Finding the Right Home Care Agency and Caregiver: 15 Questions to Ask

 It is so important to research and consider options carefully when looking into a home care agency to assist your loved one. Some agencies may not provide adequate screening or training of their caregivers. Also, finding a compatible caregiver for a client is crucial and should be a priority to the home care agencies you consider.

Here are 15 questions to ask when contacting home care agencies.

1. How do you recruit caregivers, and what are your hiring requirements?

In-home caregiver jobs have different requirements. Most highly regarded home care agencies require CNA or HHA certifications. Visiting Angels Newton/Canton, for example, hires CNAs and HHAs with experience in caregiving, and the caregivers typically have a strong employment history in caring for seniors.

2. What types of screening and background checks are performed on caregivers before you hire them?

You want to ensure that the agency has checked the caregivers’ background through legitimate records and databases, not through an unverifiable source.

3. Is your agency bonded and insured, and does your agency meet all state and local requirements?

Visiting Angels Newton/Canton is bonded and insured. It not only meets Massachusetts state requirements but is also an award-winning home care agency. Visiting Angels Newton/Canton has won the Best Home Care Provider and Best of Home Care Employer awards from Home Care Pulse, an independent satisfaction and quality assurance company, for the past six years.

4. What kind of health-related training, if any, do your in-home caregivers have?

It’s essential to ensure that the caregiver or home health aide you choose is appropriately trained for your needs. For example, Visiting Angels Newton/Canton provides an orientation class for new caregivers, Visiting Angels University, an online educational program, and a partner program with a local community college. Caregivers are taught how to assist clients with transfers through Hoyer lifts and gait belts, provide comfort to seniors with dementia, and other crucial skills to help ensure clients are treated with the respect and dignity they deserve.

5. Does your agency provide specialized and continuing education for caregivers?

A good agency will have caregivers trained to handle specific needs, such as dementia care, through specialized education. Some agencies may have advanced training programs available, such as Visiting Angels’ Palliative Care Training.

6. How are your training programs developed?

Reputable agencies like Visiting Angels often provide training that has been developed with nationally recognized experts, such as their Dementia Care Professionals of America (DCPA), which is an Alzheimer’s Foundation of America-sponsored formal training and qualification program for caregivers.

7. What competencies will the caregiver have (e.g., lifting and transfers, homemaking skills, personal care skills including bathing, dressing, toileting, behavioral management training, cognitive support)?

Not every situation will require a caregiver with all of these skills, but it is important to know what a caregiver can do. Be sure to share your loved one’s requirements and ask the agencies you are contacting if they have caregivers available with the skillsets needed to provide the appropriate support to them.

8. How do you assess what the caregiver is capable of doing?

Not every caregiver is a match for every client’s needs. A good agency will conduct an initial assessment to determine the client’s requirements and evaluate each caregiver’s skills, strengths, and personality to provide a good match.

9. What is your policy on providing a substitute caregiver if a regular caregiver cannot provide the contracted services?

Emergencies happen, but you need to know that your care needs will still be met. Visiting Angels Newton/Canton and other quality agencies have policies to ensure that clients are not left without a caregiver.

10. If there is dissatisfaction with a particular caregiver, can they be replaced “without cause”?

Home care is very personal, and sometimes the right match between caregiver and client doesn’t happen right away. An agency like Visiting Angels Newton/Canton will work with you to find a different caregiver to make sure your loved one is cared for, and you have peace of mind.

11. Does the agency provide a supervisor to evaluate the quality of home care regularly? How frequently? Does supervision occur over the telephone, through progress reports, or in person at the older adult’s home?

A combination of monitoring, such as telephone and in-home visits, is recommended to ensure the best level of care. Visiting Angels Newton/Canton assigns a case manager to each client and their family. The case manager supports the client and their family every step of the way. The office and on-call staff are also available to assist and support clients and their families twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

12. How long has the home care agency been in business?

A national franchise should have a high level of agencies with a long track record — at Visiting Angels, 60% of all franchises have been in business five or more years, which is more than 10% higher than the national average. Visiting Angels Newton/Canton has been in business for over seventeen years.

