When you realize that a Veteran family member needs a personal home care provider, you want to find the best home care agency for their specific needs. But how do you find the best home care service provider for your family member? It would help if you talked with each prospective provider before you make any decisions. Let’s explore the steps you should take to choose the best home care provider for your Veteran’s needs.
Choosing the Right Type of Home Care for Your Veteran
The first step in choosing a home care provider is determining what type of home care services your Veteran needs. The level of care your family member receives will depend on the level of assistance they need on a daily basis. Do they need help caring for themselves everyday, or do they need daily health care to help them manage a chronic medical condition? There are a few different types to choose from:
- Home Care: This is the type of care AVCC works with. Home care services provide assistance with the activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, meal preparation, and medication reminders. This type of personal home care does not include medical services, but it allows your Veteran to maintain a good quality of life. You should consider home care services if your Veteran wants to live in their home, but needs daily assistance to do that.
- Home Health Agencies (HHA): A home health agency provides therapeutic and skilled nursing services to its patients. You should begin looking at HHAs if your family member has a chronic medical condition that requires skilled nursing services. You can use the tips and questions below as a guide when you look for the best home health agency for your Veteran.
- Hospice: This type of skilled health care is for terminally ill people. Hospice keeps them comfortable as they reach the end of their lives. While your family member may not need this care at the moment, it’s good to be aware of it in case they need it in the future.
These are just three types of home care or personal care your Veteran can receive. Now that we understand the distinctions between these different care services, let’s go over how to interview and assess home care providers.
How to Assess Potential Home Care Providers
When you look at prospective home care providers, make sure you assess them thoroughly. You can do this by speaking to them directly and looking through their website and any printed materials they provide. Here are some questions you can ask providers directly:
- Are you licensed with the State Health Department?
- Has Medicare certified that your agency meets federal health and safety requirements?
- How do you screen your employees?
- Can your agency provide references from past patients, doctors, or community leaders you’ve worked with?
- How do you train and supervise your agency’s home care aides?
- How does your agency handle billing?
- Does insurance or Medicare cover your agency’s costs?
- Do you provide patients with a Patient’s Bill of Rights when you provide services?
- Does your agency provide round-the-clock home care services?
- How do your caregivers handle emergencies if they occur?
And here are some tips on how to research potential home care providers beyond an interview:
- If the agency provides references, check them thoroughly.
- Examine print materials the agency provides to see how they represent themselves and their services.
- Reach out to your state’s health department to see if they license home care providers. If they do, ask if they’ve licensed the providers you’re considering.
Use these questions and tips to find out more about potential home care providers. Once you learn how they conduct business and whether they’re licensed, you can choose the best home health care provider or home care provider for your Veteran.
Choose the Right Home Care Provider With AVCC
AVCC pairs Veterans across the country with local home care service providers. If you believe your Veteran needs home care to improve their quality of life, reach out to us today. We can ensure they receive the quality care they need to stay at home and live well.
