Your loved one requires assistance around the house, but you can’t do this alone. You’ll need extra help. So, how can you find a good home caregiver? Use these tips to discover the best match.
Tips to Find a Good Home Caregiver
Consider Qualifications
Let’s say you found an amazing home health aide (HHA). She’s patient, hardworking, and highly recommended by other families. However, if you’re loved one requires more extensive medical services, your perfect HHA may not be the right fit. Therefore, before you begin your search, identify exactly what your loved one needs. Certified HHAs will assist with activities of daily living, help with housework and provide companionship. Whereas a certified nursing assistant (CNA) also can take vital signs, set up medical equipment, and clean catheters.
Conduct an Interview
Asking a few insightful questions will allow you to identify the best-fit caregiver. To evaluate everyone according to the same standards, write down 8 to 10 inquiries. Then, stick to your script. Sample questions may include:
- Logistical Questions – What days and times are you willing to work?
- Traditional Questions – What’s your favorite part of being an in-home caregiver?
- Situational Questions – Tell me about a time a patient refused to cooperate with you. How did you handle this situation?
Compare Your Expectations to Theirs
When you’re in the process of hiring home care help, it’s important to define your expectations. Start by clarifying the following:
- What tasks should the caregiver perform?
- What days/hours will the caregiver work?
- How much money will the caregiver make?
Then, show candidates your list. And keep in mind, most people won’t be able to accommodate 100% of your requests. Instead, look for a reasonable match.
Assess Personality Types
Of course, you want a caregiver who is compassionate. Yet, be sure to consider the personality of your loved one too. Would they get prefer someone who is fun-loving or more serious? Extremely organized or a bit laid back? As part of the interview process, you may wish to introduce candidates to your loved one. Observing how they interact with one another can give you a better idea of how they will get along.
Background Check
This may seem like an unnecessary step especially if the caregiver was referred to you by one of your friends. Nevertheless, it’s critical. Caregivers usually work in unsupervised environments. Thus, an unvetted individual could easily harm or take advantage of your loved one. Minimally, you’ll want to 1) run a criminal record search, 2) confirm their certification, and 3) check references. Most healthcare staffing agencies will automatically complete this process for you.
Are You Trying to Find a Good Home Caregiver?
Anodyne Staffing would be happy to help! We place HHAs and CNAs with families in need throughout Eastern Massachusetts. Our employees are highly trained and fully vetted, so you know your loved one is receiving the best and safest care. Contact us today for a list of possible candidates!