13. How does the agency stay abreast of new techniques and research in home care?

Franchise agencies usually have a strong network of ongoing skills training to draw on. Still, every agency should participate in local network and education opportunities to ensure they are providing the most current care modalities. The Visiting Angels Newton/Canton staff and owners participate in ongoing training and franchise conferences regularly.

14. What hours can the caregivers work? When are they available?

You need to be able to schedule help when you need it, and a good agency will work to provide care. Visiting Angels Newton/Canton offers hourly care, 24-hour home care and live-in services, temporary or long-term care, weekend and holiday care, as well as respite for family caregivers.

15. Can we meet the caregiver before the person starts work?

Meeting and approving the proposed caregiver before hiring helps to reassure you and prepare your loved one. Caregivers and clients build a special bond and feel like part of the family if there is a good match.

Starting up home care for a senior loved one can be daunting. Too often, families don’t know what questions to ask, so they choose an agency that may not be the right fit. It’s so important to ask questions and be confident that the agency you choose can stand by you when you need them. We hope these questions will help you feel more confident in your choices.

If you’re interested in more information about how in-home care can help your senior loved ones in Newton, MA, and surrounding communities, contact Visiting Angels Newton/Canton at 617–795–2727.

About Visiting Angels Newton/Canton

Visiting Angels Newton/Canton MA is an award-winning home care agency providing high-caliber home care services for seniors and people with disabilities for over seventeen years. Countless families have benefited from our home care assistance, senior companion support, respite for family caregivers, 24-hour and live-in home care, dementia, and Alzheimer’s care, transitional aid, and home health care services in Dedham, Needham, Natick, Wellesley, Stoughton, Brookline, Canton, Watertown, Jamaica Plain, Newton, Norwood, Roslindale, Upper Back Bay, Westwood, and neighboring communities. The non-medical assistance provided by Visiting Angels Newton/Canton home care can make a significant impact on your loved one’s happiness and quality of life.

If you are interested in more information about how in-home care can help your senior loved ones, contact us today at 617–795–2727 to schedule a free in-home consultation.

Obesity Among Seniors

 Many seniors contend with existing conditions that impact their health and wellness in addition to age-related concerns. Obesity is prevalent among the elderly and has been linked to various health issues.

It’s important to explore the effect of obesity on our elderly and how it impacts their quality of life.

Effects of Obesity in the Elderly And How to Address Them

Obesity affects 42.8% of individuals over the age of 60, according to 2017-2018 figures from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Obesity has long been linked to an increased risk of health issues, including hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease. These chronic conditions can become increasingly hard to manage for seniors as they deal with restricted mobility or cognitive decline.

Also, obesity may contribute to age-related challenges the elderly commonly face. Excess weight gain can place more pressure on joints, adding to the general wear-and-tear of daily life. The non-profit organization Obesity Action Coalition also notes that obesity may also be linked to lower cognitive function.

There are many ways obesity can limit the independence and overall quality of life for our elderly. However, it’s unwise for seniors to attempt any weight loss without consulting a doctor so they can do so safely.

As with any age group, eating balanced meals and exercising regularly are vital parts of maintaining a healthy weight. Staying active has many benefits for seniors, as it can also help improve mood and physical balance.

Seniors should consult a medical professional before making any changes to their lifestyle. A physician may recommend gentler exercises like swimming, yoga, or Tai-Chi. They may also suggest muscle-strengthening and balancing activities to help reduce fall risks for seniors.

Losing weight can sometimes mean losing muscle as well as fat. Since seniors typically lose muscle as part of the aging process, this is another reason to consult a doctor before pursuing any significant weight loss plan. A doctor can also determine if the medications they’re taking could be causing weight gain.

In-Home Care For Seniors With Obesity

Family caregivers can face many challenges when addressing and managing the medical and personal needs of an obese loved one at home. Visiting Angels® specializes in custom in-home care for seniors who wish to retain their independence. Our caregivers can support obese seniors by preparing nutritious meals, accompanying them on walks and outings, and assisting with any errands or activities that have gotten more difficult for them to perform independently. We also provide professional help by assessing your loved one’s fall risk level and “fall-proofing” their home.

