out? Has the agency trained its caregivers for handling emergency situations? Ask them if they provide written statements that detail out all the costs associated with the home care services. Also get the contact details of the representative that you or your family can call for any type of questions or to register a complaint. Evaluate all these points and clear all your doubts with the agency to ensure that you are getting the best possible home care services for your loved one.

Are you concerned about finding a reliable and trustworthy aged care service provider? Check this link to find the ideal personal care agency.