How to Find Reliable Home Care in Redmond, OR
Home care can be a great alternative to assisted living for seniors because it allows elderly adults to remain in the comfort of home, receive more personalized care, and ensure their health and safety as they get older.
However, it can be a challenge to find the right home health care service for your aging parents or other elderly loved ones in Redmond, OR.
As a trusted home care agency based in Redmond, New Outlook Home Care offers our best tips for vetting a home care service provider.
Assess Your Loved One’s Care Needs
Before looking at different home care agencies, it’s important to understand what type of care your loved one really needs.
Many older adults will benefit from personal care assistance like dressing and toileting, but some also need more specialized medical care to manage chronic illnesses, injuries, or other medical conditions.
For adults struggling with Alzheimer’s and dementia, memory care is a necessity. Knowing the exact home care services your loved one needs will help you find the right provider with the necessary skills and qualifications.
Consult Trusted Resources for Aging Adults
There are numerous non-profit organizations and home care directories that can guide you towards local home care providers in Redmond, OR and the surrounding areas.
Start your search with the National Council on Aging, Oregon’s Aging and Disability Resource Connection, or the Council On Aging of Central Oregon.
These organizations can provide a list of local providers that have been thoroughly vetted and are appropriately licensed through the state of Oregon.
Hiring a home care agency instead of independently hiring a caregiver can help you ensure that you are getting a reliable caregiver for your loved one and that they are properly trained and insured.
Home care agencies will conduct background checks and maintain rigorous standards for their employees, while independent caregivers require you to be responsible for background checks, backup care, and payroll.
Read Reviews of Local Providers
Once you have a list of providers to review, you should start reading individual reviews. Not only will you want to look for an overall positive reputation among previous clients, but you should also look for reviews that mention the services that may benefit your loved one.
For example, if you are looking specifically for memory care, filter reviews to read those that mention that service.
Other green flags to watch for when reading reviews are qualities that set a specific agency apart. For example, one of the reviews we’re most proud of here at New Outlook Home Care reads:
“This agency is much different than all the others I've had. They answer the phone when you call. They have an Administrator that comes and meets with you and comes to the first shift with the caregiver. Very professional! They are a local company which I appreciate. If you want an agency that cares, definitely call New Outlook.”
This review emphasizes the ease of communicating with our team and the reliability of our agency, so you’ll know you can easily get ahold of a real person when you have questions or need help.
Schedule an In-Home Consultation
After narrowing your list of home care agencies to 2-3 potential providers, it’s time to schedule an in-home consultation with each one.
During this meeting, you should ask plenty of questions to get to know the agency’s qualifications and learn what you and your elderly loved one can expect on a daily basis.
● What is your screening process? It’s important to know how each agency screens their employees and makes hiring decisions. Ask about background checks, employment verification, and reference checks to ensure that you are welcoming only the most trustworthy caregivers into your home.
● What type of training do caregivers receive? Along with background verification, you should ask about the training that caregivers receive and the professional qualifications they hold.
● What happens if our normal caregiver is sick or on vacation? While you will likely work primarily with one caregiver, there may be times when they are unavailable due to illness, vacations, or other disruptions in their work schedules.
Ask about the procedure for those situations so you know what the backup plan is to ensure your loved one has the ongoing support they need.
● Are you bonded and insured? Know that you are working with a trusted agency by asking if they are bonded and insured, which indicates that the home health agency has completed all state requirements to provide in-home elder care.
With New Outlook Home Care, you can rest assured that you are working with a trusted home care provider in Redmond, OR.
Our team is local, compassionate, and committed to providing a higher level of care to each of our clients.
We will work closely with your family to provide personalized care on a schedule that works for you and that fits into your budget. Reach out to us today to schedule your in-home consultation with us.