If you are interested in more information, call us at 617-795-2727 to schedule a free in-home consultation! With the right support in place, we can help your loved one enjoy a higher quality of life at home.

When Your Loved One Rejects Home Care

Maybe you’ve been concerned about your mom recently. As she ages, you’re noticing a few worrisome signs that her needs at home are about to evolve beyond her independence. Sure, you’d love to stop by the house more frequently to help, but with a career and family schedule, it’s nearly impossible for you to take on this massive responsibility. It's a typical scenario in families, and it usually results in uprooting a senior to a nursing home or assisted living facility or retaining professional home care.

However, people can be stubborn, especially parents who may be insecure about a type of "role reversal" happening. Your parent not only refuses to leave home, but Mom or Dad is rejecting the very idea of a professional caregiver.

So how do you get them on board when they want to stay home but don’t want help from a professional caregiver? Here are five ways to find a caregiving compromise.

Talk Through Their Fears — and Yours

It’s not easy for your parents to admit they need help. The thought of having another person in the home to help them perform tasks that used to be routine could make them quite uncomfortable. Of course, over time, that professional home health aide can become a close friend and partner, but it may take a while and trust-building.

Work through these fears with your parents instead of forcing a solution. When an adult child becomes too controlling, the resistance from your parents is bound to increase. A 2004 study from SUNY Albany found this to be accurate, stating that participants were ambivalent about receiving care and “use a variety of strategies to deal with their ambivalent feelings, such as minimizing the help they receive, ignoring or resisting children’s attempts to control.”

Though you may be frustrated by rejection and reticence, put yourself in their shoes. Be understanding, and once your parent feels understood, explain your point of view. Remember not to be patronizing or disrespectful, but share your genuine concerns about being able to stay home safely.

More Dancing, Less Wrestling

An expert in geriatric communication and family relationships, David Solie, wrote a book about the best ways to navigate these difficult conversations. It was called “How to Say It to Seniors: Closing the Communication Gap with Our Elders.” Solie recommends the partnership approach and advocates for adult children to “put control on the table” rather than commandeering the process. He believes conversations about care should be “more dancing, less wrestling.”

To that end, he offers many tools to talk in more concrete, visual ways about the current situation and the proposed solution. His "dance cards" provide go-to strategies on topics like resetting expectations and minding the gap, and his caregiver “mind maps” allow a caregiver to lay out in detail all the aspects of care to be considered. You could also keep a journal of your parents’ changing in-home senior care needs. All of these checklists and resources are especially helpful in getting buy-in from siblings as well, as your parents may not be the only ones opposed to bringing in-home care.

Consider the Risks

Staying home without any support can be risky. For one family, an aging spouse refused any at-home living assistance. The family has been worried about his waning mobility. Ultimately, he suffered a fall, which led to a hospitalization and, unfortunately, his passing — as he was not able to recover from the injuries he sustained. While no family can be fully prepared for a fall or other type of sudden health event, there are ways to prevent injuries and incidents that lead to such devastating outcomes — and having a professional caregiver as a presence in the home is one of them.

Of course, not every fall results in such a tragic outcome; however, the road to recovery can be a turbulent one for a senior who has fallen. Along with doubling the risk of falling again after falling just once, the sheer financial impact can be crippling.

All of this is to say, the risk of leaving Mom or Dad alone when he or she needs help isn't worth it, and you must discuss the risks with your parent.

Work With a Mediator

You’ve explored every avenue of persuasion, using all the logic at your disposal, but it may be there is just no convincing Mom or Dad that this is the best option. That’s when bringing in a neutral third party to moderate the conversation could make a difference in the outcome. Sometimes your parents need to hear the options, risks, benefits, and challenges presented by someone who is not as emotionally invested as you are. A mediator may also help lessen the guilt burden many parents put on their children for considering home care. AARP offers these resources for finding a mediator, should this approach work best for your family.

