As families come to recognize a need for help, the next question is: How do I select a quality agency?
When hiring an agency you are contracting for an organization to professionally perform a complex and specific job description (see Agency Advantages).
To establish a level of confidence in the services you are contracting for, inquire about the following areas:
- Is the agency's staff professional, courteous and knowledgeable? Do they answer my questions clearly and directly?
- What kind of background check has been performed on the caregivers that they use? Have they been checked to see if they have a criminal record? A driver's license? TB screening, etc.?
- What are the qualities of the caregiver the agency has assigned to me? Is the caregiver neatly groomed? Friendly? Do they appear to be comfortable around the client?
- What kind of training have the caregivers received? Do their skills and training match the needs of the client? If the condition of the client changes dramatically will the caregiver be taught to handle the new situation? Who will do this? When?
- Who supervises the caregiver? What are their qualifications? How often will I see him or her? Will I ever get written reports about the status of the client? Does the supervisor really understand the care status of the client? Does the caregiver's supervisor help educate you and the family on the care status of the individual?
- What happens if the caregiver becomes ill and can't help me? If a replacement is needed, how long will I have to wait?
- Are the financial expectations of both the company and the client absolutely clear? Is the agency evasive about quoting prices over the phone? Does the agency's billing office give you clear understandable invoices? Is the office staff helpful?
- Does the agency help you prepare a "game plan" for an episode of acute illness beyond the capability of the caregiver and the family?
- Will the agency give straightforward answers to questions regarding their fee's?
- Can they give you references to confirm their quality of care?
Also, seek information on quality organizations from hospital discharge planners, community physicians, and other knowledgeable community members.
If you do not get good answers to the above questions, consider finding another agency.
