Questions to Ask When Choosing a Home Care Agency
Choosing someone to care for your loved one at home is a big decision. Whether you call us or another agency, these are the questions we recommend asking before you decide.
About the Caregivers
- Are caregivers employees of the agency or independent contractors?
- Are caregivers bonded?
- Are caregivers screened, reference checked, fingerprinted through the Department of Justice, and registered with the State of California?
- What types of caregivers are available, and what duties can they perform?
- Can caregivers assist with medications?
- Can clients be transported in the caregiver’s car, and is the caregiver insured?
- Do caregivers receive ongoing training?
- Is there ongoing supervision of caregivers?
About the Agency
- Is the agency licensed as a Home Care Organization by the State of California?
- Does the agency carry liability insurance and workers’ compensation for its caregivers?
- Is someone available to call 24 hours a day? Is that person a nurse?
- What happens if the scheduled caregiver doesn’t show up?
- Will the agency provide ongoing reports to the family if requested?
- What documentation of services is kept, and what kind of notes are written?
- Will the agency provide documentation to insurance companies if needed?
About Scheduling and Billing
- What is the minimum number of hours required for service?
- Is a deposit required, and how is it applied to the client’s account?
- When is overtime charged, and which holidays are included?
- Are night or weekend shifts charged at a higher rate?
- How much notice is needed to cancel a shift before the client is charged?
- How is billing handled? Does any money change hands between the client and the caregiver?
- Is a long-term contract required?
How Experienced In Home Care Answers
- Licensed by the State of California as a Home Care Organization (#374700153)
- Registered Home Care Aides, fingerprinted and cleared by the Department of Justice
- Bonded and insured, with workers’ compensation coverage
- TB tested, with in-depth training every year
- A nurse on call 24/7
- Minimum visits of 4 hours
- No long-term contract required
- All billing and scheduling handled by our office
We’re happy to answer every one of these questions during your free in-home consultation.