Present Options and Let Them Choose

Empower your parents to decide on home care by gathering information on some providers. Ask for their input: what do they value in a home care company? What’s the budget? Talk about what a professional caregiver can do that they maybe never considered as an option: like providing companionship, or helping with housework and transportation to doctor’s appointments. Once you’ve gathered information on a few options, sit down together to discuss the pros and cons.

Remember: even as you partner with a professional caregiver, you will still play an essential role as coordinator and advocate. Your opinion on a trusted in-home caregiver is equally valuable.

Need more advice on building consensus on home care among the family? Visiting Angels Newton/Canton can help. Contact us today at 617-795-2727.

About Visiting Angels Newton/Canton:

Visiting Angels Newton/Canton MA is an award-winning local home care agency providing high caliber in-home care services to the elderly and people with disabilities. Countless families have benefited from our Alzheimer's care, dementia home care, companion care, senior care, respite support, transitional aid, and at home living assistance services in Westwood, Norwood, Brookline, Watertown, Needham, Dedham, Canton, Stoughton, Natick, Wellesley, Newton, Chestnut Hill, Roslindale, and nearby towns.

We are honored to have been awarded Top Places to Work by the Boston Globe for five years. We have also earned the Best of Home Care – Leader in Excellence, Trusted Provider, Best of Home Care Provider, and Best of Home Care Employer by Home Care Pulse. We are proudly accredited by the Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts.

While non-medical in nature, the care provided by Visiting Angels Newton/Canton can make a significant impact on your loved one's happiness and quality of life. Call us at 617-795-2727 for information.

When to Hire a Personal Caregiver

Many seniors require assistance with personal care for their comfort, safety, and overall quality of life. Families often struggle with when to hire a personal caregiver even as the need for skilled caregiving grows.

There are a few different reasons for this. Professional caregiving can be costly, so families sometimes have apprehension about affordability. Others don’t fully understand the distinction between personal care and companion care. Also, some elderly adults may resist hiring a personal caregiver. Typically, this stems from feelings of unease or embarrassment about what this type of care entails.

However, personal care is essential for any senior who wishes to age in place and maintain quality of life. Because of this, it’s vital to understand this type of caregiving and when it becomes a necessity.

UNSURE WHETHER TO HIRE PERSONAL CARE SERVICES FOR AN ELDERLY LOVED ONE? THE FOLLOWING GUIDE SHOULD HELP.

When Does Personal Care Become Necessary?

Generally speaking, there are two different types of home care services. First, there’s companion care, which covers basic caregiving needs, such as help preparing meals, light housekeeping, and running errands. Next, there’s personal care or private duty care, including more intensive caregiving tasks, including assistance with activities of daily living such as dressing, grooming, and bathing.

Usually, personal care becomes necessary when seniors can no longer safely perform these tasks by themselves. However, personal caregiving may also be required in other situations, such as lack of mobility, an increased risk of falling, or a chronic physical health condition (such as arthritis, diabetes, or COPD).

Based on the above, the need for personal caregiving may seem cut and dry. However, that’s rarely the case. Age-related physical difficulties don’t come about all at once. Instead, they develop gradually over time. That makes it easy to miss signs that advanced care may be necessary.

The best way to catch these warning signs is to become familiar with them. Below, we’ve collected five key factors that indicate it may be time to hire a personal or private duty care service.

Signs Your Loved One Needs Private Duty Care

Advice from Health Care Professionals. If a doctor or nurse believes that your loved one cannot safely live at home without professional senior home care, they may recommend that you hire personal or private duty care.

Difficulty with Activities of Daily Living. Has your loved one admitted that they struggle with necessary personal activities, like dressing or bathing? You may wish to talk with them about whether they might benefit from personal caregiving.

Fear for Personal Safety and Health. As their physical health declines, many seniors start to fear for their safety and well-being. A professional caregiver can reduce risks of injury and illness, keeping your loved one safe, and dispelling unwanted fears.

