The first step is deciding what kind of help your family needs. Do they need personal care? Help cleaning their home? Errands like shopping and doctor appointments, etc? Are there friends and family members that can help? During the first step, you may also need to convince your family members that they need help. It is very difficult to accept that you are losing some of your abilities and independence. Do not ever force homecare on your loved ones. Slowly incorporate help and use advice and guidance from your agency. We deal with the fears and anxiety of homecare everyday and chances are that we can assist you in convincing your loved ones that we are not there to take away their freedom, but to assist with anything they may need.

Families should use as many resources as possible. Do not ever try to take on all the responsibilities yourself. Chances are that you will be overwhelmed, thus the quality of care may suffer. Monthly support groups can provide an opportunity to discuss feelings related to stress, and help relieve many anxieties that you may be feeling. The most important thing to realize is that you are not alone and we are here to HELP!.

The Questions

Where will the care take place? Know the complete address, zip code, and telephone numbers along with driving directions.

Who is the primary contact person? When is the best time they can be reached? What contacts should be notified in an emergency?

Are there other family members living in the household? Are there pets and/or plants in the house and do they also need care?

Who are the other professionals involved with this client? Include the name of the person's doctor, the skilled care agency, physical therapist, etc.

Be prepared to give vital statistics for the person for whom care is being provided.
You will need weight, height, and birth date.

What is the physical and mental status of the client? Are they incontinent? Are they on medications? Are they alert? Are they ambulatory?

What duties would you like the Caregiver to perform? Personal care such as bathing, dressing, mouth care, assistance with ambulation or lifting, cooking, light housekeeping, laundry, assistance with medication, transportation, and shopping or other errands are all services, which the Caregiver can provide.

How much service will you need? Know the number of days per week and hours per day. Most home health and/or homecare companies will have a minimum number of hours required per day but you should be able to choose when these hours will be.

If you are requesting live in service, is there a place for the Caregiver to sleep and keep his/her personal belongings?

Who will pay for the service? If an insurance company pays, you will need the name of the insurance company and the client's policy number. If a family member is paying privately, they should be prepared to pay on a bi-weekly basis. You will need the complete address and phone number of the person who is paying.