While researching non medical home care agencies, be prepared with six essential questions you MUST ask a prospective agency before hiring them.

1. “Do you do background checks and are they National?” It needs to be a national background check instead of just a statewide check and it needs to encompass a check for elder abuse, sexual offenses, arrest records, DUI’s, etc. The background check needs to be very thorough.

2. “What is your interviewing or hiring practice?” In our agency we see someone THREE separate times before hiring them. It is essential an agency have more than one look, encounter or interview with an applicant before sending them to your loved one’s home.

3. You will also want to find out if your loved one has any say-so over the person that eventually becomes their caregiver. A good quality home care agency is one that brings out the selected care giver and lets the client approve of the selection before service begins. No one wants to feel like they have no control over their own situation. It is also good to have the two meet so they can “break the ice” before the first day of service.

4. “Can we stop service at any time without a penalty?” You shouldn’t have to give more than one week’s notice to end the service. Of course if the client dies or goes into the hospital, this should be waived.

5. Does your company make use of case managers? You want to hear that after you have signed on, the agency will continue to be available, accessible and interested in how things are going. Good companies will have a case manager to drop in every few weeks or so.

6. Will you assess the specific situation at no charge? If you find a good company, they will have no problem coming out and talking to your family before you even hire them. They understand this is the only way a family can compare different agencies and get a good feel for them. If you don’t hire the company immediately, then they should come back in the future when you’re ready to do so.

Keep these questions in mind when trying to find a home care agency. Remember, do your homework early and if possible, establish a relationship with an agency well before your ready to start. If an emergency happens, you will certainly be glad you formed that relationship when you did. Doc No. 34Sdlhgsdl -sds

Kristie Brown writes on a variety of topics from health to technology. Check out her websites on home care Saint Louis Park and home care Edina MN