Unexplained Injuries or Self-Neglect. Many elderly adults become embarrassed when they are no longer able to care for themselves. In these cases, they’re unlikely to admit the need for care. However, family members can often spot signs of decline, including unexplained cuts, scrapes, and bruises, or signs of self-neglect.

Noticeable Loss of Mobility or Strength. At a certain point, the age-related physical decline becomes evident. When your loved one struggles to move from point A to point B regularly or doesn’t have the strength to perform everyday tasks, it’s time to start thinking about in-home care services.

Next Steps: In-Home Consultations & Hiring Home Caregivers

Even if you’re unsure whether or not your loved one requires skilled caregiving, we strongly recommend speaking with local home care providers. A consultation comes with zero risks, and if you hire a care service earlier rather than later, you raise the chances of your loved having the ability to age in place safely.

If you live in the Greater Boston area, please contact Visiting Angels Newton/Canton to learn more about personal and private duty care services. We offer free consultations conducted in the comfort of your loved one’s home.

During your consultation, we’ll discuss your loved one’s care needs, recommend a basic framework for services, and work with you to develop a care plan and schedule that fits your budget and your loved one’s lifestyle. Every client is carefully matched with a compatible caregiver, and through Select Your Caregiver®, you can be confident your loved one will get a caregiver who is the right fit for their needs and personality.

Choosing the right home care provider is a difficult decision, and you want the best for your loved one. Our experienced and compassionate home caregivers have served countless seniors and disabled adults in Greater Boston with dignity and respect for over 14 years. As a result of our exemplary home care service, Visiting Angels Newton/Canton has won the Best of Home Care Leader in Excellence Award; the Best of Home Care Provider of Choice Award; and the Best of Home Care Employer of Choice Award from the national client satisfaction survey firm Home Care Pulse five years in a row. We have accreditation by Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts and have been awarded Boston Globe Top Places to Work.

Call Visiting Angels Newton/Canton at 617-795-2727 today to learn more about personal care and book a free in-home consultation with us.

When Your Senior Loved One Needs Help in the Bathroom

As we age, our muscles may weaken, our dexterity may suffer, and in some cases, we deteriorate mentally. If you have aging parents, you may experience this first-hand as your parent begins needing additional help with everyday tasks around the home. Maybe you don't mind helping if Dad needs help cleaning, cooking, or getting dressed. However, what happens when your aging parent needs help in the bathroom?

​Risk of Falling in the Bathroom

Routine activities like bathing or showering and getting in and out of the tub can cause slips and injuries. People over 85, especially if suffering from any incontinence, which is common in Alzheimer’s patients, are more likely to injure themselves on or near the toilet because they often have to rush to get in the bathroom, placing them at higher risk for falls.
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Moreover, sadly, the consequences of senior falls can be severe. Over 27,000 seniors in the USA die as a result of falls every year. If Dad is getting unsteady on his feet, it may be that bathing unsupervised is no longer an option. If you’re the only one capable of helping out, you may need to prepare yourself to enter the bathroom with your aging parent. 

Overcome the Embarrassment

Going to the bathroom is a personal, private experience, so helping a friend or family member use the toilet can be embarrassing for both you and your loved one. Some seniors may be ashamed to appear so vulnerable in front of a family member, and it may be hard for you to see the person who raised you in such a state. However, overcoming the embarrassment can lead to positive outcomes. Studies have shown that seniors who feel supported by a family member to achieve daily activities, such as using the toilet, feel more independent and in control of their lives, which in turn offers health benefits. Your loved one may come to realize that receiving bathroom help is better than the alternative, which could include leaving home for a nursing home or assisted living facility and losing independence. 

​Make it as Easy as Possible

If using the bathroom is difficult for Dad, it may be possible to remodel his bathroom to make it easier to use. Installing grab bars could help him to get on and off the toilet; nonslip decals are easy to apply to tubs and tiles to minimize slip risk. Senior-friendly walk-in tubs with doors can provide easy access, although they can be expensive. In general, ensuring that everything is within his reach, and there are minimal obstacles will be a great start. 

