The need for a professional caregiver
It may start with some small trivial things that catch your attention at the beginning such as the food in the refrigerator is out of date, the chores are abandoned and the cleanliness is so-so.
It’s never pleasant to see a loved one grow old and slowly decline but the fact is that home care is often a factor in maintaining good health. It is important to know when a loved one needs help or assistance at home.
But it may be that with your work and family demands you do not have the means to be present at all times and you are worried. Are you wondering if a professional caregiver will actually take on the daily tasks that need to be done to help your parent?
Require quality home care from a true professional caregiver
People are naturally very selective about who they will allow entering their family’s home or within the family circle. And most people do not know what to expect or what they will find when they start looking for a home care provider.
Good home care should begin right away. The home care agency must listen and respond with professionalism from the very first contact.
Likewise, a professional caregiver will treat your loved one like his and provide non-medical care, support for housework and other daily tasks, fellowship and commitment, and a range of other services, including care of incontinence, transportation, meal preparation that families or family caregivers often do not think about.
You need to know what a home care service is for a true professional caregiver.
1. Attentive and committed listeners
When a family member or a professional caregiver calls to inquire about home care, Visavie professionals listen carefully before anything else. We want to hear your concerns and ideas. We will ask about your loved one, their health and preferences, their needs, desires, experiences and stress. Attention to detail will help us identify the unique services and ways a professional caregiver can help the senior and the family.
Families are often surprised by the help and support that a professional caregiver can provide. A professional caregiver can do many things including helping with laundry and other light housework. He can prepare nutritious meals, lead the dean to social appointments or medical appointments, and even take notes during his stay.
And, while working at home, the home care professional will help establish a routine and identify other ways in which they can help keep the elderly person safe, comfortable and active.
“Our professional caregivers are the eyes and ears of family members who just can not always be there at the moment. In this way, not only do we serve the elderly, but we also provide peace of mind for the whole family, ” says Louis Sirois, President of Visavie.
Note: The best home care providers will listen at first contact and offer a flexible range of services to meet the different needs of your loved one.
2. Crystal clear conversations about fees and working schedule
Many home care agencies require a minimum number of hours of care per week. Reputable agencies will be happy to discuss the details of the hours and fees with you from the beginning. So expect to have this conversation at the very beginning.
You should also expect your home care agency to identify for the professional caregiver the optimal home care schedule that will be most beneficial for the family and loved ones. And, if these hours need to be changed (perhaps you will start with a few hours a week and recognize soon after you need more care), you should be able to change the schedule at no extra cost.
With respect to billing, planning and activity issues; they must be managed directly by the agency management to avoid any confusion or conflict of interest.
3. A professional and reliable presence
The way the professional caregiver behaves himself is often a good indicator of how he will serve the client. You must expect a professional caregiver to be clean, honest and reliable. They should be on time, dressed neatly and ready to serve according to the agreed schedule, according to Home Instead.
While it is common for friendships to be created between family members, natural caregivers, clients and professional caregivers, it is not acceptable for them to share their personal problems or needs. According to Home Instead, you must expect is a friendly relationship, both amicable and professional, with the professional caregiver.
4. In-depth and continuous training of professional caregivers
Before inviting a professional caregiver to your home, you should also expect to have a complete background check and appropriate training for your loved one’s needs and care. You can ask at any time the hiring protocol of the agency.
By working with Home Instead, you can rest assured that your professional caregiver has been carefully monitored and thoroughly reviewed for their background. And if the professional caregiver leads your loved one to appointments or activities, we guarantee that they have a valid driver’s license, a good driving record and car insurance.
Most families will also want and need qualified health care personnel to safely transfer the client from the bed to the chair, help the older person move from room to room, as well as in and out of the room, the car and the bathroom. Falls are the greatest threat to seniors’ independence and health, and a trained professional caregiver greatly minimizes these risks.
If your loved one faces particular challenges such as Alzheimer (dementia), Parkinson’s disease or mobility issues, you should also expect your professional caregiver to receive specific training on how to manage these conditions.
At Visavie, we ensure that all of our professional caregivers attend a continuing education program and have received hands-on experience-based training so they are ready and able to provide compassionate care, no matter the situation.
“When a family is ready to bring a professional caregiver home to help them, they should not have to worry about whether the professional caregiver can do the job for which they were hired,” says Visavie.
5. Comfortable with incontinence care, hygiene and other personal needs
The expertise of a professional caregiver extends to the care of the incontinence and the personal hygiene of your relative. You should expect that any professional caregiver you hire is comfortable with incontinence care and is able to provide any other non-medical services you request.
However, incontinence care is a difficult topic for many families. This is a real need for millions of seniors who want to maintain their independence and stay home, but people are reluctant to seek help for this. Some are even afraid that a professional caregiver will refuse to help them.
True homecare professional caregivers, however, will respond with competence, respect and discretion, all the while preserving the dignity of those involved.
“We never refuse clients with incontinence. We are very comfortable providing these services and we ensure the comfort of everyone involved, ” says Visavie.
Note: Do not be afraid to discuss incontinence care with your home care agency. If the homecare professional caregiver is uncomfortable with the subject, he is not the ideal professional caregiver for your family member.
6. Constant communication and 24/7 support
Communication between professional caregivers, clients, family members, and planning and administration teams is essential for the provision of adequate and comprehensive care.
It is normal to rely on regular communication with your professional caregiver about the daily activities, needs, behaviours and routine of your loved one. You should also be able to access any information about the care of your loved one.
At Visavie, professional caregivers document the loved one’s routine, activities, medications and other details of the day. Family members can view and read this journal.
A well-established routine is essential to help loved ones feel calm and comfortable. Our professional caregivers document and discuss everything that allows them to maintain the routine that is best for seniors.
In any home care agency, it is reasonable to expect some access to professional caregivers or experienced staff outside of office hours, however, the type of response obtained can vary considerably.
Note: If communication and access to care managers, even outside of work hours, are important to you, ask how the professional caregiver team will respond to calls when the office is closed.
7. Caring is also accompanying people on a daily basis
Ultimately, however, you should expect the home care placement agency you recruit to provide more than just help with the tasks of daily living. Comradeship, human companionship and compassion are important aspects of home care.
It is normal for professional caregivers to spend time interacting with your loved one, regardless of their age. The ideal professional caregiver will connect with your parent by engaging in activities that appeal to them, such as working together on crossword puzzles or knitting or going out for lunch or going to a book club, etc.
“We are compassion in action,” says Visavie. “Our professional caregivers get to know their customers. They spend time engaging with them and sharing activities. Home care is about meeting the non-medical needs of the client, of course, but also of meeting the emotional and intellectual needs of the elderly. It is important. That’s what you can expect from Visavie and that’s what we deliver. “