Questions to Ask When Interviewing a Home Care Provider

10/19/2020 | By Seniors Guide Staff

What Types of Care Levels Do You Offer?

• Non-Medical Home Care
• Home Health Care
• Physical Therapy / Rehab
• Companion Care
• Adult Day Care

Costs:

• What are your hourly prices for: Days? Nights? Weekends? Holidays?
• Does the agency handle billing?
• Is there a sliding fee schedule based on ability to pay?
• Is financial assistance available to pay for services?

Learn more about cost of in-home care here!

Agency:

• Do they have any printed brochures describing the services offered and how much they cost? (If so, get one.)
• How long has the agency been serving the community?
• Is the agency an approved Medicare provider?
• Is the quality of care certified by a national accrediting body?
• Do they have a current license to practice (if required in the state where you live)?
• Do they offer seniors a “Patients’ Bill of Rights” that describes the rights?
• Does it cover responsibilities of both the agency and the senior being cared for?
• Do they write a plan of care for the patient, with input from the patient, his or her doctor and family?
• Do they update the plan as necessary?
• Does the care plan outline the patient’s course of treatment?
• Does it describe the specific tasks to be performed by each caregiver?
• Do they have Professional Liability Insurance?

Staff:

• How are the agency’s caregivers hired and trained?
• What type of employee screening is done?
• Will the agency provide a list of references for its caregivers?
• How closely do supervisors oversee care to ensure quality?
• Will agency caregivers keep family members informed about the kind of care their loved one is getting?
• Are agency staff members available around the clock, seven days a week, if necessary?
• Does the agency have supervisors available to provide on-call assistance 24 hours a day?
• How does the agency ensure patient confidentiality?
• Who does the agency call if the home care worker cannot come when scheduled?
• What is the procedure for resolving problems when they occur, and who can I call with questions or complaints?

Download a PDF of “Questions to Ask When Interviewing a Home Care Provider.” Click here!

Related: Getting help from a home care provider

Seniors Guide Staff

Seniors Guide has been addressing traditional topics and upcoming trends in the senior living industry since 1999. We strive to educate seniors and their loved ones in an approachable manner, and aim to provide them with the right information to make the best decisions possible.