When you begin the home care process for a loved one, it can be frustrating as you learn the ropes, but if you follow these tips, it will help ensure your new home care process runs smoothly.

5 Tips for a Successful Home Care Process

1)   Create a Transition Binder – Prior to starting home care, record your loved one’s normal daily activities, food preferences, likes, dislikes, hobbies and concerns. This will make it much easier for new caregivers to enter the home and more quickly and effectively get up to speed with how to assist your loved one.

2)   Provide Valuable Feedback – You are your loved one’s advocate and it is up to you to give caregivers constructive feedback (both good and bad) so that they can provide the right care for your loved one.

3)   Allow a Transitional Period – It is important to remember that in the beginning stages of home care, it is an adjustment period for everyone. Realize that the caregiver needs to get to know your loved one and that your loved one needs to adjust to being cared for in this way.

4)   Drop In – The best way to evaluate the home care assistance you are receiving is to drop in to see how things are going during a normal home care visit. Look for signs that your loved one is safe, that their needs are being attended to, that the care plan is being followed, and that the caregiver seems to be compassionate, engaged and genuinely interested in your loved one’s well-being.

5)   Trust Your Gut – It is up to you to ensure your loved one is being provided with the best care possible. If you feel in your gut that the caregiver your loved one has been matched with is not a good match or isn’t well suited to your needs, trust yourself and request a change of personnel.