How to Find a Good Elder Care Provider

If you have aging parents, at some point you may be faced with the reality that they are going to need some help in caring for themselves. At this point, you will need to decide whether to move in and become the primary caregiver, move your parent to a nursing home/medical facility, or hire a senior care provider.

Although many children of elderly parents would like to move in and start caring for their parents, it's not always feasible. For example, if you already have a full time job and kids of your own to raise, you simply don't have the time to become a full time caregiver. Traveling distance may also be an issue, as well as your qualifications to provide in home care on your own. This leaves you with a choice between moving them to a facility, or retaining an in home senior care provider.

Surveys show that the majority of elderly (upwards of 90%) want to stay in their homes as long as possible. This is certainly no surprise. Home is where they are most comfortable, and many are terrified at the thought of moving to a nursing home. So for many families, the best elder care solution is a professional in home care provider.

Unfortunately, not all in home senior care providers are created equal. There are certain questions you need to ask when choosing one for your parents, here are 3 of them:

Is the in home senior care provider operated by nurses?

Senior care is not an easy job, and it should not be done by people with questionable qualifications. When the quality of life of your aging loved ones is on the line, it is critical that you work with people that know what they're doing. Ideally, you want to hire an elder care agency that is run by nurses who are compassionate and understand what is needed to properly treat elderly people with health issues, as opposed to working with a corporate agency where the only thing that matters is their "bottom line."

Does the elder care agency take an individualized approach to their in home senior care?

Some assisted living and in home care providers take a "one size fits all" approach to administering their senior care programs. However, every situation is different. Some people just want a part-time nurse to check up on their parent once or twice a month, while others have a parent with dementia that needs a full time live in care provider to give them Alzheimer's care. Whatever the case, a good in home care provider will be one that is flexible and willing to tailor their programs to the individual needs of your family.

Do they offer their services on a short-term basis?

Some providers want you to sign a longer-term commitment to hook up with their services. This might be a problem if your situation changes or you make a decision that the senior care provider you've chosen is just not a good match for your aging loved one. Having to break a long-term agreement can expose you to costly early termination fees. To avoid this scenario, choose a senior care provider that offers their services on a month to month basis. This will give you the flexibility to make a change if necessary.

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