Offering Physical Help

Unfortunately, sometimes even a remodel might not be enough to allow every senior to use the bathroom alone, some will need a person there to help. The Family Caregiver Alliance offers tips on how to aid a senior loved one in the bathroom:

• If the senior needs help to remove clothes, move slowly, and encourage him to help.
• Don’t rush the senior; if it takes a little time, it may be better to sit him down, walk away, and come back when he is finished.
• If your loved one needs help to wipe, wet wipes may be easier than toilet paper.
• Assist with pulling up pants as pants that are not pulled up correctly can become a trip hazard.
• Provide as much privacy and modesty as possible.

According to some home caregivers, a sense of humor can be an essential tool in helping a senior loved one to use the toilet – laughter (not at the person, but with the person) can help to release the tension of the situation for both of you. After all, you both know what's going on, and there is no harm in merely acknowledging it. 

​Consider Professional Help

It’s possible that through no fault of your own, helping your loved one use the toilet may not be something that either of you is ever comfortable with as part of a routine. In this case, you could consider professional home care services. A professional caregiver can visit your loved one and help with personal care. A professional caregiver could assist with most of your loved one’s needs, including helping walk to the toilet, getting undressed, getting into the tub, washing, and even using the bathroom.
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Even if you are both comfortable with you helping in the bathroom, a professional caregiver or home health aide could offer another crucial point of assistance. Although some seniors may keep to a reasonably regular bathroom schedule, most could need to use the bathroom at any time of the day or night, which means you could be on call 24/7. Getting respite care services from a home care provider would allow you some time off while ensuring that your loved one's bathroom needs are adequately addressed.

About Visiting Angels Newton/Canton
Visiting Angels Newton/Canton senior home care agency provides quality in-home care services to seniors and people with disabilities. Countless families have benefited from our dementia home care, Alzheimer’s care, companion care, respite support, transitional aid, and elder home care services in Wellesley, Natick, Newton, Needham, Brookline, Chestnut Hill, Canton, Westwood, Dedham, Watertown, Stoughton, Roslindale, Norwood, and nearby towns. The services provided by Visiting Angels Newton/Canton will be sure to make a positive impact on your loved one’s happiness and quality of life. Call us today at 617-795-2727 for more information.

Maintaining a Lifestyle with Senior Home Care

When a loved one starts to be less independent, there are decisions to be made about how they can manage on their own.  Many of their capabilities are perhaps very good, but some are failing.  The ideal for maintaining their lifestyle and continuing with their routines is senior home care.  If daily chores are being neglected, or there are concerns about whether their prescription drugs are being taken, senior home care will ensure that these and other important tasks are done.  Their way of life can be preserved at home when these needs are met with some extra helping hands.

Many seniors have a network of friends and family, and most importantly, a routine that actually helps them thrive and be happy.  Retaining this standard of living is a positive part of their continued health, and studies have shown that seniors do well remaining in their homes.  The life of a senior can be uncomplicated yet joyful.  It could involve a weekly trip to the market, the care of a pet or garden, or something as simple as meeting a friend on a park bench.  These daily acts help a person maintain their identity, and their continued interests can keep them stimulated and contented.  

Elderly homecare services can also aid in cooking, housekeeping, bathing, grooming, errands, and even offer easy companionship.  Senior homecare is an alternative to nursing home care, and is a wonderful option to keep a loved one in their beloved homes.  If a nursing home is not yet needed, considering this type of care in one’s home is just the support some elderly people would need.

Best In-home Caregivers

Our caregivers are trained in the use of Hoyer lifts, transfer boards and other mobility devices. Each caregiver has a full orientation program with sensitivity training, as well as guidance from their Case Managers who are all CDP certified and trained by one of the top instructors in dementia care. We match a caregiver’s personality traits, technical skills and experience with the client to ensure an excellent outcome in their relationship.

Visiting Angels Newton/Canton provides caring and experienced caregivers for senior home care in Watertown, Brookline, Canton, Newton, Wellesley and nearby areas as an alternative to an assisted living facility or nursing home. For more information, please visit our website at https://www.visitingangels.com/newton.