52013Feb

Finding the Right Home Care for Your Loved One

If you’ve been caring for a loved one, the thought of others taking over the job you do so well can be overwhelming. Will a home care provider understand your loved one as well as you do? Will the provider be as kind, patient and compassionate as you are? Will your loved one be comfortable with another caregiver? It goes without saying that finding an exceptional home care provider is invaluable!

Outstanding home care is a reality, but finding the right provider requires research and thought. As you investigate possible home health care options, consider the qualities that are important to you, as well as the essentials that your loved one truly needs. Here are a few areas to ponder in your search:

Types of Home Care Services

Begin by noting the specific types of services that you are seeking. For example, will your loved one require assistance with personal care? Does he or she need transportation or help with basic household chores? Will caregivers need to prepare meals and administer medication?

In addition, if your loved one is experiencing memory loss, he or she may need a home health care provider that offers memory care. Be honest with yourself about the types of services you seek, then make sure that your provider of choice has a history of successfully delivering these services.

Flexibility

Also consider the amount of care required. Will your loved one need 24-hour care or overnight care? Even if he or she is in need of only a few hours of care per week, you may still want the option of increasing the level of care as needed. This is where flexibility comes in. In fact, it may be extremely helpful if a home care provider offers services that supplement the care you offer, the care provided by assisted living, or even in-home hospice care.

Flexibility means that clients can receive the exact level of care they need. Also, remember that home care providers offer services that can supplement the care you provide, the care provided by assisted living, or hospice care.


The Caregivers

Is it possible to find a caregiver that understands your loved one the way you do? Don’t underestimate the power of phenomenal home care. In fact, as you receive assistance with some of the tasks you’ve taken on, you will likely find that you are now free to enjoy more lighthearted activities with your loved one, secure in the knowledge that he or she is receiving excellent care from professionals.

As you select your provider, make sure that the agency’s home health aides are highly trained and qualified. It would be ideal if your chosen provider staffed home health aides with as much skill and experience as the home health aides in assisted living and the nursing assistants in nursing homes. Not to mention, caregivers should be compatible with their clients, as well as consistent. If a caregiver is sick or unable to provide service that day, a guaranteed staffing policy should be in place so your loved one does not experience a lapse in care.

Are you searching for Minnesota home health care? Baywood Home Care serves the greater Minneapolis and St. Paul metro area, as well as much of south central and southwestern Minnesota. We offer a wide range of services that provide you with both the thorough care and the flexibility that you seek. Top-tier registered nurses deliver ongoing care management, and each of our caregivers is highly qualified to provide the type and amount of elder care that your loved one needs.

Are you in search of elder care in Minnesota? Contact Baywood today and discover what excellence in home health care is all about.