Home care services have become highly popular. There are many companies which offer home care services. In the UK, awareness for care at home instead of residential care homes is increasing, especially homecare in Bromley. It is natural for the elderly to require home care services, as it allows them to stay at the comfort of their home without having to go to a residential care home or any other place.
Homecare in Bromley has become quite common and more elderly than ever before can be seen using the services of homecare companies. By staying at home, they are able to spend their time with family as well and be surrounded by loved ones. The home care services of today are customizable, meaning that the services can be modified as per the needs of the individual. Families are provided with more control over the type of care that they require for the elderly.
It can be difficult having to find the best home care services. This is why the top 10 tips have been prepared to make it incredibly easy for you to find one.
- Plan in Advance & Do Research
Now, it can be easy to say it, but planning in advance will truly help you find the best home care services company. Families have a responsibility to choose a service for the elderly due to which, both planning in advance and conducting research are important. Instead of doing it at the last minute, find a company that meets your needs early on. The internet is your best friend. Therefore, use the internet to find local home care services. It is a good idea to arrange home care service on a low hourly basis to find out if the service provider can be trusted to provide excellent care.
- Discuss Homecare with Loved Ones
Always, make sure to discuss and involve the elderly person or couple for whom the service would be needed. After all, it is the elderly that will be receiving the services and they should be happy with the decision and mutually agree on a service. They should have control over the selection process. In some cases, specialist support might be needed and in such as case, it is not necessary to discuss the homecare with the elderly. In situations such as Parkinson’s or dementia, you should be the one that makes the decision.
- Use the Care Quality Commission (CQC) Website to Check the Ratings
The best way to find out which care services can be trusted is by using the Care Quality Commission (CQC) website and checking to see if the company is the right fit or not. Being the national regulatory body for social and health care, the CQC inspects all the home care companies every year and publish relevant reports on the website. The report also contains ratings of the service.
- Review the Home Care Service Company’s Awards, Accreditations and Website
Going through the website of the company will help you get an idea of the quality and type of services provided. You will get to learn more about the company and if they provide specialized care for the elderly. Review to ensure if they have any awards or accreditations to justify their claim for providing certain services.
- Consult the Care Management Team
After you have researched a company and are positive that it could be right fit, consult the care management team by giving them a call and speaking with them directly. They will happily answer all your questions. The call will also help you find out if the team is responsive, informative, genuine and professional.
- Call Support for 24/7 & the Ongoing Communication Processes
One would also need to ensure if the company provides 24/7 support so as to enable you to communicate with the company and inquire about the communication processes involved. There should always be a professional available in case of an emergency.
- Effective Staff Recruitment & Training such as for Dementia
Learn about the staff recruitment and training process so as to ensure if the staff has been screened properly and have received proper training to deal with special conditions such as in the case of dementia and other conditions. Also make sure to check if the staff is supervised regularly and the processes which are undertaken to evaluate their performance. You can also see if the staff has received any special awards or has any accreditations.
- The Introduction and Matching Process of Carers with Clients
The carers need to be matched with clients on the basis of more than just client needs but also on the basis of their personality and interests in general. Furthermore, the carer should be introduced to the clients beforehand so that it can be seen if the carer and the elderly can forge a bond or close relationship. This will help ensure that the elderly are in good hands.
- Are Regular Quality Assurance Checks Performed
Learn about the checks and balances in place for performing regular quality assurance on the staff and if they are in place or not. Check to ensure if the checks are in line with the best practices or not. See the processes which are involved in assessing the quality of work done by the staff and if action is taken on the basis of the checks or not. This will help you choose the best home care services company.
- Meet the Care Management Team
Finally, meet with the care management team and discuss with them the needs of the elderly. You should feel comfortable to ask them anything that you sense is important to you. The care management team should be delighted to meet with you in person and answer all of your queries. However, there is no need to jump right in. Make sure to evaluate all your options first and then choose a home care services company which meets all your expectations.